Find out what it means in theaters this December.
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.
Director Liesl Tommy makes her feature film debut with Respect. Tommy is the first Black woman ever nominated for a Tony award for Best Direction of a Play in 2016 for Eclipsed, and is an Associate Artist at the Berkeley Rep and an Artist Trustee with the Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees.
Respect’s story was written by Callie Khouri (Oscar ® winner for Thelma & Louise) and Tracey Scott Wilson, and its screenplay by Tracey Scott Wilson. Wilson and Tommy have worked together creatively since the 2009 play The Good Negro written by Wilson, directed by Tommy at The Public Theatre. Wilson was a writer on FX’s “The Americans” which garnered her a Peabody Award as well as Emmy and WGA Award nominations.
The all-star cast includes;
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
and
Mary J. Blige as Dinah Washington
Watch the teaser trailer for Respect here.
