Azealia Banks is headed to the big screen. The Harlem spitfire will make her acting debut in the feature film Coco.
According to Deadline, the 23-year-old will play the title character in Lionsgate/Codeblack’s drama, which will be directed by Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA. She will star alongside Common, Jill Scott, Lucien Laviscount, Lorraine Toussaint, and Hana Mae Lee.
In the Brooklyn-set drama (which has been compared to Eminem’s 8 Mile), Banks plays an aspiring rapper who desires a career in hip-hop, but her parents want her to finish college. She eventually gives in. While attending school, she experiences the power of the spoken word, which helps her achieve her rapper goals.
The character has parallels to Banks, who dropped out of LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts to focus on her music career.
Production on Coco is about to get underway. But before she takes on Hollywood, Banks will launch her tour overseas beginning next month.