“Respect,” set for limited release Christmas Day ahead of nationwide distribution, also stars Forest Whitaker (father Rev. C.L. Franklin), Audra McDonald (mother Barbara Franklin) and Marlon Wayans (husband-manager Ted White). Mary J. Blige, Heather Headley, Tate Donovan and Marc Maron also have roles.
Following the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom, RESPECT is the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to find her voice. With a story by Callie Khouri (Oscar ® winner for The
The MGM biopic set out to chronicle the Detroit singer’s life from childhood through the 1960s, a time of career highs, artistic innovation and interpersonal drama for Franklin — and wider social upheaval around her. “It’s incredible how much it resonates with what’s happening right now, which makes it even that much more powerful,” Hudson told the Detroit Free Press by email. “I almost can’t even gather the words, but it’s as if a voice from the past is speaking up right now, which just shows how timeless her music was and is.”
.@IAMJHUD is Aretha Franklin in RESPECT ✨In theaters this December. #RespectMovie pic.twitter.com/pxvy0wxPue
— RESPECT: The Aretha Franklin Movie (@RespectMovie) June 29, 2020
The Queen arrives this December. See @IAMJHUD as Aretha Franklin in RESPECT 🎶 Watch the teaser trailer now. #RespectMovie pic.twitter.com/t7wjUTF73A
— RESPECT: The Aretha Franklin Movie (@RespectMovie) June 29, 2020
Starring
Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin
Forest Whitaker as C.L. Franklin
Marlon Wayans as Ted White
Audra McDonald as Barbara Franklin
Tituss Burgess as Reverend Dr. James Cleveland
Marc Maron as Jerry Wexler
Kimberly Scott as Mama Franklin
Saycon Sengbloh as Erma Franklin
Hailey Kilgore as Carolyn Franklin
Heather Headley as Clara Ward
Skye Dakota Turner as Young Aretha Franklin
Tate Donovan as John Hammond
Mary J. Blige as Dinah Washington
Instagram: @RespectMovie
Twitter: @RespectMovie
Facebook: @RespectFilm
