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Producer defends Aaliyah TV movie after social media backlash

New York - Though the Lifetime movie Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B drew criticism from fans upset with casting and the way it depicts Aaliyah's life, executive producer Wendy Williams says she wouldn't do anything differently if she had it to do again.

In an interview on Monday, Williams said that "as a black woman I was proud to show that Aaliyah came from a two-parent family, which many of us don't." She also says the film "painted R. Kelly, (who married Aaliyah when she was 15), in a more tasteful light than perhaps others would, and I think it was extremely tasteful not to show her going down in a fiery wreck."


Check out a snippet of the TV movie:

The problem, she says, is that Aaliyah remains loved by many.

"I think when you do a movie about people's favorite, whoever that favorite is, people are always going to have some criticism. You really can't win for losing kind of sort of."

Social media has been lit since the film premiered with tweeps having little to no love for the film.


Check out their opinions:

Williams points out that actress Angela Bassett, who is directing a Lifetime movie on Whitney Houston has also faced similar criticism for her project.

Timbaland who was Aaliyah's producer is also featured on the film even though he never gave his blessing. the music heavy weight had no kind words to say about the film either.

Take a look at his Instagram rant:

A photo posted by Timbo the King (@timbaland) on

A photo posted by Timbo the King (@timbaland) on


He sure did not mince his words in this video either #NoChill

A video posted by Timbo the King (@timbaland) on


The film was plagued from problems from the start. Aaliyah's parents, unhappy with the project, didn't grant the network rights to her music so none of her songs were included. Alexandra Shipp signed on to star in the biopic after Zendaya Coleman backed out last June.

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