Natasha Lyonne, Trevante Rhodes Join Lee Daniels’ Biopic

Natasha Lyonne, Garrett Hedlund and Trevante Rhodes are set to hitch the solid of Lee Daniels’ biopic on the lifetime of Billie Holliday starring Andra Day, it was introduced Tuesday.

“The United States vs. Billie Holliday” might be Daniels’ subsequent movie, and it’ll go into manufacturing early subsequent month in Montreal.

The film follows the legendary jazz musician and singer Holliday as she’s being focused by the Federal Department of Narcotics in an undercover sting operation led by federal agent Jimmy Fletcher, with whom she had a tumultuous affair. Inspired by her life story, “The United States vs. Billie Holliday” examines Holliday’s struggles with habit, fame and heartbreaking love.

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“It is an extraordinary responsibility to tell the story of the iconic Billie Holiday. Her story is very personal to me and I hope to do justice when bringing to light this profound and complicated soul — a great artist and an unsung civil rights warrior,” Daniels stated in an announcement.

Pulitzer prize-winner Suzan-Lori Parks (“Native Son”) wrote the screenplay primarily based on the 2015 e-book “Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs” written by Johann Hari. The e-book is a non-fiction examination of the historical past and affect of drug criminalization throughout the interval referred to as The War on Drugs.

The movie is being produced by New Slate Ventures, Lee Daniels Entertainment, Roth Kirschenbaum Films with Jordan Fudge, Lee Daniels, Pamela Oas Williams and Tucker Tooley. The government producers embrace Hilary Shor, George Parra, Mark Bomback and Dennis Stratton. BAFTA nominated composer Christopher Gunning will come out of retirement to design the unique rating, whereas Salaam Remi is on board as government music producer.

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Daniels’s final characteristic movie was “The Butler” from 2013, which starred Forest Whitaker and grossed over $175 million on the worldwide field workplace.

Rhodes is greatest recognized for his work in “Moonlight” and was most just lately seen in “Bird Box” and “The Predator.” Hedlund most just lately starred within the Netflix movie “Triple Frontier.” And Lyonne is the star of “Russian Doll” and “Orange Is the New Black.”

News of the solid was first reported by Deadline.