Tony-winner Cynthia Erivo has been cast as Aretha Franklin in the National Geographic Channel‘s next installment of its Emmy-winning “Genius” anthology series.
Erivo won a Tony for her lead role in Broadway’s “The Color Purple” musical and plays Harriet Tubman in the upcoming “Harriet” movie. The TV project and Erivo received the endorsement of Franklin’s estate.
“Genius: Aretha” will feature many of Franklin’s biggest recordings, including “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You),” “Chain of Fools,” “Don’t Play That Song,” “Since You’ve Been Gone” and “Baby I Love You.”
“Genius: Aretha” is set to air in spring 2020.
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