How amazing of a project is this? This Saturday, February 2nd, Lifetime Network will premiere Betty & Coretta starring the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul Mary J. Blige, and the incomparable Angela Bassett. The made-for-TV movie will take a journey into the lives of Coretta Scott King (Angela Bassett), wife of Civil Rights Martyr Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Dr. Betty Shabazz (Mary J. Blige), wife of the revolutionary Malcolm X. For more info and a sneak peek trailer of the film, hit the jump.
Directed by Shem Bitterman, the film focuses on Dr. Betty Shabazz and Coretta Scott King’s strength and accomplishments after the tragic assassinations of their husbands, Malcolm X (Lindsay Owen Pierre) and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Malik Yoba). These two women not only became pinnacles in Black History, they were role models as widowed single mothers who had to teach their children in a society that took their fathers.
According to the Hollywood Rerporter, Mary J. Blige, who is also a co -executive producer of the film along with her husband, Kendu Isaacs, hopes that the film will help to recognize the women who have become strong female role models in society.
“Just like lot of women that are involved with powerful men, they never get a chance to see from their prospective what their lives are and what was going on, but they’re getting it now,” said Blige. “It’s good for Coretta that she stepped out and she made Martin’s voice heard; she made her own voice heard, and so did Betty.”
Now, though this may not be as interesting to some as the Chris Brown/Frank Ocean “brawl”, or as exciting as Beyonce’s Halftime Show Performance, maybe we should take the time to watch a historic piece in honor of the month ahead! Betty & Coretta premieres this Saturday, February 2nd at 8:00 PM/7:00 PM central. For the full trailer, click above.
[Shouts to The Hollywood Reporter]
