It doesn’t look like we’ll be getting a posthumous Aaliyah album, but a new film is in the works. Disney Star and singer Zendaya Coleman will play the late star in the biopic, Aaliyah Princess of R&B, airing on Lifetime later this year.
The film adaptation — the first about the singer — is based off the book Aaliyah: More Than A Woman, by former Time magazine music editor Christopher Farley. Coleman, 17, will portray Aaliyah throughout her climb to stardom, and up until the 22-year-old’s death, in 2001.
In addition to covering Aaliyah’s hit singles, Coleman will record four original songs for the film.
Bradley Walsh (Turn the Beat Around) will direct from the script of Micheal Elliot (Brown Sugar). Aliyah Prodcutions, Inc. Howard Breunstein (The Informant!) and Debra Chase (The Princess Diaries, Sparkle) will executive produce.
Coleman brings with her a strong background in singing and acting. She is best known for starring in the Disney channel show Shake It Up, and released her self-titled debut “Ready” last year. The single went platinum as of this past January. Coleman also competed on a season of ABC’s Dancing with Stars.
This new film on Aaliyah comes less than a month after Lifetime’s announced it’s Whitney Houston biopic.
Aaliyah Princess of R&B debuts this fall.
Does Coleman favor Aaliyah? See photos of both, in the gallery below.
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Photos: Instagram, WENN
