Set to land on Hulu on February 26th, the upcoming Lee Daniels-directed biopic The United States vs. Billie Holiday, is late to the award season. However, it's story is catnip for Oscar voters. Focusing on Jazz singer Billie Holiday and how her substance abuse issues (Coupled with her political undercurrents of her songs) got her in hot water with the FBI, the climax is pretty much set for the story. Holiday's addiction would end up going to trial in 1947 as part of the early years of the now often declared "War on Drugs". The film's script actually is based on the 2015 non-fiction book Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs by Johann Hari. As stated before, this kind of film is exactly what the Academy Awards love to hand out statues to so expect it to be talked around the water cooler for the next couple months. For now, check out the official trailer for the film below:
The United States vs. Billie Holiday will see Andra Day star as Billie Holiday along with Trevante Rhodes, Garrett Hedlund, Natasha Lyonne, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph. Stay tuned!