“My passions for acting and music now include developing diverse stories with music as the backdrop,” said Blige.
Mary J. Blige’s ‘90s song “Real Love” is now the inspiration behind an upcoming original film of the same name and will be executive produced by the R&B singer herself.
Coined as one of Blige’s signature classics, the 1992 track was the artist’s first hit to rank in the top 10 and go certified gold just two months after its initial release.
According to Deadline, Blige is teaming up with Lifetime to produce the project under her Blue Butterfly production banner. The coming-of-age romantic drama written by Sonja Warfield and Rachel Ingram will follow a young woman who is headed to college for the first time in Upstate New York where she finds herself trying to prioritize her studies and falling in love with one of her classmates. But with disapproving parents, some financial struggles, and important coursework goals, the young couple soon learns what the meaning of real love truly is.
“I wrote “Real Love” based on my real-life experiences and my fans connected to it in a deeply personal way,” said Blige in a press release. “It’s exciting to now use this song and my music to create a new story by way of film, continuing to build on a pillar of the foundation of my production company, Blue Butterfly. My passions for acting and music now include developing diverse stories with music as the backdrop. I am grateful to Lifetime for their partnership in the story of Real Love.“
This isn’t the first time that the award-winning entertainer has worked alongside the network, most recently she executive produced her documentary Mary J. Blige’s My Life back in 2021.
In 2020, she also executive produced the Lifetime original movie, The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel alongside Queen Latifah and Missy Elliott, who also sat as EPs. Blige also starred as Dr. Betty Shabazz in her first movie role in the Lifetime civil rights biopic Betty & Coretta, with Angela Bassett in 2013.
A release date for Real Love has not yet been announced.
