Cynthia Erivo is opening up about playing Aretha Franklin in a new interview, and also chatting about pal Jennifer Hudson playing the legendary singer in a different project.
“I felt like I had a responsibility to try and tell the story as fully and as truthfully and as honestly as it possibly could,” the 34-year-old actress and singer shared during an appearance on Daily Pop.
Cynthia will star on Genius as the singer, which focuses on Aretha‘s career as it skyrocketed in the 1960s and 1970s.
She called the role “daunting, yes. But also, really exciting.”
Cynthia also dished on what it’s been to star as Aretha on the small screen at the same time as Jennifer, who will play the singer in Respect.
“I’m greedy. So, any Aretha I can get, I’m getting,” she says, and adds that she wants “to hear Aretha coming out of Jennifer’s mouth. Those two have a really special relationship.”
She continued, “It’s something that we as Black women barely get so, to have her celebrated like this is so cool.”
Genius is set to premiere on National Geographic in four parts starting on Sunday, March 21 @ 9/8c. Check out the final trailer for the series here…
Here’s what Cynthia‘s next project will be…
