Alabama Grammy-winner to star in Netflix animated movie

Alabama Grammy-winner to star in Netflix animated movie

It has the filmmakers behind “Napoleon Dynamite.” The voice talents of “Saturday Night Live” legends Fred Armisen and Will Forte, and “The Hangover” star Zach Galifianakis. Music by the composer from films ranging from the “Bourne” spy films to “Kung Fu Panda” to “How to Train Your Dragon.”

Netflix’s upcoming “Thelma the Unicorn” sounds like it has all the makings of a memorable animated film. And in her first major film role, musician and Alabama native Brittany Howard will be voicing the lead role.

“Thelma’s story has always been close to me, and my journey to being true to yourself and proud of who you are,” Howard posted on the social media platform Threads.

An Athens native, Howard first rose to fame in the mid-2010s as the magnetic frontwoman of rock and soul band Alabama Shakes. She went solo in 2019 and will release her sophomore solo LP “Now What” on Feb. 2, which was preceded by the funky, title-track single late last year. Howard has won Grammys with the Shakes, known for songs like “Hold On” and “Always Alright,” and as a solo artist.

“Thelma the Unicorn” is based on a 2015 children’s picture book of the same name by Aaron Blabey. The book has sold more than 3 million copies worldwide, according to Blabey’s website.

The book’s synopsis, “Thelma dreams of being a glamorous unicorn. Then in a rare pink and glitter-filled moment of fate, Thelma’s wish comes true. She rises to instant international stardom, but at an unexpected cost. After a while, Thelma realizes that she was happier as her ordinary, sparkle-free self. So she ditches her horn, scrubs off her sparkles, and returns home, where her best friend is waiting for her with a hug.”

According to Collider, other voices featured in Netflix’s adaptation include Jermaine Clement (“Flight of the Concords”), Edi Patterson (“The Righteous Gemstones,” “Knives Out”), and Jon Heder (“Napoleon Dynamite”). “Thelma the Unicorn” is scheduled to begin streaming May 17.

Howard is the latest Alabama musical export to make a significant transition into film. Songsmith/shredder Jason Isbell had a major role in auteur Martin Scorsese’s 2023 film adaption of true-crime book “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

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