Stranger Than Fiction: Controversial Biopics

When films on the stars cause drama.

Celebrity Biopics - From musicians to actors, dead and alive, being immortalized in film is something that has always been a touchy topic for both the artists' families and fan bases alike. With the now immensely controversial Aaliyah and Whitney Houston biopic announcements still hot off the presses, we've chosen to revisit the most talked about biopic ideas in recent years.(Photos from left: Rose Prouser REUTERS /Landov, Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)By Moriba Cummings

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Celebrity Biopics - From musicians to actors, dead and alive, being immortalized in film is something that has always been a touchy topic for both the artists' families and fan bases alike. With the now immensely controversial Aaliyah and Whitney Houston biopic announcements still hot off the presses, we've chosen to revisit the most talked about biopic ideas in recent years.(Photos from left: Rose Prouser REUTERS /Landov, Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)By Moriba Cummings

Photo By Photos from left: Rose Prouser REUTERS /Landov

Aaliyah - It was as if her sultry and mature vocals came secondary to her dance skills. With the help of famed choreographer Fatima Robinson, Aaliyah kept even the most skilled dancers on their toes. She continuously incorporated rigorous dance routines into her music videos and had the world trying to impersonate her moves in "Are You That Somebody?," "More Than a Woman" and the final video she appeared in before her death, "Rock the Boat."(Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ImageDirect)

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Aaliyah - Late R&B songstress Aaliyah is currently the topic of many a conversation after it was announced that Disney darling Zendaya Coleman is set to portray her in a Lifetime TV movie. Aaliyah's family has vowed to stop the film. In addition, fans created an online petition to halt production.(Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ImageDirect)

Winnie Mandela: September 26 - The politician and wife of the late Nelson Mandela celebrates her 78th birthday.(Photo: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters)

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Winnie Mandela - Winnie Mandela, former wife of late cultural icon and activist Nelson Mandela, expressed her disappointment for the biopic made in her honor titled Winnie, which starred Dreamgirls actress Jennifer Hudson. "I have absolutely nothing against Jennifer, but I have everything against the movie itself," she told CNN.(Photo: REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko)

Nina Simone - Colombiana actress Zoe Saldana has been under fire after the public got word of her casting as the legendary musican Nina Simone in the tentatively titled biopic Nina. While the "Feeling Good" musician is not alive to share her thoughts, critics have criticized Saldana's casting, pointing out the management's decision to darken the actress's skin tone for the film.(Photos from left: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images for THR, Courtesy of Legacy Recording)

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Nina Simone - Colombiana actress Zoe Saldana has been under fire after the public got word of her casting as the legendary musican Nina Simone in the tentatively titled biopic Nina. While the "Feeling Good" musician is not alive to share her thoughts, critics have criticized Saldana's casting, pointing out the management's decision to darken the actress's skin tone for the film.(Photos from left: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images for THR, Courtesy of Legacy Recording)

Waiting to Exhale & The Preacher's Wife - With her big-screen credentials in check, Houston followed up her star-making turn in The Bodyguard with back-to-back hits Waiting to Exhale, opposite Angela Bassett and Lela Rochon, and The Preacher's Wife, with Denzel Washington. Houston earned $10 million for the latter role, making her one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood at the time.  (Photo:  Jan Persson/Redferns)

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Whitney Houston - It was recently announced that "The Voice," Whitney Houston, is set to be immortalized on screen in the form of a Lifetime movie. Former America's Next Top Model contestant YaYa Alafia has been cast to portray the music icon. Houston's estate — including her daughter — is upset about the film, which is set to be directed by Oscar nominee Angela Bassett.(Photo: Jan Persson/Redferns)

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Jimi Hendrix - Rock phenom Jimi Hendrix was brought to life on the big screen during 2013's Toronto International Film Festival in the biopic All Is by My Side. OutKast's funky half, André Benjamin (a.k.a. Andre 3000), played the lead role. While the general public has expressed satisfaction in the casting selection, Hendrix's estate has not signed on to officially endorse the film's production: "Expereince Hendrix, LLC, the family-owned company entrusted with safeguarding the legacy of Jimi Hendrix ... has made it known many times in the past that no such film, were it to include original music or copyrights created by Jimi Hendrix, can be undertaken without its full participation," reads a statement released by Hendrix's estate.(Photo: David Montgomery/Getty Images)

