Paramount Pictures has picked up North American rights to “The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” the first feature film in nearly a decade from “Empire” creator and filmmaker Lee Daniels (“The Paperboy,” “Precious ,” “The Butler”).
The project follows the dramatic true story of the Federal Department of Narcotics targeting the jazz legend with an undercover sting operation aimed at prohibiting her from singing the controversial song ‘Strange Fruit’ – the powerful ballad was a call to action that would herald the modern Civil Rights movement.
Grammy winner Andra Day stars as Holiday, with supporting turns from Trevante Rhodes (“Moonlight”), Garrett Hedlund (“Inside Llewyn Davis”) and Natasha Lyonne (“Russian Doll”).
Pulitzer-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks penned the script based on Johann Hari’s novel “Chasing the Scream”. Jordan Fudge, Lee Daniels, Pamela Oas Williams, Tucker Tooley, Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum will produce.
Source: Variety
