Mary J. Blige has extended her partnership with Lifetime for three new original films, including the first “Mary J. Blige Presents Be Happy” directed by Gabourey Sidibe.
The singer and actress previously worked with Lifetime to develop several films based on her music including 2023’s “Real Love,” “Family Affair” and “Strength of a Woman.” Her latest, “Be Happy,” stars Tisha Campbell, Mekhi Phifer and Russell Hornsby in a story that follows 50-year-old Val (Campbell), a devoted wife and stay-at-home mom who seeks to reignite the spark in her marriage after her child heads to college.
“Be Happy” is a collaboration between her Blue Butterfly Productions and Mona Scott-Young for Monami Productions, and is produced with Motion Entertainment and Swirl Films. The movie is set to debut on Lifetime on February 7 as part of the “Love of a Lifetime” movie slate.
Along with “Be Happy” and “Family Affair,” Blige has previously worked with Lifetime as an executive producer on the 2020 film “The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel” and starring as Dr. Betty Shabazz in the 2013 film “Betty & Coretta.”
Blige has been developing her portfolio in the film and TV space with Blue Butterfly Productions since its founding in 2019, inking a first-look TV deal with Lionsgate Television that year and first and second deal looks with BET in 2022. As part of the latter, she developed “The Wine Down,” an unscripted talk show that ran for a pair of episodes. S: Variety
