Mary J. Blige to Produce Original Film for Lifetime

Lifetime
(Image credit: Lifetime)

 Iconic R&B singer Mary J. Blige will partner with Lifetime on an original film based off of the singer’s hit song Real Love, the network announced Wednesday. 

The coming of age romantic movie, which Blige will executive produce, follows a young, female college student who unwittingly falls for her film class partner. Despite disapproving parents, financial hardship and competition for the top spot in the class, the two find themselves falling hard for each other and ultimately learn the meaning of real love, according to Lifetime. 

Blige, who most recently performed during Super Bowl XLI’s halftime show, previously teamed with Queen Latifah and Missy Elliot to executive produce Lifetime’s 2020 film The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel. Blige along with Ashaunna Ayars, Nicole Jackson, Jordan Davis and John Davis serve as executive producers of the film, said Lifetime. 

“Mary is one of those phenomenal talents that can do it all, and we are so thrilled to be able to partner with her again on this new opportunity to bring her music to life in the form of a movie that we know audiences will love,” Lifetime and LMN executive VP of scripted content Tanya Lopez said in a statement. 

Added Blige: “I wrote Real Love based on my real life experiences and my fans connected to it in a deeply personal way. 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.“ 

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.