R&B legend Miki Howard has shared her heart and soul on some of the biggest songs of the ’80s and ’90s, including hits “Baby Be Mine”, “Love Under New Management” and “Come Share My Love” and this Sunday, June 12 she shares her life story, which is ultimately one of strength and triumph, in the TV One movie Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story.
The music legend was featured in an episode of TV One’s popular celebrity bio franchise, Unsung, in 2010 and during a private screening and Q&A on June 7th at Time Square’s AMC Theatre, Howard shared that the Unsung episode and biopic came about when she was told that the father of her daughter’s friend, an executive at TV One, wanted to cover Howard’s life. The biopic stars Teyonah Parris (Chi-Raq, Survivor’s Remorse, Mad Men) as Miki, and Darius McCrary (Family Matters, Next Day Air) as the late Gerald Levert, and is directed and co-written by Christine Swanson, who studied under Spike Lee at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Swanson shared, “My whole life was in preparation to tell this story at this time… I think this is a giving film. Every time I watch it I get something I love.”
Filmed in just three weeks, the film touches on several issues such as homosexuality, domestic abuse, drug abuse, and ultimately survival and redemption. “One of those things happens to all of us,” shared Howard, who felt it was important to share her story and not gloss over the raw and dark moments. “I’m an honest person. It’s not right to lie about it… Then you won’t get over it.”
When asked why the movie is a must-watch, Howard shared, “It’s important to tune in because we are making history here with a network that is telling our stories in a good way, and a right way. We must support TV One because it is deliberately putting out art, not just content.”
Also starring in the TV movie are LisaRaye McCoy as legendary record label executive Sylvia Rhone, Gary Dourdan as Miki’s love interest Augie, Vanessa Bell Calloway as Miki’s mother, and Milini Indira Khan, who plays her mother and Miki’s friend Chaka Khan.
Reflecting on how she felt about the passing of Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Gerald Levert and Prince to drugs, Howard commented, “We all are going to die, it’s just how you do it. If you’re doing these drugs you ain’t dying, you’re dying.” Howard reflected that Gerald Levert and Whitney Houston always encouraged her, and part of her wanting to make this movie and go on with her life and her music is in fact partly due to them.
Watch Love Under New Managment: The Miki Howard Story, this Sunday, July 12 at 7PM ET only on TVOne and share your thoughts and comments on the movie using #Represent and #TheMikiHowardStory.
Check out exclusive red-carpet photos and interviews from the movie screening and teaser footage of the movie:
Photo/Video Credit: Raymond Hagans/daraseans
