Keke Palmer is set to play Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas in TLC‘s VH1-produced biopic. As happy as the 20-year-old actress is to be playing the coveted role, TLC fans aren’t too excited about it.
After a few fans took to cyber bullying the actress for being casted, the Chicago native fired back in a series of tweets. “People kill me, I don’t remember Angela Bassett looking ANYTHING like Tina Turner,” she wrote. “And she RIPPED that role. People Need to realize hat [sic] movies aren’t casted by people looking like who they’re playing. They’re casted by who can do the role. I don’t know about you, but I would much rather see a movie that is well acted, then a movie with a bunch of look a like’s. Cause Ben Affleck isn’t even Hispanic, but the man he played in Argo IS.”
While Keke defends fiercely defended her decision to star in the TV film, rising artist Kilo Kish recently turned down the role of Chilli for the exact reasons Palmer is being criticized: She looks nothing like Chilli.
The Joyful Noise actress joins Lil Mama–who caught a lot of flack for being casted as Lisa Left Eye Lopes–and former The Game actress Drew Sidora. Production is set to begin next month in Atlanta.
Photo Credit: Necole Bitchie
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