Lifetime has served up the first appetizer for their upcoming Aaliyah biopic, Aaliyah: Princess Of R&B. Starring Nickelodeon’s Alexandra Shipp as Babygirl, the 15-second teaser retains the late singer’s baggy pants 90’s fashion as Shipp removes her denim jacket and shades to reveal her sleek-haired Aaliyah look.
The much-talked-about film has been surrounded with controversy from nearly its inception; garnering criticism for the straight-to-TV rollout. The first selected actress to play Aaliyah, Zendaya Coleman, also came under fire from critics who said she did not fit the look. The R&B star’s family was also opposed to the film, threatening to take legal action to prevent its release. Executive producer Wendy Williams defended the film against naysayers.
“In my opinion, TV trumps motion picture,” she told the NY Daily News. “Lifetime will play the movie over and over. TV is the way to get your story told.”
Aaliyah: Princess Of R&B is set to premiere on Lifetime on Nov. 15.