News anchor Robin Roberts is pivoting from her daily broadcast duties for a more weighty television undertaking. Page Six reports that the Good Morning America host will be executive producing both a Lifetime biopic and an accompanying documentary on the late Mahalia Jackson, a famed gospel singer, and activist.
A prior biopic about Jackson cast Fantasia Burrino to play the lead, but no word yet about the cast and crew for Roberts’ retelling. The two-part viewing experience is set to air on the television network sometime in 2019, and will be presented under the banner “Robin Roberts Presents.”
The packages series is the very beginning of Roberts’ new production deal with Lifetime, in which she will create additional documentaries and series. Next up down the pipeline, the journalist-turned-filmmaker will focus on the true (and recent) story of Alexis Manigo, the woman who was abducted at birth from a Florida hospital.
Congratulations to Robin Roberts!
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