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Halle Berry is a busy woman these days, but the Oscar winner told reporters on the Golden Globes Awards red carpet last week that there was one role she wasn't so eager to play -- Aretha Franklin.
As previously reported, the celebrated actress said, "If I could carry a tune, I'd consider it," before adding, "someone should tell Aretha I can't do her justice."
Despite Berry's outright disinterest, Franklin is still letting it be known that she wants the 'Frankie and Alice' star to play the lead in her movie.
"I would have liked Halle Berry to portray the older Aretha in the upcoming biopic of my life based on my memoir, 'Aretha: From These Roots.' She was my first, but not my only choice," the 68-year-old soul Grammy Award-winning music icon said in an exclusive statement to 'The Wendy Williams Show.'
Berry previously won acclaim for her star turn in the biopic 'Introducing Dorothy Dandridge,' a role for which she did not have to sing. Franklin believes that Berry could pull off playing her without actually singing, as well.
"I never expected Halle Berry to sing; she's an actress, not a singer. Many actors have portrayed vocalists by lip-syncing to the artist's original recordings," Franklin revealed.
Should Berry not be swayed to sign on for the project, producers are now ready to entertain offers from other actresses.
"Everything is subject to negotiation and she shouldn't underestimate her own talent. There are a number of other leading ladies out there that can definitely handle the role," Franklin added.
A few weeks back, Franklin gave her first televised phone interview since undergoing surgery to Wendy Williams' syndicated television show. The former radio jock and New York Times best-selling author made her own suggestions for who should take on the Grammy Award winner.
"Well Ms. Franklin, while Halle Berry is a wonderful actress and a nice lady, I'm still rooting for you to just take a peek at casting Jennifer Hudson as you," Williams said.
Other possible castings could include Queen Latifah, Fantasia, Karen Clark Sheard or Tisha Campbell-Martin.Franklin is currently recovering from a serious medical condition, which she recently confirmed is not pancreatic cancer. She plans to reschedule last year's canceled concert tour dates later this year.
Her Royal Highness
After recording a string of jazz and blues projects for Columbia Records, Memphis born songstress Aretha Franklin landed at Atlantic Records in 1966. "They made me sit down on the piano and the hits came," she later said about her legacy there.
Aretha Franklin performing during a Martin Luther King Benefit at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on June 28, 1968.
Aretha Franklin with 'Soul Train' creator Don Cornelius. Franklin was one of many entertainers who performed on the long-running show during its 1970s heyday.
Aretha Franklin rehearsing for Inaugural Eve program for newly elected US President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale at the Kennedy Center in 1977.
Flanked in fur, Aretha Franklin in the press room at the Grammy Awards, circa early 1980s.
Aretha Franklin performing in Chicago on April 18, 1985.
Aretha Franklin, pictured here with Atlantic Records chairman Ahmet Ertegun (circa early 1990s), at a private music industry party.
Aretha Franklin and Luciano Pavarotti are photographed at the 8th Annual Music Cares Gala in Honor of the famed opera singer. The event took place at New York City's posh Waldorf Astoria Hotel on February 23, 1998.
Aretha Franklin held royal court during the broadcast of 'VH1 Divas Live' at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on April 14, 1998. During the show's finale a stirring rendition of her classic song, 'Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel),' The Queen of Soul is joined by Gloria Estefan, Mariah Carey, Carole King, Celine Dion and Shania Twain.
On September 29, 1999, President Bill Clinton, along with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, awarded Aretha Franklin with the 1999 National Medal of Arts and Humanities Award at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC.
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Comments: (53)
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By: Starr on 1/28/2011 3:18AM
Halle,just don't wanna play some big behind singer.
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By: Brown Sugah Baby on 1/28/2011 4:26PM
Its rather comical that even after initially declining to accept an
offer to portray Ms. Franklin she continues to "hold out" for Ms. Berry to
change her mind. Why? She's the last person in the world to have any type of physical likeness to her and she's never been portrayed in any film as someone with any real vocal abilities. There are a hand full of women that could pull this off but the least of them of which is Halle
Berry. Come on, let's be real.
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By: rhonda on 1/28/2011 5:14PM
Alicia Keyes would probably be a better person to portray Aretha because she plays the piano. People may not know it but Aretha played the piano early on in her career.
I'm not sure if Jennifer Hudson plays or Halle Berry. And if Aretha is going for "cute" then this would be a good choice.
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By: candi on 1/28/2011 7:30PM
halle berry is a great actress but a singer no she is not one way or the other.on the other hand jennifer hudson would be a great canidate for this movie.her voice is so soulful and powerful like ms. franklin,ms. hudson have that gospel singing voice.if you are wreading this ms. franklin jennifer hudson will great for your movie,you will not go wrong giving her the opportunity i know it would be a honor.
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By: Viewer on 1/29/2011 3:29PM
I forgot to add that placing the wrong person in this role would be an epic fail! A good example of a bad choice for a leading role is Diana Ross in The Wiz. Everyone who is old enough to remember, knows that Stephanie Mills should've played Dorothy. The Wiz is not the classic that it should be, because the WRONG person played the lead role and Diana looks foolish...to this day.
Furthermore, it seems as though 'Retha never personally spoke to Halle or her "people" about the role. It's as though she just assumed that just saying she wanted Halle, would make it so because the Queen has spoken.
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By: Viewer on 1/29/2011 10:56PM
Retha, take heed.
Motown acquired the film rights to The Wiz in 1977, and signed Stephanie Mills in anticipation of having her star in the film adaptation. Motown singer and actress Diana Ross asked Motown CEO Berry Gordy to cast her as Dorothy instead, but Gordy declined, feeling the thirty-three-year old Ross was far too old for the part. However, Ross contacted Rob Cohen of Universal Pictures, who offered to have Universal finance the film if Ross were to play Dorothy, at which point Gordy acquiesced.
The resulting film version of The Wiz also starred former Motown star Michael Jackson as The Scarecrow, Nipsey Russell as the Tin Man, Richard Pryor as the Wiz, jazz singer Thelma Carpenter as Miss One and Lena Horne as Glinda the Good Witch. Ted Ross and Mabel King reprised their respective roles of the Cowardly Lion and Evilene from the Broadway production. Sidney Lumet served as director, working with screenwriter Joel Schumacher (who used none of Brown's stage script) and music supervisor Quincy Jones. The film was a critical and commercial failure, performing poorly at the Box Office and being panned by critics.[9][10]
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By: Roxanne Roxanne on 1/31/2011 5:04PM
That's what happened with Janet Jackson in Poetic Justice! She ruined the whole movie!..Halle Berry should have had that part!
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By: wen on 1/30/2011 10:00AM
Of course Jennifer Hudson is the real person qualified to do Aretha justice.
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By: uub140 on 1/31/2011 12:36PM
Aretha - Halle is too young, and too light to play you.
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By: Rayna on 1/31/2011 5:07PM
She might not want Jennifer Hudson to play her because she might feel threatened by Jennifer's vocal abilities. JENNIFER HOLIDAY DID!
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