From the “Whew, glad that’s over” news file: Cher will no longer be a part of the Lifetime network’s Flint, a TV movie based on the nearly 3-year-old water crisis in the Michigan city.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the actress is dropping out of the project because of a family issue that would prevent her from traveling to Toronto, where the movie is set to begin filming next month.
Cher, who has donated thousands of bottles of water to help residents in the city of Flint, said: “This has been a project so near and dear to my heart, and I was truly looking forward to helping tell this story. Unfortunately, I will be unable to leave Los Angeles during the scheduled filming as I am dealing with a serious family issue that prevents me from going on location for the April filming. I’m so glad that Craig and Neil [the producers] plan to move ahead, and I know that this Lifetime movie will be done beautifully.”
As previously reported on The Root, Cher was originally cast to play a Flint resident whose family is affected by the water crisis. The drama will depict the poor municipal management that led to the water poisoning, as well as the plight of residents, the majority of whom are black, who are still suffering through it. The movie was inspired by a February 2016 cover story in Time magazine called “The Toxic Tap,” by Josh Sanburn.
According to THR, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron optioned the rights to the Time magazine story. Katie Couric is on board as an executive producer—Cher was one, too, but is also dropping out of that role.
Raise your hand if you think Cher dropped the project because people were like:
I mean, I get not acting in it, but to leave her role as executive producer, too? It’s not as if that required her to be on set every day or anything. I’m sure Couric won’t be.
I think someone got in Cher’s ear and she distanced herself from what is likely a disaster waiting to happen.
I predict once again that Hollywood is going to learn that you can’t tell the stories of people of color, in this instance black people, and cut them out of the entire process while doing so.