Disney Starlet Cast As Late R&B Singer Aaliyah In Biopic

Young Disney starlet Zendaya Coleman has been cast as the late Aaliyah in a TV biopic to screen on US network Lifetime.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, 17 year-old Coleman, star of Disney's Shake It Up program, has been cast in the main role for Aaliyah: Princess Of R&B, the feature's working title. While Coleman's Disney fame might not be overly familiar with Aussie audiences, she has had some success on the local charts with her single Replay, which peaked at eight on the ARIA Albums Chart earlier this year.

Aaliyah was one of biggest names in R&B during the '90s and early 2000s, known for her frequent collaborations with wonder producer Timbaland on most of her work, including tracks Try Again, One In A Million and We Need A Resolution. She died in a plane crash on her way back from the Bahamas after filming the video for single Rock The Boat in August, 2001.