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Artist News Media
Aaliyah biopic put on hold after star quits
By Andy Malt | Published on Tuesday 1 July 2014
US TV network Lifetime has put production of its biopic about R&B singer Aaliyah on hold, following the departure of its star, Zendaya Coleman.
As previously reported, the film has proven controversial after the late singer’s family went legal earlier this month in an attempt to block the biopic from being made. Lifetime has also reportedly had trouble clearing the singer’s music for the film. It’s not clear if or when the network plans to resume production.
Disney star Coleman, who was set to play Aaliyah, told MTV News that she had quit over concerns over quality, saying: “I just felt the project wasn’t 100% there. I feel [that] production-wise everything just felt a little rushed. And I think because [Aaliyah is] someone I admire and I love so much, it can’t be done halfway, or not to the standards I think it should be done at, so I just decided not to do it”.
Following Zendaya’s departure last week, Lifetime tweeted: “We are sad Zendaya will no longer portray Aaliyah. Production is currently on hold”.
