Lizzo Steps Into Rock History With Rosetta Tharpe Biopic

We’ve got some exciting news out of Hollywood today, courtesy of Deadline. Lizzo, the four-time Grammy winner, is set to take on a major role in a new movie about the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe. This isn’t just any project—it’s a biopic called ‘Rosetta,’ and it’s being developed by Amazon MGM Studios. I can already feel the energy this pairing is going to bring to the screen.

Tharpe, often called the ‘Godmother of Rock and Roll,’ was a gospel singer who broke barriers in the 1930s and ’40s. She mixed her faith-filled music with a guitar style that shaped rock as we know it, influencing icons like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry. The film plans to dive into a key chapter of her life, full of bold creativity and personal struggles. Picture this—she’s pushing musical limits, hiding a forbidden romance with another woman, and turning a wedding into the first-ever stadium concert. That’s the kind of story that grabs you and doesn’t let go.

Lizzo isn’t just starring—she’s also producing alongside Kevin Beisler and the team of Nina Yang Bongiovi and Forest Whitaker from Significant Productions. The script comes from Natalie Chaidez, who worked on ‘The Flight Attendant,’ and Kwynn Perry, known for ‘Tigerbelles.’ No director’s been named yet, but with this crew, the project’s already got some serious weight behind it.

If you know Lizzo, you know she’s no stranger to the spotlight. She’s got two chart-topping hits—‘Truth Hurts’ and ‘About Damn Time’—and made history in 2023 as the first Black woman to snag Record of the Year at the Grammys since 1994. She’s acted before too, popping up in the 2019 crime flick ‘Hustlers’ with Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu. Plus, she’s been all over TV, from her Emmy-winning reality show ‘Watch Out For the Big Grrrls’ to the 2022 HBO Max documentary ‘Love, Lizzo.’ Her latest single, ‘Still Bad,’ just dropped, teasing her fifth album, ‘Love In Real Life,’ due out this year.

Tharpe’s story isn’t new to film—she was played by Yola in Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 hit ‘Elvis,’ which starred Austin Butler and Tom Hanks. Her music keeps showing up everywhere, from ‘A League of Their Own’ to ‘Death on the Nile.’ But this biopic promises a deeper look at her life, and Lizzo seems like the perfect fit to bring that fire.

This comes at an interesting time for Lizzo. She’s been making a comeback after facing lawsuits in 2023 from former employees alleging sexual harassment—claims she’s firmly denied. Now, with ‘Rosetta,’ she’s channeling her energy into a role that could redefine how we see her. Music biopics are hot right now—think ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ or the Timothée Chalamet-led ‘A Complete Unknown,’ which just scored eight Oscar nods. Hollywood’s got more in the pipeline too, with projects about the Beatles, Madonna, and Queen Latifah in the works.

I can’t wait to see Lizzo pick up that guitar and step into Tharpe’s shoes. With her voice and presence, this could be something special—a tribute to a trailblazer, told by an artist who’s breaking molds herself. Keep an eye on this one—it’s got all the makings of a big moment.