05/2015


The woman who teamed with Marvin Gaye on a string of 1960s Motown hits before dying of a brain tumor at age 24 is getting her own biopic.

Tammi Terrell will be played by The Vampire Diaries star Kat Graham, who also is working her debut album with producer Babyface.

Mayram Day wrote the untitled project, which marks Graham’s feature debut and is being produced by Robert Teitel, Rose Ganguzza and Hilary Shor. Shooting is set for next year.


The film follows the brief but memorable career of Terrell, who started out as a backing singer in the James Brown Revue before scoring a few minor pop hits as a solo act. But she struck gold after being paired with hitmaking singer Gaye in early 1967, a teaming that produced such Motown classics as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “You’re Precious Love” and “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing.”

In October 1967, Terrell collapsed onstage while performing with Gaye, and doctors diagnosed her with a brain tumor. She continued to record with Gaye and scored a few more solo hits before dying in 1970.

“I immediately connected to Tammi and her story in many ways and have felt the incredible need to tell it,” Graham said. “Tammi Terrell defined passion and soul itself. … Getting lost in the music enabled her to override life’s punishments — for when she sang, she could use the hurt to create greatness and give the world hope that maybe they could overcome their pain as well.”


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Meh. Taraji P. Henson would had been perfect for this role. Not only does she favor a closer resemblance to Tammi, she can showcase the pain and the tumultuous relationships of the late singer to a tee.

If the acting is buoyed by a good script and the studio puts forth solid marketing, this film could turn into a sleeper hit, if not something her fans will be proud of.

missfee said:

Taraji P. Henson

Isn't she like 20 years older than the age Tammi died? Half of Tammi's career was when she was a teenager.

MickyDolenz said:

missfee said:

Taraji P. Henson

Isn't she like 20 years older than the age Tammi died? Half of Tammi's career was when she was a teenager.

So what if she's 20 years older, Taraji actually looks like she's in her late 20's. Why does age matter if you have the looks to pull off a role? That's silly. Plenty of actors have played teenagers when they were pushing 30, and this situation isn't any different.

[Edited 5/28/15 10:44am]

missfee said:

So what if she's 20 years older, Taraji actually looks like she's in her late 20's. What does age matter if you have the looks to pull off a role? That's silly.

So you're saying Betty White should play the Olsen twins? Taraji is too old to play a teen/early 20s person. I don't get this idea that someone should be a look-a-like anyway. Henry Fonda doesn't look like Abe Lincoln and Angela Bassett looks nothing like Katherine Jackson or Tina Turner.

Taraji is not "pushing 30", she's over 40.

Taraji could never pass for someone in her mid-20s. More than that, she's a sucky, one-note actress.

missfee said:

dancerella said:

missfee said:

So what if she's 20 years older, Taraji actually looks like she's in her late 20's. What does age matter if you have the looks to pull off a role? That's silly. Plenty of actors have played teenagers when they were pushing 30, and this situation isn't any different.

[Edited 5/28/15 9:42am]

I think Taraji P Henson would be an excellent choice. She really does resemble Tammi Terrell. I think she could play despite the age difference. She looks very young.

Thank you. Good grief.

MickyDolenz said:

missfee said:

So what if she's 20 years older, Taraji actually looks like she's in her late 20's. What does age matter if you have the looks to pull off a role? That's silly.

So you're saying Betty White should play the Olsen twins? Taraji is too old to play a teen/early 20s person. I don't get this idea that someone should be a look-a-like anyway. Henry Fonda doesn't look like Abe Lincoln and Angela Bassett looks nothing like Katherine Jackson or Tina Turner.

She doesn't but she played the hell out of both roles and was well recognized for them. This is laughable because I never said that it's set in STONE that a person must look like the person they are portraying but I'm talking about in this particular case with Tammi Terrell that IN MY OPINION, Taraji would be the perfect choice. Again, MY OPINION. Calm down homey, it's not that serious.

[Edited 5/28/15 10:45am]

MickyDolenz said:

Taraji is not "pushing 30", she's over 40.

