'Tina' on HBO: Release date, plot, cast and all you need to know about Tina Turner feature documentary
A new documentary about the musical icon Tina Turner has been picked up by HBO and will debut on March 27, 2021, exclusively on the network. The feature documentary will also be available for streaming on HBO Max.
Born in Tennessee, November 26, 1939, Anna Mae Bullock, the American-born Swiss singer is considered one of the greatest musicians of all time. She started her singing career with Ike Turner and his band Kings of Rhythm in East St Louis. While recording the song ‘A Fool in Love’ in 1960, a local DJ named Dave Dixon convinced Ike to send the tape to Juggy Murray, president of R&B label Sue Records.
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Murray loved Bullock’s voice and paid Ike $25,000 in advance for the recording and told Ike to make Bullock the star of the show. Ike changed her name to “Tina” to create her stage persona. He also added his last name and trademarked the name as a form of protection. Later, Bullock’s first song ‘A Fool in Love’ was released with the name Tina Turner attached to it.
Turner has been a part of the music industry for more than five decades now and has given many blockbuster hit songs during her illustrious career. The ‘Let’s Stay Together’ hitmaker produced 10 studio albums between 1974 and 1999. She has received eight Grammys and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame on three occasions.
Release date
The feature documentary, titled ‘Tina’, will premiere exclusively on Saturday, March 27, at 8 pm ET/PT on HBO. The film will also be available on HBO Max.
Plot
The film, which has been in the works for a few years, will revolve around her professional career and her rise to early fame. The official synopsis reads: “Tina is a revealing and intimate look at the life and career of musical icon Tina Turner, charting her improbable rise to early fame, her personal and professional struggles throughout her life, and her even more improbable resurgence as a global phenomenon in the 1980s.”
Cast
The documentary will feature insightful interviews with Tina herself. Apart from her, notable personalities such as Oprah Winfrey and Angela Bassett will also appear in HBO’s upcoming documentary.
Tina Turner
The legendary musician will be talking about her career in the upcoming film and will share all the minor details of how she became one of the most iconic voices of her generation. Born in Tennessee, November 26, 1939, Turner is known for her amazing voice and superb lyric-writing. The musician is often referred to in the media as “The Queen of Rock and Roll". In 1988, she held the Guinness World Record for the largest paying audience (180,000) for a solo performer.
In 1983, at the age of 44, she recorded the album ‘Private Dancer’ in just two weeks and it quickly became a commercial and critical sensation. The album sold over 12M copies worldwide. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1986 and on the St Louis Walk of Fame in 1991. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Ike Turner in 1991.
The iconic singer is also the author of the New York Times bestseller ‘Tina Turner: My Love Story’.
Oprah Winfrey
Winfrey is undoubtedly one of the most iconic TV personalities of all time. She is best known for her talk show, ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’, which ran for 25 years from 1986 to 2011. The legendary TV host has won 18 Daytime Emmys, two Primetime Emmys, a Tony award, a Peabody Award and a couple of Academy Award nominations.
While talking about Tina, Winfrey once said, “We don't need another hero. We need more heroines like you, Tina. You make me proud to spell my name w-o-m-a-n.”
Angela Bassett
Born in New York City, Angela Bassett is known for her portrayal of Tina Turner in the critically acclaimed movie ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It’. The actress was nominated for an Academy Award for her acting in the film and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.
In a recent interview, Bassett opened up about playing Tina Turner and how it was the most challenging role of her career. “Definitely nothing has been as difficult as Tina Turner. Nothing as difficult physically, emotionally, spiritually, vocally. Nothing, absolutely nothing. I thought that if I were to get [the part], it would be one of those movies that would cement my face with my name.”
Creators
Directed by Oscar-winning directors Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin ('Undefeated'), the film tells the story of Turner’s rise to fame and her struggles throughout her life. The project, a Lightbox production, is being produced by Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn and Diane Becker.
Erwin Bach, Tali Pelman, Will Clarke, Andy Mayson, Mike Runagall, David Gilbery, and Charles Dorfman will serve as executive producers. For HBO, Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller will serve as executive producers.
Trailer
There is no official trailer out for the documentary yet. Watch this space for updates.
Where to watch
‘Tina’ will premiere exclusively on Saturday, March 27, at 8 pm ET/PT on HBO. The film will also be available on HBO Max.
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