In life, you can never tell the struggle someone is going through. What may seem like success and happiness in the public eye does not show the struggles, situations, and addictions behind closed doors.
This weekend, TV One tackles this type of experience in their upcoming original film, “Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story.” This film is the network’s first in a series of “Unsung” inspired biopics they’ve scheduled to release.
In celebration of the film’s release, the network held a media teleconference to discuss everything Miki Howard: life, love, music and TV One. Prior to the call, The Peach Review® had the opportunity to screen this amazing film so all invited media outlets could ask questions based on what they viewed. The conference call featured the following participants and their character role:
- Miki Howard (Grammy-nominated R&B singer)
- Teyonah Parris (Miki Howard)
- Vanessa Bell Calloway (Josephine Howard, Miki Howard’s mother)
- Darius McCrary (R&B legend and Miki Howard’s love interest, Gerald Levert)
- LisaRaye McCoy (Sylvia Rhone)
- Gary Dourdan (Augie Johnson)
- Indira Khan (Chaka Khan)
- D’Angela Proctor (Film’s Executive Producer, SVP of Original Programming and Production for TV One)
- Christine Swanson (Film’s Director)
- Tosha Whitten-Griggs (Conference Moderator)
This film came about because so many people loved TV One’s show, “Unsung” that producer Proctor decided to take the biopic and make it a film. She went with Miki Howard because she felt it was the, ‘strongest story of the bunch’ that features redemption, drama and laughter. She goes from a homeless teenager to R&B loyalty and encounters the pitfalls of success but is unashamed to share her story. As Howard states, “I am so excited about all my moments in my life and it is all worth it if I can help someone from going down the wrong path.”
It was very clear that the whole cast has a great deal of love and appreciation for this project and Miki Howard. For Howard, her strength comes from her faith: “It is okay to go through stuff in life and you will still be okay as long as you are faith based.” So many people endure hardships and think it is the end but for Howard, she had a strong support system who encouraged her to stay strong. Some of those individuals included, Betty Carter, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Nancy Wilson, Whitney Houston and Gerald Levert.
“Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story” airs Sunday, June 12 at 7pm EST on TV One.
Share your thoughts on social media using #represent #MikiHowardstory #thepeachreview
-Desmond McLennon
This movie was great!!!!!