*A biopic honoring jazz and blues icon Dinah Washington is moving forward with a distinguished creative team behind it.
Deadline reports that veteran British playwright Winsome Pinnock will craft the screenplay, and actor Danny Glover has committed to the production as executive producer.
The film will focus on a defining two-week chapter in London during one of the most celebrated stretches of her career, fueled by the global phenomenon of her 1959 Grammy-winning recording “What A Difference A Day Makes.” Chicago native Angie Lee Cobbs is steering the project through her company Rolling Fork Productions, having spent over two decades pursuing the rights from her estate.
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“It’s taken 23 years to bring her story to this point,” Cobbs said. “Winsome brings the perfect combination of artistic brilliance and a deep understanding of what it means to be a groundbreaking woman of color in the arts. Her voice will be essential in honoring Dinah’s legacy.”
Pinnock said of the project: “Dinah was a superlative musician who harnessed the power of music to disrupt, resist, and heal. While her rebelliousness came at a cost, it allowed her to transcend the expectations placed on Black women and blaze a trail for every artist who came after her.”
Glover added: “Dinah’s voice was a force of nature. It could break your heart and lift your spirit in the same breath. As someone who has spent decades honoring the legacy of jazz and blues, I see this film as essential. I was honored and excited to become involved in this project.”
Washington’s grandchildren are also backing the production. “Our grandmother’s singing went beyond the lyrics. It was a connection with her audience rooted in shared emotion, struggle, and truth. Preserving her legacy is incredibly important to us, and we cannot wait to share her story with audiences around the world,” they said in a statement.
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