It is said that behind every great man there is a strong woman. Whether behind, beside, or in front- there is an undeniably strong support system nearby to carry him through. As evident in the case of our president of the United States, First Lady Michelle Obama shows us that it takes tons of strength and courage to fill those shoes. Coretta Scott King and Betty Shabazz were those women for Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X. Lifetime has finally decided to tell how they kept the dream alive in Betty & Coretta.
The film, airing February 2, will take a look at these two women, their support groups, and the courage and strength they displayed during the Civil Rights Movement. Both women continued the fight that their husbands began after they were assassinated.
From the official Betty & Coretta website:
“Focusing on the extraordinary women behind the two men who would change history, “Betty & Coretta” tells the similar true stories of Coretta Scott King (Angela Bassett), wife of Dr. Martin Luther King (Malik Yoba) and Dr. Betty Shabazz (Mary J. Blige), wife of Malcolm X (Lindsay Owen Pierre). When their husbands were tragically assassinated, these two women not only inherited the mantle of the civil rights movement in America, each also found herself to be a single mother who had to find a way to raise and support her children with no husband or father, resulting in a relationship like no other that spanned more than three decades.”
Betty & Coretta is executive produced by Larry Sanitsky (Lifetime’s America), Mary J. Blige, Kendu Isaacs, Jaha Johnson and Polly Anthony (Archie’s Final Project). Yves Simoneau (Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee) directed it from a teleplay by Shem Bitterman (Halloween 5) and Ron Hutchinson (The Josephine Baker Story). The actual story is written by Ron Hutchinson and Shem Bitterman. With such names behind the scenes, this is sure to be one of Lifetime’s best!
The Lifetime production is set to premiere Saturday, February 2nd at 8 pm EST.
