It seems like just a few months ago we were talking about Mary J. Blige and Angela Bassett taking on the roles of Betty Shabazz and Coretta Scott King in the Lifetime original movie, “Betty & Coretta,” and now we’re already looking at a two-minute sneak peek of the new flick which will debut in a couple of weeks.

This film tells the story of the relationship between the wives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. and how they developed a strong friendship as single mothers following their husbands’ assassinations. Miss Bassett, who can do no wrong when it comes to movies, is always expected to be stellar in this movie, and this will be Mary J.’s chance to prove herself as a serious actress since we’ve only seen her in minor rolls thus far. Malik Yoba will play Martin Luther King Jr, while Lindsay Owen Pierre has the part of Malcolm X.  According to Shadow & Act, Ruby Dee will also appear on-screen as a historical witness to narrate the story as someone who is familiar with the events of both wives’ lives.

“Betty & Coretta,” which will premiere Saturday, February 2 at 8 pm, is the first of three African American-centered films set to premiere on Lifetime during Black History Month. The second movie will be “Twist of Faith,” starring Toni Braxton as a single Christian mother who makes a love connection with a widowed Orthodox Jewish man who loses himself and his faith after watching the murder of his wife and son. The third film, “Pastor Brown,” will feature Sally Richardson-Whitfield as the daughter of a dying pastor who is asked to take over the dealings of her father’s beloved church as his last dying wish.

Judging from the trailer of “Betty & Coretta,” February will be an interesting month to tune into Lifetime. Let us know what you think.

Source: Eurweb and hggirlonfire.com

Who says Lifetime is just filled with stories of white women being battered by their husbands? Well actually for a while there that was pretty much all the network was about, but increasingly they’ve been adding more diversity to their lineup and this latest project (among many others like the all-black Steel Magnolias remake and the Tiffany Rubin story starring Taraji P. Henson last year) proves they’re recognizing the need to add more color to their network.

According to press release on Shadow and Act:

Lifetime has green lit the Original Movie Abducted: The Carlina White Story, starring Aunjanue Ellis (The Help), Keke Palmer (True Jackson, VP), and Emmy® Award winner Sherri Shepherd (30 Rock, The View) in the remarkable true story of Carlina White (Palmer), who after being abducted as an infant from a New York hospital, solved her own kidnapping and reunited with her biological parents 23 years later….

In August of 1987, new parents Joy White (Shepherd) and Carl Tyson (Roger Cross, 24) took their 19-day old daughter Carlina to Harlem Hospital in New York with a high fever. Ann Pettway (Ellis), who had suffered a series of miscarriages and was desperate for a child of her own, posed as a hospital nurse and befriended Carlina’s parents, even offering to watch over their daughter. But shortly after Carlina was admitted, Pettway removed the child’s IV line, placed her in an oversized handbag, and walked out of the hospital with Carlina hidden from view. While Joy and Carl desperately searched for their daughter over the years, Pettway was raising Carlina as Nejdra “Netty” Nance in Bridgeport, Connecticut – a mere 45 miles from New York City. As Carlina grew older she began to suspect Pettway was not her birth mother and launched her own investigation. After contacting the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Carlina was reunited with her biological parents in January 2011.

As someone who lives for a Lifetime Movie, I can tell you I’m all over this. But more than just being a Lifetime junkie, I’m also glad the network is shedding light on stories like this as we often talk about how much reports of missing black children are overlooked. If the news won’t cover these stories, at least Lifetime can bring them to life on the small screen.

What do you think about this movie idea? Had you heard of Carlina White’s story?

Brande Victorian is the news and operations editor for madamenoire.com. Follow her on twitter @Be_Vic.

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