Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin in the First 'Respect' Trailer

Celebrity Sightings in New York City - November 8, 2019

(Image credit: James Devaney)

The first trailer for Respect is here andJennifer Hudson is Aretha Franklin in the clip.

Hudson was tapped to play the soulful R&B singer and civil rights activist in the upcoming biopic, which is scheduled to hit theaters later this year, on October 9.

In the teaser trailer, the Hudson takes center stage and fully embodies Franklin in a sequined, gold dress and belts out a few bars of the latter's iconic hit, "Respect," for which the movie is named. The Oscar-winner performs against a black and gold backdrop, illuminated by the letters R-E-S-P-E-C-T and even just this very short clip of the performance will give you literal chills.

Watch for yourself below:

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Franklin passed away in August 2018 of a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (although her cause of death was widely misreported at the time as pancreatic cancer). Later that month, Hudson was among the singers and other public figures who paid tribute to Franklin at her memorial service.

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Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Jennifer Hudson Sings as Aretha Franklin in the First 'Respect' Trailer

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