Mary J. Blige is Nina Simone in 'Nina' Biopic

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mary J. Blige will channel famed jazz singer Nina Simone in Cynthia Mort's "Nina," biopic.  Mort is a former writer for TV's "Rosanne" and "Will & Grace" and is the creator of "Tell Me You Love Me." Allegedly, the film will center around the singer's relationship with her assistant, Clifton Henderson. David Oyelowo is said to be filling that role. The film, which is budgeted at $10M will begin shooting in the fall.

Simone recorded over 40 live and studio albums, the greatest body of her work released between 1958 (when she made her debut with Little Girl Blue) and 1974. Her most well known songs include "My Baby Just Cares for Me", "I Put a Spell on You", "Four Women", "I Loves You Porgy", "Feeling Good", "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", "Sinnerman", "To Be Young, Gifted and Black", "Mississippi Goddam", "Ain't Got No, I Got Life" and "I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl."

Also a Civil Rights activist, a civil rights message was standard in Simone's recording repertoire after 1964, when she first encountered a boycott of her single, "Mississippi Goddam," about murder of Medgar Evers and the bombing of a church in Birmingham, Alabama that killed four black children. Simone performed and spoke at many civil rights meetings, such as at the Selma to Montgomery marches. Simone advocated violent revolution during the civil rights period as opposed to Martin Luther King's non-violent approach,and hoped that African Americans could, by armed combat, form a separate state.

On screen, Blige has appeared on The Jamie Foxx Show Angel: One More Road to Cross, Prison Song, Strong Medicine, Ghost Whisperer, I Can Do Bad All By Myself, and 30 Rock.  She is the recipient of 9 Grammy Awards.