Lizzo to Rock the Guitar as Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Upcoming Film

Get ready to see Lizzo like never before—rocking out on the guitar as the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe! The powerhouse singer and flutist is set to portray the gospel trailblazer who helped shape rock ‘n’ roll and R&B in Rosetta, an upcoming film from Amazon MGM Studios.

According to Deadline, the project is currently in development, with Lizzo also stepping in as a producer alongside Kevin Beisler, Significant Productions’ Nina Yang Bongiovi, and Forest Whitaker. The screenplay is being crafted by Natalie Chaidez (The Flight Attendant, Queen of the South) and Kwynn Perry (Tigerbelles, The Burned Photo).

For those who don’t know, Sister Rosetta Tharpe wasn’t just a gospel singer—she was a guitar-shredding, boundary-breaking music pioneer. Her electrifying performances and unique style made a huge impact on early rock and roll. In fact, her influence was so monumental that she was inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Early Influences category in 2018.

At the induction ceremony in Cleveland, Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes) honored Tharpe with a powerful performance of "That's All" and "Strange Things Happening Every Day," joined by Questlove of The Roots and Paul Shaffer on piano. Howard expressed her hope that shining a light on Tharpe’s legacy would introduce more people to her incredible impact on music history.