Newton North Grad To Direct Aretha Franklin Biopic

NEWTON, MA — The much talked about Aretha Franklin biopic to star Jennifer Hudson has found its director and a screenwriter, MGM Studios posted to its Facebook page Thursday. That director went to high school in Newton.

Liesl Tommy, who now lives in New York, will direct the film about Franklin's life and music, aptly named “Respect."

"I’m overjoyed and humbled. Ms. Aretha has been my guiding star since I was a child. She gave us all everything and I pray I can do right by her. I intend to,"Tommy posted to her own Facebook page.

Tommy was the first black woman to be nominated for a Tony Award for best director for the production of "Eclipsed" on Broadway that featured Luypita Nyong'o. She's directed HBO series Insecure (2016) and Dietland (2018) on Amazon Prime. She's also the director of the upcoming "Born A Crime" movie about Trevor Noah.

The stage director was born in Cape Town, South Africa during the racial segregation of apartheid, but her family moved to Massachusetts when she was 15. Tommy attended Newton North High School, where she was involved in the arts.

Classmates from the 1980s remember her as always into theater and as working on numerous productions before getting into professional theater in NYC. Tommy has attributed her relentless pursuit of theater work to a teacher's inviting her to join in a production.

"It took a long time, but she is such a hard, devoted pro and a great person to work with," said one friend in an email to Patch.

Hudson was picked by the Queen of Soul herself to play Franklin in "Dreamgirls."

Franklin told TV host Wendy Williams in 2011 that she wanted Halle Berry to play her in the movie, but Berry reportedly was worried she wouldn't be able to sing well enough, Patch previously reported. In 2016, Franklin told People Magazine she approved of Hudson taking on the project.

Franklin died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76 last year. Franklin's career spanned six decades and included some of the most legendary songs in American history, including "Respect," "Chain of Fools," "Think," and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman."

Oscar winner Callie Khouri will write screenplay.

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-Associated press material was used in this article.

Photos via Newton North's 1989 High School Yearbook