4 years of rewrites shape FKA Twigs' Josephine Baker biopic

Studiocanal is co-producing a lavish biopic of entertainer and civil rights activist Josephine Baker, a project that spent four years in development before cameras rolled. The production is currently filming in Paris and Sofia, Bulgaria, with FKA Twigs starring in the lead role. The film seeks to examine the private struggles behind Baker’s public persona, moving away from a standard chronological biography.

Director Maïmouna Doucouré, who previously won at Sundance for Cuties, anchored the narrative in Baker’s 1951 return to the United States. This period forced the performer to confront the racial segregation she had fled years earlier. The story alternates between this timeframe and flashbacks to Baker’s childhood in St. Louis and her early fame in 1920s Paris. This structural choice allowed the filmmakers to manage the volume of Baker’s life, which included service as a secret agent and survival of plane crashes.

Doucouré traveled from London to New York and Los Angeles to audition candidates, requiring them to sing, dance, and act in demanding scenes. She selected Twigs, whose prior screen credits include Honey Boy and Mother Mary, after watching her audition. Twigs had to master French, a language she did not previously speak, and perform in multiple American accents. The director focused on capturing Baker’s unique physical language rather than simple imitation.

The production faced financial hurdles that led to repeated rewrites. Zangro, who works with Doucouré, noted that at least 16 production companies had previously attempted to adapt Baker’s life. To control costs, the crew avoided filming in the United States. They used backlots in Sofia to recreate Harlem and Broadway. In Paris, a parking lot in Saint-Denis was converted into a 1918 street in St. Louis, featuring brick and stone buildings. Production designer Stéphane Rosenbaum also used LED screens to create exterior views for a 1950s Miami hotel suite.

Costume designer Emmanuelle Youchnovski created all costumes from scratch rather than renting them. The team collaborated with artisans associated with Chanel and Schiaparelli, commissioning embroidery from workshops in India. Youchnovski adapted the iconic banana skirt to fit Twigs’ athletic physique. She described the process as a way to reflect Baker’s evolution from a mischievous performer to an international star who challenged prevailing beauty standards.

The film has the blessing of Baker’s sons, Jean-Claude Bouillon Baker and Brian Bouillon Baker, as well as the Rainbow Tribe of children she adopted. Doucouré worked closely with the family to ensure historical accuracy, noting that books about Baker often contradict one another. The cast also includes Giuseppe Maggio, Grégory Montel, and Benjamin Millepied.

Studiocanal is handling international sales and distribution, aiming for a rollout across Europe, North America, and Oceania. Zangro described the project as an international film in every respect, citing its multilingual cast and diverse filming locations. Doucouré remains hopeful that the film will capture the resilience of a woman who defied the limits imposed on her, leaving a lasting impact on audiences worldwide.