Lifetime Sets November Date For Aaliyah Bio-Pic

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Lifetime has set a Nov. 15 date for the premiere of its original movie about the life of R&B singer Aaliyah.

Aaliyah: The Princess Of R&B stars Alexandria Shipp (House Of Anubis) as rising music star and actress who tragically died in a plane crash in 2001, said network officials. The two-hour movie event is executive produced by Howard Braunstein, Debra Martin Chase and talk show host Wendy Williams, and based on the bestseller Aaliyah: More Than A Woman by former Time magazine music editor Christopher John Farey (Game World).

Disney Channel star Zendaya Coleman (Shake It Up) was originally cast to play Aaliyah in the movie, but pulled out of the project this past summer due to production issues.

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.