“Respect” tells the story of how Aretha Franklin found her voice. Not just her soulful singing voice that could bring the house down, but the fiery and steadfast voice she became known for. It’s the voice that decided when she would and wouldn’t sing, told others how she wanted them to refer to her and fiercely advocated for Black folks.
Screenwriter Tracey Scott Wilson, who’s also a playwright, television writer and producer, was tasked with outlining and writing a story arc that illustrates how Franklin, who died in 2018 at age 76, found that voice.
The film, which hits theaters Friday, follows the Queen of Soul from ages 10 to 29. Starring Jennifer Hudson, whom Franklin handpicked to portray her in her biopic, “Respect” showcases the marriage of Franklin’s musical genius and spirituality.
What some may not know is how Franklin became the voice of many movements. She and her father, renowned minister C. L. Franklin, worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement. Franklin would often perform for Southern Christian Leadership Conference fundraisers, and she donated millions of her own money to organizations fighting for Black rights. When King was assassinated in 1968, she sang “Precious Lord” at his funeral.
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In writing the screenplay, Wilson shared, Franklin’s family and those who worked closely with the singer said there were times she didn’t show up for paid gigs, but she always made time for the movement. Through her music, she was able to give movements for Black lives a soundtrack, Wilson said.
“I just think that ‘Respect,’ and ‘Think,’ and just so many [of her] songs became the anthems for so many movements,” the screenwriter noted. “And even today, that her songs fuel and inspire movements … Think about the gay rights movement, the women’s movement, the Black power movement. So, I think that it touches people universally, around the world.”
Source: ‘Respect’ Screenwriter Tracey Scott Wilson On Evoking Aretha Franklin, The Activist
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