Advertisement

VH1 debuts trailer for ‘CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story’ [Updated]

Share
This post has been updated. See note below.

When VH1 announced plans for a biopic on groundbreaking R&B/hip-hop/pop trio TLC, there were plenty of questions.

Who would play the pop trio known for its brazen anthems? How much of their fiery interpersonal drama would be documented? Would the band’s surviving members play a role?

Actress-singer Drew Sidora, rapper Lil Mama and Keke Palmer channel T-Boz, the late Left Eye and Chilli, respectively, to near-perfection for the film that traces their rise to fame -- and of course their struggles.

Advertisement

In the first teaser, released on Thursday by the network, the cast re-creates the videos for some of TLC’s biggest hits, including “Creep,” “Waterfalls” and “No Scrubs.” The resemblance, right down to each woman’s individual swagger, is bone-chillingly eerie.

The film, titled “CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story,” was executive produced by surviving members Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas and Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins.

Thomas and Watkins also announced a musical comeback that would include their first original material since their 2002 album “3D,” which was released six months after the death of Lisa Lopes (a.k.a. Left Eye). [Updated, 10:50 a.m. PDT July 25: After premiering the trailer to the film, Thomas and Watkins announced an album featuring new music will arrive Oct. 15 from LaFace/Epic Records.]

It was also announced that the group was considering a North American tour that would incorporate video projections of Lopes. Watkins and Thomas will perform at the Mixtape Festival at Hershey Park in Pennsylvania this weekend as they continue to celebrate their 20-year anniversary.

The film, the first in a series of music biopics the network is producing, will be executive-produced by Watkins and Thomas. Kate Lanier, who penned the scripts for “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” “Beauty Shop” and “Set It Off,” wrote the screenplay.

Lanier will have a lot of ground to cover. While the trio’s rise in the early ‘90s was marked by multi-platinum albums and smash hits such as “Waterfalls,” “Creep” and “No Scrubs,” the Atlanta-based trio was rife with controversy.

Advertisement

Among other things, the trio went bankrupt after their breakout album, “Crazy, Sexy, Cool”; Lopes torched her boyfriend’s mansion; and at one point, the gals just couldn’t get along (Lopes once challenged her bandmates to solo discs with a $1.5-million prize for the best project).

“CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story” will air on VH1 in October.

Check out the trailer below:

Advertisement