Fantasia Barrino has received an apology from producers after online reports suggested her out-of-wedlock pregnancy could cost her an acting role.
Barrino is due to star in a biopic on the life of New Orleans-born gospel queen Mahalia Jackson. However, an October 7th article in The New York Post contained a quote from the film’s executive producer that suggested otherwise. Specifically, it was implied that Mahalia Jackson’s family was less than happy about Barrino being pregnant and unwed.
The newspaper’s source turned out to be one Adrian Taylor, who’s not actually an executive producer at all … or even an employee of Double Dutch Productions, the company behind the Mahalia Jackson flick.
In a carefully worded statement, Double Dutch extended an apology to former American Idol winner Barrino:
“Double extends apologies to Fantasia Barrino for the inaccurate, non-factual and disparaging statements of Ms. Barrino’s reputation, character and image. The comments made in the article by financing broker Adrian Taylor were not authorized, approved or condoned by the producers. The information and comments expressed within this article regarding the project were solely those of Adrian Taylor. Taylor is not an employee of this production company nor an active participant of any facet in the producing of this film. Mr. Taylor’s credit of executive producer will be valid only pending a final contract for financing.”
The statement went on to point out that the Jackson family had expressed no negative sentiment about Barrino’s pregnancy. It also added that Taylor has been slapped on the wrist twice before for making unauthorized comments to the press about the film. Somebody is treading on thin ice, it would seem.
Hopefully the apology will go some way to placating Barrino, who earlier this week rang ‘The Wendy Williams Show’ to express her anger about the rumors that her pregnancy could endanger the role. As she said:
“I almost went into labor, because it was the first time that I’ve heard anything about that. I haven’t spoken to the family yet, haven’t heard anything from the family, so that was my first time hearing anything about it.”
The Mahalia Jackson film is scheduled to start shooting in Janaury in Chicago and Philadelphia.
