Jennifer Hudson hits high notes in official trailer for Aretha Franklin biopic ‘Respect’

“You have a talent they call genius.”

MGM has released the official full trailer for Respect, which follows the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom and stars Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) in the titular role.

Director Liesl Tommy makes her feature film debut with Respect. Tommy is the first Black woman ever nominated for a Tony award for Best Direction of a Play in 2016 for Eclipsed, and is an Associate Artist at the Berkeley Rep and an Artist Trustee with the Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees.

The film is written by Callie Khouri (Oscar winner for Writing, Thelma & Louise) and Tracey Scott Wilson, and screenplay written by Tracey Scott Wilson. Wilson and Tommy have worked together creatively since the 2009 play The Good Negro written by Wilson, directed by Tommy at The Public Theatre. Wilson was a writer on FX’s The Americans which garnered her a Peabody Award as well as Emmy and WGA Award nominations.

Respect also stars Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland), Marlon Wayans, Tony winner Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Kimberly Scott, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Heather Headley, Skye Dakota Turner, Tate Donovan and Academy Award nominee Mary J. Blige (Mudbound).

MGM/UA will release Respect only in theaters on August 13, 2021. Here is the official trailer.

Photo credit: Quantrell D. Colbert © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.