NEW YORK, NY (March 8, 2023) – Multiple Grammy® award nominee Keyshia Cole (Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is) will executive produce and make her acting debut, playing herself, in a new Lifetime biopic following her early days in Oakland honing her musical talents to her rise to a multi-platinum selling recording artist and television personality, to her complicated yet warmhearted relationship with her mother Frankie Lons played by Debbi Morgan (All My Children). Premiering Saturday, June 24 as part of Lifetime’s celebration of Black Music Month at 8p/7c, Keyshia Cole: This is My Story is directed by D’Angela Proctor (Line Sisters) and Manu Boyer (Girl in the Basement) and features a new song recorded by the singer/songwriter titled Forever is a Thing. Ron Fair, Keyshia Cole’s long-standing A&R and music collaborator supervised the music and Grammy Award winner Warryn Campbell composed the original score.
Keyshia Cole: This Is My Story joins Lifetime’s roster of highly successful musical biopics including Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia, Patsy & Loretta, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel, Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart, Whitney and Life is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story.
“This is a story of a daughter’s love for her mother and although my heart remains broken from her untimely passing I am honored to be sharing it with the world,” said Cole. “Playing the role of myself was a unique opportunity to re-live special moments in my life that also gave me the chance to process her loss in ways I did not expect. I miss her every day and even though she is not here, her presence was felt throughout this film. Mom, I love you.”
Born in Oakland, California, Keyshia Cole was raised in a single parent household by her adoring mother Frankie (Morgan) but at the age of two, Keyshia was placed into foster care due to Frankie’s struggle with substance abuse. Keyshia was then adopted by her foster parents, Leon (Joseph C. Phillips) and Yvonne Coles (Tonia Jackson) and as a teen, Keyshia traveled to Los Angeles multiple times to pursue her dreams of becoming a singer, even providing background vocals for MC Hammer. Her path into a music career put her at odds with Leon and Yvonne, who kicked her out when she didn’t follow their rules. Left to fend for herself, Keyshia’s voice saved her from her nomadic lifestyle and she eventually returned to Los Angeles where at the age of 21, she was signed to A&M Records by Grammy award nominated producer and music executive Ron Fair. Keyshia went on to become a multiple-award winning, chart-topping artist who fused R&B and Hip Hop. As her star began to rise, Keyshia was still faced with traumas of not knowing who her biological father was but found family again when she was reunited with Frankie and sisters Neffe (Cindi Davis) and Elite (Brittney Level). Despite the success of her music and hit television shows following her life as an artist, mother, wife and daughter, Keyshia struggled to keep Frankie in rehab and tragically, her worst fear became a reality when she lost her to an accidental opioid overdose in 2021 on Frankie’s 61st birthday. Keyshia Cole: This is My Story is a story of childhood trauma, tragedy, complexity of love and overcoming obstacles to become the best version of oneself. The movie is dedicated in honor and memory of Frankie.
Keyshia Cole: This is My Story is produced for Lifetime by Swirl Films and Big Dreams. Executive producers are Eric Tomosunas, Leslie Greif, D’Angela Proctor and Keyshia Cole. Co-Executive Producer is Ron Fair. D’Angela Proctor and Manu Boyer direct from a script written by Angelica Cheri.
About Lifetime
Celebrating over 35 years of entertaining audiences, Lifetime is a premier entertainment destination for women dedicated to offering the highest quality original programming spanning award-winning movies, high- quality scripted series and breakout non-fiction series. Lifetime has an impressive legacy in public affairs, bringing attention to social issues that women care about with initiatives such as the long-running Stop Breast Cancer for Life, Stop Violence Against Women, and Broader Focus, a major global initiative dedicated to supporting and hiring female directors, writers and producers, including women of color, to make its content. Lifetime Television®, LMN®, Lifetime Real Women® and Lifetime DigitalTM are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A+E Networks. A+E Networks is a joint venture of the Disney- ABC Television Group and Hearst Corporation.
