Andra Day May Play Billie Holiday In Biopic, Lee Daniels In Talks To Direct

Andra Day May Play Billie Holiday In Biopic, Lee Daniels In Talks To Direct

Fresh off the renewals of shows Empire and Star, Lee Daniels is looking to make a leap back to the big screen. Daniels is in talks to direct biopic “Billie”  on jazz singer Billie Holiday. Singer Andra Day is being considered as Holiday and Atlanta’s Lakeith Stanfield, as the male lead.

Holiday was also known as “Lady Day,” and is considered legend in jazz and R&B. Her career spanned three decades before challenges with alcohol and drugs led to death in 1959. She was 44.

Diana Ross

Diana Ross portrayed the singer in the 1972 biopic “Lady Sings The Blues” with Billie Dee Williams and Richard Pryor.

Audra McDonald, Husband Will Swenson

More recently, actress/singer Audra McDonald, won an unprecedented six Tony Awards for her Broadway portrayal of Holiday in “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill.” In 2016, she was also nominated for an Emmy in the HBO broadcast of the play.

Andra Day

Day, 33, released her critically debut album “Cheers To The Fall” in 2015, which spawned the hit “Rise Up.” Earlier this year, she was nominated for an Oscar for the song “Stand For Something” with Common and Diane Warren.

Lee Daniels

Lee gained notoriety for his 2009 film “Precious” starring actress Gabourey Sidibe and comedian Mo’Nique. The film told the story of an obese, illiterate, 16-year-old girl gained widespread critical acclaim. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for the film. He also directed the 2013 historical fiction drama film, “The Butler” starring Oprah Winfrey and Forest Whitaker. The movie received positive reviews from critics and grossed over $100 million at the box office.

Last month, Fox renewed Daniels’ hit series Empire for a fifth season and Star for season three. Daniels hopes to begin shooting the film before the end of the year.

Are you looking forward to seeing this biopic?

By Kina Lenee Gladney