Sister Rosetta Tharpe is often dubbed "the godmother of rock 'n' roll" for her use of pioneering guitar technique, bridging the gap between gospel and secular music in the process. Her life and legendary career have been the subject of a 2011 documentary and served as inspiration for the 2016 off-Broadway play Marie And Rosetta. Now, Amazon MGM Studios is currently developing a biopic about the musician, and Deadline reports that they've tapped Lizzo as its lead.
Lizzo is also billed as a producer on Rosetta, along with Kevin Beisler, Significant Productions’ Nina Yang Bongiovi, and Forest Whitaker. The screenplay will come from Natalie Chaidez (The Flight Attendant, Queen Of The South) and Kwynn Perry (Tigerbelles, The Burned Photo). The film will document "a pivotal period" in Tharpe's life, upending the norms of both gospel and R&B with her then-unconventional electric guitar distortion, while also navigating the strife that came with being a queer Black woman in mid-century America.
Lizzo, meanwhile, is in the process of making her professional comeback after facing multiple lawsuits in 2023 for sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. She's shared the singles “Love In Real Life” and "Still Bad," and she's back to doing some live shows, including an appearance on SNL next month. She's been playing guitar a bit at those gigs. I guess she's practicing.
UPDATE: Lizzo has been practicing. She shared a statement about the film in an Instagram post, captioning a clip of her with a guitar:
Let me be very clear: there were no auditions for Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Because this is a film I’ve been producing for years, fighting for her story to get told… I’ve been honoring her in my music videos & performances… pitching her movie to people who’ve never heard of her.. studying her life and reading every book that exists about her. This is my baby, my passion— because Rosetta deserves. The Godmother of Rock n Roll is in good hands y’all. Stay tuned.
