ALICIA KEYS TO PLAY LENA HORNE IN BIOPIC

Looks like Janet Jackson’s dream of playing music legend Lena Horne is officially dead, because Oprah Winfrey has taken control of the project and cast Alicia Keys in the title role. During an interview for her new film, The Great Debaters, Oprah revealed that while she’s never going to act again, she’s taken to producing like a billionaire fish to water. “We’re going to start filming next year,” Oprah said of her Lena Horne biopic. “And we’ve got Alicia.” Now, unless she’s talking about one-time Batgirl Alicia Silverstone (please, no), it’s pretty much a given that the Grammy winner nabbed the role. Especially when you consider that Oprah told Alicia in 2005 that she would love for the 27-year-old to slip into the legendary singer's shoes.

The casting makes perfect sense since Lena and Alicia share more than a passing resemblance. Both were born in New York, both conquered the music industry quickly and both share a passion for philanthropy. Alicia is a spokesperson for several AIDS organizations, while Lena (below) dedicated her life to the civil rights movement.

Lena has been heavily involved in the casting of her life story since she famously asked for Janet Jackson to remove herself from the project (when it was set up as a TV movie at ABC) following her wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl. What an honor for Alicia: to not only have the blessing of the powerful Oprah, but the legendary lady as well.

It's so funny because my brother and I saw Alicia this morning on the View and talked about how much she looks like Lena, and if they were to ever do a movie they should cast her!! Damn, Oprah, you need to hire me and my brother...Great minds think alike!