Aretha Franklin has a lot going on right now.
The “Queen of Soul” along with Usher, Stevie Wonder, Ludacris, Garth Brooks, Robin Thicke will be performing in the” Dream Concert” at Manhattan’s Radio City Music Hall on September 18th.
The legend recently sat down with PEOPLE talked about her weight,upcoming Tv Movie and her music.
The singer revealed that she hopes that Halle Berry will play her role.
Here are the highlights of the interview.
On her struggle with weight:
It’s no secret you’ve had some struggles with your weight in recent years.
Who hasn’t had a weight issue? If not the body, certainly the big head! (Laughs.) But I have no such issues now.How much have you lost?
A lot of weight. I won’t say the number, but I found the magic numbers on the treadmill. Slowly but surely. It’s all happy.No surgery?
I would never, ever do that. I know many women who [had gastric bypass surgery]] who are having a bad time now, unfortunately. It’s nothing I would ever do.
On her biopic:
And a movie?
For television. My autobiography, From These Roots. Hopefully it will happen early spring. I have verbal commitments from Billy Dee [Williams] to play my father, and Terrence Howard to play Smokey Robinson.Who’ll play you?
I’m not sure yet. Jennifer Hudson came to read for me. I also have an interest in Halle Berry possibly doing it. And Fantasia.
Expect a new single from Aretha in two weeks.
A duet with Fantasia Barrino entitled “Let Me Put You Up On Game.”
Ms franklin is truly the queen of soul, and Halle berry is not the one to play her
what Ms franklins need is someone who has that star quality like she does,, she
needs to think about Ms. Jill scott, not no halle barry I mean lets think about roots,
Jennifer hudson and Jill scott have that star quality and Halle barry is not chruch honey!,,, what Ms barry is gonna gain 200pds you have to remember that she needs
someone who has that beautiful face like areatha, and that voice that would get people up on there feet someone who is real, and Ms barry is a great actress but
she is not NO,, Queen of soul,,, plus we want to see someone on that movie screen
that can belt out those Lyrics,,( NOt a Fake areatha),,, we need to see the real deal,,when she was young and when she became a star, and then when she became the queen of soul,, Ms jill scott is a beautiful woman,and she has that star quality
that aretha does, the rest of the cast if good but Halle barry for Ms. franklin Big mistake, please dont think Ms. franklin that having the top notch hollywood actresses or actors, will make this biopic the bomb,,, what will make it the bomb would be Ms, Jill scott. she’s got the soul and the spirit to carry this out,,, plus remember that us heavey woman in hollywood can get away with being heavey
because it looks good on us….. I got the double Cd of her live performance Amazing Grace, it will lift you up to the ski and that’s what we wanna see someone
who can make tears come to your eyes when she sings just like Aretha does,,
please call Ms. Jill scott, and give her a chance to show you her star quality, that would be an amazing movie,,, If you get halle barry to do this,, believe it wont be a hit, and it wont be,what you thought,,, please think long and hard about this one
and pray on it,, It would make your movie so much more special,,,,, if you get halle
barry to do it,, YOu might as well get me to do it,,, Iam a big boned woman and I love Aretha franklin songs and I know every word of every one she made,,, I grew up with aretha franklin playing in my home everyday!!,,,, thanks for listening
and please pray on that one,, God bless you Ms. franklin.