Queen Latifah, Mary J Blige, Missy Eliot produce Lifetime movie on gospel legends The Clark Sisters

By Jeannie Ortega Law, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, January 25, 2020

Kierra Sheard and Queen Latifah at the TCA press conference/panel of Lifetime’s 'The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel,' in Pasadena, California, Jan. 18, 2020. — Kierra Sheard and Queen Latifah at the TCA press conference/panel of Lifetime’s "The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel," in Pasadena, California, Jan. 18, 2020. | Getty Images for Lifetime

Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, and Missy Eliot have teamed up to executive produce Lifetime’s TV movie “The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel,” based on the lives of the legendary singing siblings.

The movie will be broadcast April 11 on Lifetime.

At a news conference for the film, Blige, an award-winning singer, spoke of the impact the sisters (Jacky Cullum Chisholm, Denise "Niecy" Clark Bradford, Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark, Dorinda Clark-Cole, and Karen Clark Sheard) had on her life.

“I've learned so much from them. They just have the anointing,” Blige gushed.

“Seeing their story was like seeing what do our angels go through? They've been my Earth angels. So we all want to see what their life was like. What did they sacrifice? What did they give up to save our lives? That's why we're telling the story,” she said.

According to the synopsis, the film tells the “musical tale of the incomparable gospel singers, The Clark Sisters. ‘The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel’ recounts the story of the highest selling female gospel group in history and of their trailblazing mother, Mattie Moss Clark (Aunjanue Ellis).

"Credited with bringing gospel music to the mainstream, the five Clark sisters overcame humble beginnings in Detroit, enduring abuse, loss, rejection, betrayal, and sibling rivalries to achieve international fame as icons of the Gospel music industry.”

At a recent TCA panel on Lifetime’s TV movie “The Clark Sisters,” executive producer Holly Carter spoke about the role faith plays in the movie. Also included in the panel was EP Queen Latifah and cast members Bell, Sheard, Frazier, Goodwin and Birchett.

“I think it’s all about how you tell the story,” Carter said, according to Deadline. She called the film, “A little aspiration, a little inspiration, a little Jesus.” Claiming the challenge was “connecting them to a story that could touch the masses. You do that by telling stories than connect to every man … it has not been easy. But it has been possible.”