Andra Day taps into legendary jazz singer's 'trauma' in 'United States vs. Billie Holiday'
Anika Reed, USA TODAY
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Andra Day is accustomed to stepping onto the stage as herself. But now, she transforms on the silver screen playing famed jazz singer Billie Holiday.
Directed by Lee Daniels, "The United States vs. Billie Holiday" (streaming on Hulu Friday) centers on the battle over Holiday performing the song "Strange Fruit" in the last 12 years of her life, with Federal Bureau of Narcotics chief Harry Anslinger (Garrett Hedlund) going after the singer using the power of the government – and using a plant named Jimmy Fletcher ("Moonlight" star Trevante Rhodes) to do so.