As \
Early in the making of “Respect,” director Liesl Tommy had an edict for the movie’s actors and crew. “There will be only one diva on this movie,” she told them. “And that will be Aretha Franklin.” From star Jennifer Hudson on down, those involved with the long-in-the-works biopic said that sense of reverence and responsibility for the Queen of Soul’s legacy coursed throughout the project, which hits theaters Friday. The MGM film, with Broadway veteran Tommy making her film directorial debut, is the culmination of an effort set in motion years ago by Franklin herself. It’s the most significant Detroit-related music film since Eminem’s “8 Mile” in 2002. In a powerhouse performance that’s already generating Oscar buzz, Hudson channels the spirit and soul of Franklin for a story chronicling 20 years of the singer’s life. “Respect” picks up in 1952 Detroit, with 9-year-old Aretha — played by precocious Skye Dakota Turner — summoned from bed by her father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin, to show off her singing talents for a party of VIP guests. More: Jennifer Hudson talks ‚Respect‘ as Aretha movie arrives in theaters From a turbulent childhood that includes a rape, young Aretha’s resulting pregnancy and the death of her mother, the 2½-hour biopic jumps to Franklin’s late teens and 20s as she battles for her own creative, political and personal autonomy. As the filmmakers have frequently described it, “Respect” is the story of a woman with the greatest vocal gift in the world seeking to find her own voice. “This is the origin story of a superhero,” said producer Scott Bernstein. The film’s tension comes as Franklin wrestles for her own power among the strong men in her sphere, including her famous preacher father (in a deft performance by Forest Whitaker) and her tempestuous husband-manager, Ted White. Franklin’s mother — played by Audra McDonald, one of the real Queen of Soul’s early considerations for the lead role — is a tender but sturdy guide: “Your daddy doesn’t own your voice,” she tells her gifted daughter. More: Jennifer Hudson tours Detroit, joins Franklin family for ‘Respect‘ screening More: The story behind Aretha Franklin’s long quest for a biopic Saycon Sengbloh (Erma Franklin) and Hailey Kilgore (Carolyn Franklin) play Aretha’s tightly bonded sisters, Mary J. Blige is a memorable Dinah Washington, and Marc Maron is a feisty but tuned-in Jerry Wexler, the Atlantic Records producer who offered Franklin creative leeway as she blossomed into the Queen of Soul. Like others involved with the project, Bernstein said he lamented only that Franklin wasn’t here to witness the film’s completion. She died in 2018, just after MGM committed and Hudson was locked in to star. Set largely in Detroit, New York and Los Angeles, “Respect” was primarily shot in Atlanta, wrapping just before the pandemic hit. (Bernstein said Michigan “absolutely” would have been a location contender if the state still offered tax incentives for filmmakers.) With a few hundred extras dressed in period attire and some post-production magic, the 700-seat auditorium at the Infinite Energy Center outside Atlanta was transformed into assorted venues for concert scenes, including New York’s Madison Square Garden and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. Guided by blueprints of the C.L. Franklin family home on La Salle Street, filmmakers outfitted an Atlanta house with a new façade — including a front porch — for outdoor shots, while re-creating the Detroit home’s interior on a soundstage. Sabrina Owens, daughter of Aretha Franklin’s sister Erma, said they nailed it — down to C.L. Franklin’s study with its windowed French doors and leather-bound books. The shoot also included a re-creation of Detroit’s Hastings Street in the mid-‘60s, along with Franklin’s New York apartment and Los Angeles ranch home. Production designer Ina Mayhew said her research left her surprised by the Queen of Soul’s lavishness: “Everything around her was big and expensive.” One hurdle came with the original New Bethel Baptist Church, where young Franklin cut her gospel teeth. Few photos of the chapel exist, and other source materials were tough to pin down.
