FKA twigs is stepping into one of the most ambitious roles of her career.
The 38-year-old artist, whose real name is Tahliah Debrett Barnett, is set to portray legendary entertainer, activist, and wartime spy Josephine Baker in a new biopic directed by Maïmouna Doucouré, the filmmaker behind Cuties.
According to reports, filming is expected to begin this fall, with the project already generating significant attention thanks to both Baker’s extraordinary legacy and twigs’ increasingly acclaimed screen presence.
The casting feels especially fitting given twigs’ own reputation as a boundary-pushing performer who blends music, movement, fashion, and visual storytelling into singular artistic experiences — much like Baker did decades earlier.
In a statement announcing the project, twigs reflected on the significance of taking on such an iconic figure.
“I cannot wait to embody Josephine Baker, bringing her fight, her love, her losses, her talent and her heroism to the big screen. She lives on in our hearts as a visionary, ground-breaking woman whose story is as powerful as it is relevant today.”
She also paid tribute to Baker by sharing an image of the late star to her Instagram Story on Monday.
Josephine Baker remains one of the most influential entertainers of the 20th century. Born in Missouri, Baker rose to international fame in France, where she became a cultural phenomenon thanks to her performances, charisma, and refusal to conform to the racial barriers that defined much of early American entertainment.
According to the National Women’s History Museum, Baker was not only a world-renowned performer but also a World War II spy and civil rights activist whose life demonstrated how artists can use their platforms to drive social change.
She also made history as the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture and later became a vocal advocate for racial equality, famously speaking alongside Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement.
One particularly notable aspect of the upcoming film is the involvement of Baker’s estate. Her sons, Jean-Claude Bouillon Baker and Brian Bouillon Baker, are officially cooperating on the project, making it the first major Josephine Baker production to receive the blessing of her family estate.
Director Maïmouna Doucouré also spoke about her personal connection to the story and her desire to explore Baker beyond the glamorous public image often associated with her.
“Josephine Baker has lived with me for years. Working on this film, I realize how modern, fearless and complex she was. Beyond the legend, I want to explore her contradictions, her wounds and her immense courage, as well as her relentless fight for dignity.”
That emotional and human-centered approach could offer audiences a more layered portrait of Baker — one that moves beyond the mythology and digs deeper into the sacrifices, pain, and resilience behind her fame.
For twigs, the role also marks another major acting milestone. Though best known for her genre-defying music and visually daring performances, she has increasingly expanded into film and television work, bringing the same intensity and artistic precision to acting that she’s known for in music.
The announcement arrives while twigs is currently on a European tour supporting her latest musical era, proving once again that she continues to move fluidly between disciplines without losing her distinct creative identity.
And if early reactions online are any indication, audiences are more than ready to see her channel the brilliance, complexity, and revolutionary spirit of Josephine Baker on the big screen.
