According to Variety, Missy Elliott has joined the cast of Pharrell Williams and Michel Gondry’s upcoming film project.
Described as a coming-of-age musical set during the summer of 1977 in a Virginia Beach neighborhood like the one where Pharrell grew up, Elliott is a perfect fit for the project as she was born and raised not far away in Portsmouth, where the two came up in a bustling Hampton Roads hip-hop scene that also produced such artists as Timbaland, Clipse, and Magoo.
The superstar rapper joins the cast that includes Halle Bailey, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. With Pharrell attached as a producer, Gondry is set to direct the as-yet-untitled project with Martin Hynes and Steven Levenson are working on the script.
Born Melissa Arnette Elliott, throughout the years Missy has appeared in a variety of films and TV projects, including her 2001 debut in the comedy Pootie Tang and played a fish version of herself in the 2004 animated kids movie Shark Tale. On television, the musician lent her voice to American Dad!, and in 2017, she appeared on two episodes of the drama series Star.
Missy Elliott is currently gearing up for her first headlining tour. Launching July 4 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, the 24-date “Out of This World: The Missy Elliott Experience” trek will run through the summer, wrapping up on August 22 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. Missy will be joined by such co-stars as Ciara, Busta Rhymes, and Timbaland .
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Author: Al Denté
Photo: Atlantic Records