B. Simone Cast as Aaliyah in Big Screen Biopic

Singer B. Simone is reportedly set to play late R&B star Aaliyah in a big screen biopic.

Nickelodeon regular Alexandra Shipp has been tapped to replace Zendaya Coleman in an upcoming TV movie based on the singer’s short life, but Aaliyah’s uncle and former manager, Barry Hankerson, is working with author Zane on a second film, which may also feature actors Terrence Howard and Wood Harris, according to S2S magazine.

A source says, “We’re in a position where we can do the feature film and we can do the music. I think if we do our due-diligence, people will watch the TV movie and still say, ‘I need to see the feature film’.”

Coleman pulled out of the TV project in June after she was bombarded with negative comments surrounding her casting and Aaliyah’s family made it known that they do not stand behind the television movie.

Aaliyah was just 22 when she died in a plane crash in 2001.

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