THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY
photo: Takashi Seida

'The United States vs. Billie Holiday' coming to Hulu in February (watch the trailer)

The United States Vs Billie Holiday, Lee Daniels‘ biopic centered around jazz icon Billie Holiday‘s controversial 1947 trial for narcotics possession, was originally supposed to hit theaters in February. With the pandemic still raging, however, the film will now debut on Hulu on February 26. Singer Andra Day makes her feature debut as Holiday, and here’s the official synopsis:

The legendary Billie Holiday, one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, spent much of her career being adored by fans across the globe. Beginning in the 1940’s in New York City, the federal government targeted Holiday in a growing effort to escalate and racialize the war on drugs, ultimately aiming to stop her from singing her controversial and heart-wrenching ballad, “Strange Fruit.”

The film’s screenplay was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, and the film also stars Trevante Rhodes, Natasha Lyonne, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Garrett Hedlund. It’s Daniels’ first film since 2013’s The Butler (his 2009 film Precious was nominated for Best Picture and Best Director Oscars).

You can watch the trailer below.