Wendy Williams Sounds Off On Aaliyah’s Relationship With R. Kelly: ‘No Skating Over It’
The production for Lifetime’s Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B film is still underway. As The Inquisitr previously reported, once Wendy Williams signed on as a producer, news about the film’s subject matter leaked.
One of the most significant leaks about the Aaliyah biopic is that it will document her controversial relationship and illegal marriage to singer R. Kelly. Everyone suspected that this taboo topic was pushed by Williams, given her constant pursuit of the truth or general love for spilling tea about celebrity gossip. Throughout her whole career, Wendy Williams has kept it real.
Speaking about the controversial nature of the biopic, Williams said about the made for TV film.
“I was like, ‘Look, if you’re going to make this Aaliyah movie, you gotta get it right, Lifetime. I love you, you’re good at wives who stab their husbands movies, but you gotta get this Aaliyah movie right.’ I was very popular on the radio for Aaliyah’s rise and untimely death. I want to hear about R. Kelly. I want to hear about Missy Elliot.”
Speaking more about the nature of Aaliyah’s relationship with R. Kelly, and how it needed to be a big part of her story, Williams said, “I wanna not just hear about R. Kelly. Don’t skate over it. This needs to be a big plot line. I want to know what her father said when 16-year-old Aaliyah brought home 28-year-old man. I want to know what her mother said. I want to know what her brother said. How did Aaliyah get started? And how did this R. Kelly thing affect her career?”
As some may know, Aaliyah was in an illegal marriage with R. Kelly. At the time, the star was 15-years-old, but listed her age as 18 so she could wed the 26-year-old singer. In 1997, Aaliyah who was under pressure from her family, expunged all records and denied that she was married to R. Kelly. Of course R. Kelly went on to have enormous legal troubles involving illicit activity with underage girls.
Due to the sensitive nature of this period in Aaliyah’s life, her family has criticized Lifetime, and Wendy’s involvement has been put under scrutiny too.
As for who will portray the two stars, Alexandra Shipp was selected to replace Zendaya Coleman, and Cle Bennett will portray a 26-year-old R. Kelly. The film is set to air on Lifetime on November 15.
[Image via Lifetime]
