Zendaya Coleman leaves Lifetime's Aaliyah biopic, production on hold

Zendaya Coleman is not that somebody: the 17-year-old actress has pulled out of the Lifetime network’s Aaliyah biopic project.

The Disney Channel star shared the news on Sunday before the BET Awards. "Because it's someone that I honor and I respect so much, it has to be 128 percent, especially for all her fans, including myself," she told The Associated Press. "I didn't feel like it was all the way there, so I didn't want to do that. And when the time comes when it's done right and it's 100 percent, by all means, I will be the first person there ready to go."

Lifetime announced two weeks ago that Zendaya would play the late singer, who died in a plane crash in 2001 at the age of 22. Aaliyah's family did not agree to participate in the film, which was set to begin shooting in the summer. On Sunday, the network tweeted: "We are sad Zendaya will no longer portray Aaliyah. Production is currently on hold."

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