Alexandra Shipp will now take over as Aaliyah in the new biopic production of the late RnB singer. The "House of Anubis" star will replace the previously casted Zendaya Coleman, HipHopDX reported.
The Aaliyah biopic's executive producer, Wendy Williams, confirmed the news by posting it on Twitter, while a representative from Lifetime TV network concurred the replacement.
"I'm excited to exec produce the Aaliyah @lifetim etv movie w/ @DebraMChase. Prod starts later this month and @AlexShipppp will play Aaliyah," Wendy Williams says on Twitter.
Zendaya Coleman, who was initially offered the role dropped out and explained that she thinks there is something lacking in the production that made her say 'no' to it.
"I felt like something with the production [wasn't] all the way there, the project wasn't all the way there. If I'm going to do something for someone I care about so much, I have to do it the right way. I don't want to do anything that's half or anything that's less for her."
According to The Wrap, the planned biopic for the late Aaliyah, who died in a plane crash 13 years ago has been bombarded with criticisms by the late singer's family and fans.
Aaliyah's family expressed opposition in the project as they were excluded in the production and they believe that the biopic should be produced on the big screen, not on TV. Fans, meanwhile, are pushing a signed petition seeking to shut down the production.
Obtaining rights for Aaliyah's music for use in the biopic also poses difficulty. Jomo Honkerson, president of Aaliyah's label, Blackground Records and a cousin, said that the family was ready to withhold whatever rights it holds for the late singer disabling the production of music materials to be used.
Alexandra Shipp is set to lead the Aaliyah biopic film for TV, tentatively titled Aaliyah: Princess of R&B that aims to depict the life and rise to stardom of the beloved singer to premiere this fall. The movie will be based on the biography Aaliyah: More Than a Woman, by former TIME editor Christopher John Farley.
