Josephine Baker was the blueprint—her legacy still echoes through today’s biggest Black women stars
TheGrio...
FKA Twigs is gearing up to play the iconic Josephine Baker in an upcoming American-French biopic.
After taking the world by storm with her talent, glamour, confidence, and celebrity, the life story of the late, world-famous dancer, singer, actress, and activist Josephine Baker is headed to the silver screen.
On Monday, May 11, it was announced that Grammy-winning singer FKA twigs is gearing up to play the late international superstar in an upcoming American-French biopic directed by Black French filmmaker Maïmouna Doucouré.
“I cannot wait to embody Josephine Baker, bringing her fight, her love, her losses, her talent, and her heroism to the big screen,” Twigs said in a statement per the Hollywood Reporter. “She lives on in our hearts as a visionary, ground-breaking woman whose story is as powerful as it is relevant today.”
The dancer’s life spanned the Jazz Age, global fame, wartime espionage, motherhood to the 12 adopted children she dubbed her “Rainbow Tribe,” and fierce civil rights activism, all while navigating many of the same conversations around sexuality, colorism, celebrity, and respectability politics that continue to shape the lives of Black women stars today. Long before Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, and others found themselves simultaneously celebrated for their talent and scrutinized for their image, there was Baker.
“Josephine Baker has lived with me for years,” Doucouré said in a statement, per Variety. “Working on this film, I realize how modern, fearless, and complex she was. Beyond the legend, I want to explore her contradictions, her wounds, and her immense courage, as well as her relentless fight for dignity.”
Born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis in 1906, Baker grew up poor in the Jim Crow South and began performing as a young teenager in vaudeville and Black touring revues, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Frustrated by America’s racism, colorism, and segregated audiences, she relocated to Paris in 1925, joining a wave of Black American artists who found greater freedom overseas.
In Paris, Baker became an international sensation almost overnight, known for her provocative performances, comedic timing, magnetic stage presence, and the now-iconic “banana skirt” routine at the Folies Bergère, according to the biography “Josephine Baker: The Hungry Heart” by her son, Jean-Claude Bouillon Baker. Beyond entertainment, she was also bisexual, served as a spy for the French Resistance during World War II, and later became an outspoken civil rights advocate. Following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King reportedly asked Baker whether she would consider taking on a larger leadership role within the movement, though Baker declined out of concern for her children’s safety.
After finding success overseas, Baker attempted to reintroduce her performances to American audiences, only to face racist backlash and criticism over the sexuality of her act. Some Black audiences worried her performances reinforced harmful stereotypes, while many white audiences consumed them through an exoticized and racist lens. Her revealing costumes—she often performed scantily clad if not nude—uninhibited performances, queerness, and refusal to shrink herself sparked debates over respectability, autonomy, and the policing of Black women’s bodies. Much of what was said and felt about her then is said about figures of today.
Beyoncé is still scrutinized at times for being “too inappropriate” for younger audiences, while Cardi B is often criticized for living lavishly, loudly, and openly in her sexuality. Megan Thee Stallion has faced similar scrutiny, particularly for both her sexuality and her willingness to publicly speak out about the issues she believes in. Then there are artists like Janelle Monáe, Victoria Monét, and Kehlani, who have openly embraced their queer identities despite backlash, misunderstanding, or pressure to make themselves more palatable to mainstream audiences. In many ways, Baker launched the blueprint nearly a century ago.
Baker later stepped back from the spotlight to raise her 12 adopted children before returning to the stage for one final run in 1975. Days later, she suffered a brain hemorrhage, fell into a coma, and died at age 68. Though she earned enormous wealth at the height of her fame, she also spent lavishly while maintaining a massive estate and caring for her children, leaving her in serious debt later in life. Friends, including Grace Kelly, reportedly helped support her financially during difficult periods.
There have been several attempts over the years to bring Baker’s story to the screen, including a 2019 project starring Paula Patton that was previously announced. This upcoming adaptation is being developed with the cooperation of two of Baker’s surviving sons, Bouillon Baker and Brian Bouillon Baker, both members of the Rainbow Tribe. Filming is slated to begin this fall.