After not making a feature film since the one-two punch of The Paperboy and The Butler earlier in the previous decade, Lee Daniels is now back with his first film in 8 years, The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Once set for a theatrical release from Paramount Pictures, the music biopic will now arrive on Hulu on February 26, just in time to qualify for the Oscars.
Led by musician Andra Day, the cast also includes Trevante Rhodes, Garrett Hedlund, Natasha Lyonne, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Ahead of the release, Hulu has now dropped the first trailer and poster. The story, scripted by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks, follows the legendary jazz musician as she was targeted by the federal government.
“Whether you are new to the story and legacy of Billie Holiday or know every note she ever sang, I do hope our celebration of this complex woman does justice to a great musical legend and civil rights activist whose artistry resonates as well today, as it did 80 years ago. Hulu releasing this film and giving it a platform to be seen nationwide is a blessing, because as recent events reveal, our country has much work to do in fulfilling its promise of a more perfect union,” said Lee Daniels.
Watch the trailer below.
The United States vs. Billie Holiday arrives on Hulu on February 26.