Don’t Desert Me

Zendaya Coleman chatted with MTV News about her recent departure from Lifetime’s Aaliyah biopic. Zendaya was tapped to play the singer in the upcoming biopic, but dropped out yesterday, June 29.

Zendaya told the site, “I just felt the project wasn’t 100 percent there. I feel [that] production wise everything just felt a little rushed. And I think because she’s someone I admire and I love so much, it can’t be done halfway, or not to the standards I think it should be done at, so I just decided not to do it.”

When asked if she would ever consider playing Aaliyah in the future Zendaya said, “By all means, when the right project comes along and it’s done the right way I’ll be the first person ready to play Aaliyah, but this wasn’t the right one for me. I’ve been into Aaliyah since I was little, so there wasn’t too much getting into character. I always pretend I’m her anyway.”

Production on the biopic has come to a standstill until Lifetime finds a new person to fill the role.