EXCLUSIVE:BET+ has greenlit the biopicThe First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Storyinspired by the true life of Detroit native Tonesa Welch, which was first chronicled inAmerican Gangster: Trap Queens, also from the streamer.
Vivica Fox (Holiday Hideway) is set to direct the film based on a script by Gabrielle Collins; Tressa Azarel Smallwood (All In) and Judge Greg Mathis (Madea Goes to Jail) executive produce alongside Donte Lee and Delece James.
The biopic charts Welchs rise from teen mom to drug dealer to being labeled by federal prosecutors as The First Lady of BMF.
Tonesa Welch, Vivica A. Fox, Judge Mathis and Tressa SmallwoodBET+/MegaMind Media/Getty
Dreams and desires, craftiness and creativity, hustle and hard work, Welch tells a harrowing story about riches, remorse, personal responsibility, and redemption set amidst the lavishness and extreme violence of Detroits crack era and Americas war on drugs.
First featured as part of the BET+ hit unscripted seriesAmerican Gangster: Trap Queens, a true crime series detailing the criminal chronicles of some of Americas most notorious female gangsters, Tonesa Welchs story reignited interest in the history of the Black Mafia Family.
Currently, key aspects of her life make up the main storyline in Season 2 of the hit Starz series,BMF, with LaLa Anthony portraying the character inspired by Welch, MarKaisha Taylor.
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Production onThe First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Storyis set to begin in April in Washington, D.C., and will debut on BET+ later this year.