I know how old Taraji is, and I never said that she was pushing 30, if you actually read my comment, I mentioned that actors who were pushing 30 have played teenagers in movies/tv's and have done so for decades. Another example is Queen Latifah playing Bessie Smith....Latifah looks nothing like Bessie Smith, BUT had the singing voice to pull off the role. Also, Bessie Smith was in her 30's when she died, Latifah is 45 and did a great job portraying her. Ralph Macchio was in his 20's when he portrayed a teenager in the original Karate Kid franchise and did well also. I could go on and on but you should get it now...if not, then oh well.

[Edited 5/28/15 10:55am]

Identity said:

Taraji could never pass for someone in her mid-20s. More than that, she's a sucky, one-note actress.

I disagree, she looks young even though she's in her early 40's and while she's not on my "favorite actresses" list, I think she does a decent job. I'd rather watch her than fake ass Gabrielle Union any day.

[Edited 5/28/15 10:43am]

missfee said:

I know how old Taraji is, and I never said that she was pushing 30, if you actually read my comment, I mentioned that actors who were pushing 30 have played teenagers in movies/tv's and have done so for decades. Another example is Queen Latifah playing Bessie Smith....Latifah looks nothing like Bessie Smith, BUT had the singing voice to pull off the role. Also, Bessie Smith was in her 30's when she died, Latifah is 45 and did a great job portraying her. Ralph Macchio was in his 20's when he portrayed a teenager in the original Karate Kid franchise and did well also. I could go on and on but you should get it now...if not, then oh well.

A 20 something is closer to a teen than someone in their mid 40s. There was no one around 45 playing a teen on Beverly Hills 90210. A young person can be aged with makeup (Cicely Tyson as Miss Jane Pittman), but it doesn't really work in reverse like Jimmy Stewart (who was almost 50) playing Charles Lindbergh, who was around 25 the time the movie takes place.

I know she had expressed enthusiam for the lead part, but I haven't read anything about her obtaining the rights to Tammi's story.

shorttrini said:

I read somewhere that, Tamela Jones,(Booty Call, The Wood) had purchased, the rights to her story, and was set to playing her. What happened with that?

She would be a great choice too. Tamela is underrated. Her and Taraji would be good but

it seems like Kat Graham is not a bad choice. She is an actress and singer. May be a role

to catapult her higher.

Tamela Jones??...Now that's a name I've haven't heard in years. I said years ago (when watching "Unsung") that Taraji would do a great job playing Tammi. She did say she was "too wild" for Marvin.

No doubt,the Tammi Terrell story is very interesting and could make a fine movie.

But,it's just a shame that Marvin Gaye's story hasn't been to the big screen yet.From what I understand,his family doesn't want it to happen because they think it will portray Marvin in a negative light.Don't they know that we're already aware of the many negative aspects of Marvin's life? It's not exactly a deep,dark secret.

SoulAlive said:

Would probably be an HBO pic like Bessie. Doesn't have the name to go to theaters.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

shorttrini said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Would probably be an HBO pic like Bessie. Doesn't have the name to go to theaters.

Jesse L.Martin has appeared in a few movies, most notably, Rent.

I'm talking about the Tammi Terrell biopic. Her name isn't big enough.

missfee said:

Meh. Taraji P. Henson would had been perfect for this role. Not only does she favor a closer resemblance to Tammi, she can showcase the pain and the tumultuous relationships of the late singer to a tee.

she was my first thought too, because she does resemble her..Kat Graham tho???...i cant see it...

shorttrini said:

SoulAlive said:

No doubt,the Tammi Terrell story is very interesting and could make a fine movie.

But,it's just a shame that Marvin Gaye's story hasn't been to the big screen yet.From what I understand,his family doesn't want it to happen because they think it will portray Marvin in a negative light.Don't they know that we're already aware of the many negative aspects of Marvin's life? It's not exactly a deep,dark secret.

Wasn't there a clip of a movie,(starring, Jesse L. Martin) about Marvin, floating around on YouTube about two years ago?

I remember hearing about this.....did the movie ever come out?

Taraji is a great actress. She is actually underrated. I wish hollywood would stop trying to exploit the deaths of these legendary black singers. Just let them rest in peace.

SoulAlive said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

I'm talking about the Tammi Terrell biopic. Her name isn't big enough.

I wonder if any of her songs will be approved