Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor to Pen Sister Rosetta Tharpe Biopic

Oscar-nominated performer Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is set to write a feature biopic about Sister Rosetta Tharpe for Live Nation Productions, produced by music icon Mick Jagger.

According to Deadline, the movie is being made in partnership with Tharpe's estate, which has also granted the use of her music catalog in the film. Additional material will come from the Gayle Wald biography, Shout, Sister, Shout!: The Untold Story of Rock-and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe. A companion documentary, with access to Tharpe's music, is also in the works, and will feature interviews with friends, collaborations, and scholars.

Known as the "Godmother of Rock and Roll," Tharpe rose to prominence in the 1930s and 40s with her groundbreaking blend of gospel music, swing rhythms, and fierce electric guitar, making her an unconventional music superstar. She influenced numerous other rock-and-roll musicians, including Tina Turner, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton, and Little Richard. She was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

Maria and Rosetta, a stage play about her collaboration with singing partner and protege Maria Knight, premiered at the Atlantic Theater Company in 2016. A new production of the show is playing at England's Rose Theatre until May 24, before touring to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre and the Chichester Festival Theatre. Another musical, Shout, Sister, Shout!, was written by playwright Cheryl West, with productions staged in Pasadena, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

Ellis-Taylor is known for her work as an actress, with recent credits that include 2023's The Color Purple and 2024's Nickel Boys. She was seen on Broadway in The Tempest, Drowning Crow, and Joe Turner's Come and Gone. 

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