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Jimi Hendrix - Rock phenom Jimi Hendrix was brought to life on the big screen during 2013's Toronto International Film Festival in the biopic All Is by My Side. OutKast's funky half, André Benjamin (a.k.a. Andre 3000), played the lead role. While the general public has expressed satisfaction in the casting selection, Hendrix's estate has not signed on to officially endorse the film's production: "Expereince Hendrix, LLC, the family-owned company entrusted with safeguarding the legacy of Jimi Hendrix ... has made it known many times in the past that no such film, were it to include original music or copyrights created by Jimi Hendrix, can be undertaken without its full participation," reads a statement released by Hendrix's estate.(Photo: David Montgomery/Getty Images)

Pebbles – TLC - The former R&B singer (and L.A. Reid's ex-wife) not only discovered TLC but managed the iconic trio as well. That is until T-Boz, Chilli and Left Eye felt she was ripping them off and parted ways with her management company, Pebbitone.  (Photos from Left: Mike Segar /Landov/Reuters/Hal Horowitz/PictureGroup)

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TLC - The popular '90s girl group was immortalized on the small screen in the VH1 original movie CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story. Released in October 2013, the movie saw rapper Lil' Mama, singer/actress KeKe Palmer and actress Drew Sidora portray the lives of the late Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas and Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, respectively, to an onslaught of critics. What attracted the most attention, however, was the cutthroat and unreasonable persona that was attached to group creator Perri "Pebbles" Reid. She is now suing the network for damages.

George W. Bush - Though he is still alive, 43rd President of the United States George W. Bush received the biopic treatment in the 2008 film W, with director Oliver Stone at the helm. Stone is behind other presidential films, including J.F.K. and Nixon. The film became a controversial topic due to its main subject being one of the most outrageously infamous US presidents of all time.(Photos from left: Mark Wilson/Getty Images, Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images)

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George W. Bush - Though he is still alive, 43rd President of the United States George W. Bush received the biopic treatment in the 2008 film W, with director Oliver Stone at the helm. Stone is behind other presidential films, including J.F.K. and Nixon. The film became a controversial topic due to its main subject being one of the most outrageously infamous US presidents of all time.(Photos from left: Mark Wilson/Getty Images, Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images)

Lil' Kim - "How Many Licks" rapper Lil' Kim held nothing back when expressing her digust for how she was depicted in the 2009 biopic Notorious, based on the life of the late rapper Notorious B.I.G. The femcee complained that there were many lies and false portrayals of her in the movie. "The film studio and producers involved were more concerned about painting me as a 'character' to create a more interesting story line instead of a person with talent," she said.(Photos from left: FOX Searchlight Pictures, Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

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Lil' Kim - "How Many Licks" rapper Lil' Kim held nothing back when expressing her digust for how she was depicted in the 2009 biopic Notorious, based on the life of the late rapper Notorious B.I.G. The femcee complained that there were many lies and false portrayals of her in the movie. "The film studio and producers involved were more concerned about painting me as a 'character' to create a more interesting story line instead of a person with talent," she said.(Photos from left: FOX Searchlight Pictures, Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

Evita - In 1996, pop icon Madonna portrayed Eva Perón, the second wife of Argentine president Juan Perón. She served as first lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952. Ditching the conventional approach that biopics usually adopt, Evita was produced as a musical and received positive responses from critics and supporters alike. However, upon arrival in Argentina, the cast and crew — particularly the "Like A Virgin" singer — were received by protests proclaiming that the film would tarnish Perón's image, especially given the hyper-sexual connotation that was attached to Madonna's name at the time.(Photos from left: Keystone/Getty Images, Getty Images)

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Evita - In 1996, pop icon Madonna portrayed Eva Perón, the second wife of Argentine president Juan Perón. She served as first lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952. Ditching the conventional approach that biopics usually adopt, Evita was produced as a musical and received positive responses from critics and supporters alike. However, upon arrival in Argentina, the cast and crew — particularly the "Like A Virgin" singer — were received by protests proclaiming that the film would tarnish Perón's image, especially given the hyper-sexual connotation that was attached to Madonna's name at the time.(Photos from left: Keystone/Getty Images, Getty Images)

Cleopatra - Late actress Elizabeth Taylor took on the role of Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, in the 1963-released film Cleopatra. While her portrayal of the Egyptian queen was well-received by the public of the time, many modern Black critics and movie aficionados expressed offense to seeing a white actress being chosen to portray an Egyptian woman, which many say was Black. White actors playing characters of color would be an ongoing theme in Hollywood over the years.  (Photos: Twentieth Century Fox)

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Cleopatra - Late actress Elizabeth Taylor took on the role of Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, in the 1963-released film Cleopatra. While her portrayal of the Egyptian queen was well-received by the public of the time, many modern Black critics and movie aficionados expressed offense to seeing a white actress being chosen to portray an Egyptian woman, which many say was Black. White actors playing characters of color would be an ongoing theme in Hollywood over the years.  (Photos: Twentieth Century Fox)