LifetimeWhen thinking of great Black female role models across history, one who stands out is Mahalia Jackson. She may not be well known outside of the musical sphere, but Mahalia was an important figure in the civil rights movement. Now she’s finally getting the (television) treatment she deserves in Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia, a biopic looking at Mahalia’s gospel career and the effect her music had on history.
Mahalia is played by Danielle Brooks, formerly of Orange Is the New Black. The actress is Juilliard trained, and in this project she gets to show off her phenomenal voice (Brooks won a Grammy for her role in The Color Purple). She decided to take the role of Mahalia after doing some soul-searching and trusting her instincts. “You know, I know for a fact that Mahalia stood firm on her faith with God and I’ve also had to do the same thing through my journey,” explained Brooks. “I think that’s why I was so connected to who she was because I also grew up in the church, and I also had to lean on God when I felt like I couldn’t do things. And this was definitely one of those moments.”
Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia > Lifetime > Premieres Saturday, April 3
