Entertainment superstar Aretha Franklin was an industry icon and international treasure. Beloved by millions, honored by presidents, she also struggled with personal and family turmoil. The Queen of Soul handpicked Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson to play her in this long-awaited MGM biopic.
Nothing in this glitzy biopic suggests Franklin's down-to-earthiness that longtime movie critic and culture writer Mal Vincent met at the Hampton Coliseum in 1974.
Jennifer Hudson was once a Chicago teenager with a voice and a dream. Now she's Aretha Franklin's voice in "Respect," a dream role for her, she says. Next dream role? Oprah.