National Geographic has unveiled the new trailer forGenius: Aretha, the third installment in its ongoingGeniusanthology seriesstarringCynthia Erivo. Each season,Geniusfocuses on the life of one major public figure whose life and work have made a serious impact on the culture at large. Previous seasons have focused on the lives of Albert Einstein (played byGeoffrey Rush) and Pablo Picasso(played byAntonio Banderas). Erivo is also no stranger to playing historical figures. In 2019, Erivo won critical attention for her performance as Harriet Tubman inKasi Lemmons’Harriet.
Thetrailer forGenius: Arethateases a riveting look at the life and times of Aretha Franklin. Once again, Erivo is giving her all with this performance. We see glimpses of Aretha the Queen of Soul, Aretha the young star in the making, Aretha the civil rights activist, Aretha the chart-topping music icon, and other aspects of the beloved singer come through in a trailer teasing an epic journey through Franklin’s life. One of the biggest treats featured prominently in the trailer is Erivo’s performance of Franklin’s song “Chain of Fools.” Erivo will be bringing to life a great many of Franklin’s biggest hits inGenius: Aretha, including “I Never Loved a Man (The Way That I Love You),” “Don’t Play That Song,” and “Save Me” in addition to “Chain of Fools.”
Genius: Arethais a special, four-night TV event consisting of eight episodes total. Each night, viewers will be treated to two new episodes which will air first on National Geographic and be available to stream on Hulu the next day. In addition to Erivo, the cast ofGenius: ArethaincludesCourtney B. Vance,Malcolm Barrett(Timeless),David Cross(Arrested Development),Patrice Covington(The Color Purple),Marque Richardson(Dear White People), andKimberly Hébert Gregory(Vice Principals).Suzan-Lori Parks, the screenwriter and playwright who also pennedThe United States vs. Billie Holiday(coming to Hulu at the end of February), serves as executive producer and showrunner onGenius: Aretha.Brian GrazerandRon Howardare also executive producers.
Genius: Arethapremieres on National Geographic on Sunday, March 21 at 9/8c. New episodes will air each consecutive night through Wednesday, March 24, and episodes will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.
Here’s the official synopsis forGenius: Aretha:
‘Genius’ is National Geographic’s critically acclaimed anthology series that dramatizes the fascinating stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators and their extraordinary achievements with their volatile, passionate, and complex personal relationships. This third season will explore Aretha Franklin’s musical genius and incomparable career, as well as the immeasurable impact and lasting influence she has had on music and culture around the world. Franklin was a gospel prodigy, an outspoken civil rights champion, and widely considered the greatest singer of the past 50 years, receiving countless honors throughout her career. ‘Genius: Aretha’will be the first-ever, definitive, and only authorized scripted series on the life of the universally acclaimed Queen of Soul.
