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FKA Twigs to star in Josephine Baker biopic the legendary American-born entertainer who became a star in the roaring Paris of the 1920s.
The announcement was made on Monday, a few days before this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film is directed by French filmmaker Maïmouna Doucouré, known for the coming-of-age drama “Cuties”. Filming is planned for autumn.
“I can’t wait to embody Josephine Baker and bring her struggles, her love, her losses, her talent and her heroism to the big screen,” the Grammy winner told The Hollywood Reporter. “She lives on in our hearts as a visionary, groundbreaking woman whose story is as powerful as it is relevant today.”
Twigs on screen
It’s the next acting role Twigs is taking on alongside her music career. After winning her first Grammy in the Best Dance/Electronic Album category for “Eusexua,” she continued to pursue her ambitions as a film actress. She previously appeared in “Honey Boy”, “The Carpenter’s Son” and most recently in the A24 thriller “Mother Mary” alongside Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel.
Rumors about the Josephine Baker project – which is being created with the blessing of her sons – have been circulating since last May. Baker is a Jazz Age icon, famous for her expressive gaze, distinctive bob and distinctive dance style.
Born Freda Josephine McDonald in 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri, Baker initially appeared in vaudeville shows before moving to Paris in 1925. Her number “Danse Sauvage,” in which she performed in a banana skirt, catapulted her into fame.
Activist and resistance fighter
In 1927, Baker became the first black woman to star in a major motion picture, in Siren of the Tropics. Beyond show business, she was involved as an activist: she joined the French Resistance in World War II and fought for the civil rights movement in the USA in the 1960s. In April 1975, Baker died at the age of 68.
