Last week Lifetime announced plans to make a TV movie about the late singer Aaliyah. In a press release, the network revealed that Disney star and former "Dancing With the Stars" contestant Zendaya Coleman was cast to portray the "Rock the Boat" singer.
Lifetime's big announcement didn't sit well with a lot of Aaliyah fans. While some felt Coleman could not properly portray the singer, a large majority thought the entire movie in general was disrespectful to Aaliyah's family and should be scraped. Lifetime said they were going to stand by their decision to produce the film and have Coleman as the lead.
Now, according to a report by Media Take Out, producers are in a scramble to find a replacement for Coleman due to the amount of criticism the movie has already received. A source told MTO that Disney star was cut from the project and would be replaced by Rihanna.
"The [Zendaya] backlash is huge," the source told MTO. "Either the network is going to have to replace her, or shut down production. Right now they're negotiating with Rihanna to play Aaliyah. And [Rihanna's] interested."
This information has not been confirmed by Lifetime network, so as of now this is just a rumor. It does seem like the network is still moving ahead with the biopic because executive producer Debra Martin recently shared a small snippet of what the movie will focus on, MoviePilot.com reports.
"Aaliyah's personal and professional relationship with R. Kelly will be explored with care in the film as we set out to depict her life with the utmost respect. Above all else, it's our hope to inspire an entirely new generation with her music and larger-than-life talent," Martin said.
If Lifetime does go through with the biopic, this would be the first time Aaliyah's life and career was adapted for the screen. in the past the singer's family has tried to stop a movie being made about Aaliyah and according to MoviePilot.com, the family is not happy with Lifetime's project.
"Aaliyah was more than a singer, she was - and is still - an American music icon whose legacy continues to live on and influence today's music culture, just as Ray Charles, Notorious B.I.G., Selena and Johnny Cash," her family reportedly said in a statement. "Considering the magnitude of her fans' affection alone, she deserves to have a tribute much more grand than a television network debut that won't even consider the perspectives of those who were closest to Aaliyah. Disregarding the families and dishonoring the legacies of celebrated figures who have passed on, big networks want to exploit their stories for a buck. We're here to make it clear that it's not okay!"
