If there’s one thing Billie Holiday’s gonna do, it’s sing whatever she pleases. The new trailer for The United States vs. Billie Holiday — the new film from Precious director Lee Daniels written by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks — shows the persecution the singer went through at the hands of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Grammy nominee Andra Day plays the complicated, larger-than-life jazz singer as she risks her freedom to sing “Strange Fruit†and raise awareness of racist murders in the South. “You think I’m gonna stop singing that song?†she asks. “Your grandkids will be singing ‘Strange Fruit.’â€
The generations will be humming along to The United States vs. Billie Holiday when it arrives on Hulu next month. The film was originally set for a release under Paramount but has since been acquired by the Disney-owned streamer. Trevante Rhodes and Natasha Lyonne co-star, along with Garrett Hedlund, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Miss Lawrence, Rob Morgan, Evan Ross, Tyler James Williams, Tone Bell, and Erik LaRay Harvey. The United States vs. Billie Holiday will be seeing you on February 26 on Hulu.