FKA Twigs confirmed to play Josephine Baker in movie biopic

FKA Twigs will portray Jazz Age entertainer Josephine Baker in an upcoming movie biopic.

The Grammy-winning singer will portray the trailblazing American-born French dancer, singer, actor and civil rights activist in the film, which has been developed with the cooperation of Baker's surviving sons, Jean-Claude and Brian Bouillon Baker.

"I am honoured to collaborate with the immensely talented Maïmouna Doucouré on this incredible project," FKA Twigs, real name Tahliah Barnett, said in a statement. "Josephine Baker's extraordinary legacy is such an inspiration to me and to so many people around the world. She lives on in our hearts as a visionary, ground-breaking woman whose story is as powerful as it is relevant today. I cannot wait to embody Josephine Baker bringing her fight, her love, her losses, her talent and her heroism to the big screen."

The untitled biopic will be written, directed and produced by Cuties filmmaker Maimouna Doucouré, who was first attached to the project four years ago. Production will begin in the autumn.

"Josephine Baker has lived with me for years. Working on this film, I realise how modern, fearless and complex she was," the French filmmaker added. "Beyond the legend, I want to explore her contradictions, her wounds and her immense courage, as well as her relentless fight for dignity."

She continued, "With the extraordinary FKA Twigs bringing her rare artistry, intelligence and emotional depth to the role, it is a huge honour to work with Studiocanal to bring Josephine's story to the screen for a global audience: the story of a woman who never stopped reinventing herself and fighting for justice and equality."

Born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis, Missouri in 1906, Baker rose to fame performing in revues in Paris and became a symbol of the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties. Beyond the stage, she joined the French Resistance during World War II and was later a prominent voice in the U.S. civil rights movement. She died in 1975 at the age of 68.

While most famous as a singer, Twigs, 38, has acted in several projects, most recently in Mother Mary alongside Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel. Her other film credits include Honey Boy, The Carpenter's Son and the 2024 remake of The Crow.