Respect Director Liesl Tommy

Send us Fan MailHello! You've reached episode 601!! In this episode, host Erin Lim talks with Respect director Liesl Tommy about this major motion picture that tells the traumatic younger years of the Queen of Soul - Aretha Franklin. Aretha's young life was fraught with death, rape, as well as controlling, toxic men. Director Liesel Tommy wanted to tell that part of Aretha's herstory which is exactly what she does with a thoughtful eye on balancing all of the beauty and horrors of Aretha's life. This was Liesl Tommy's first feature film and she had to fight for a lot of the scenes you will see when you watch Respect. We're so glad that she did and we're also happy about the attention she paid to Aretha's time spent in Muscle Shoals at the famous FAME studios where she recorded her first big hit I Never Loved A Man The Way That I Love You.  Erin and Liesl talk about the choice of using the  b.roll from Martin Luther King's funeral (Aretha was friends and worked with the Reverend), her father's famous parties which included folks like Smokey Robinson who is brilliantly played by actor Lodric D. Collins, and working with the exceptional Kris Bowers who scores the film. Psst, Kris was on our show earlier this year talking about his short film - A Concerto is a Conversation.  There's so much to talk about including the costumes (leopard print caftan y'all!) plus hair and makeup so let's go!Respect is in theaters NOW.Follow Liesl Tommy on Instagram & Twitter--Thanks for listening and for your support! We couldn't have reached 600 episodes without your help!--Be well, stay safe, Black Lives Matter, AAPI Lives Matter, and thank you for being vaxxed!--SUPPORT US HERE!Subscribe to our channel on YouTube for behind the scenes footage!Rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts!Visit our website! www.bitchtalkpodcast.comFollow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.Listen every other Thursday 9:30 - 10 am on BFF.FMPOWERED BY GO-TO Productions Support the showThanks for listening and for your support! We couldn't have won Best of the Bay Best Podcast in 2022 , 2023 , and 2024 without you!--Fight fascism. Shop small. Use cash. Fuck ice.--Support Bitch Talk here!Subscribe to our channel on YouTube for behind the scenes footage!Rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts!Visit our website! www.bitchtalkpodcast.comFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and SubstackListen every Monday at 7 am on BFF.FM