Talk About Casting Against Type

Fantasia as Mahalia? Not if the relatives of the late gospel singer (who I grew up listening to, even though I'm Jewish, because my father loved her voice and had some of her LPs) have anything to say about it:

Members of legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson’s estate are aghast that 2004 “American Idol” winner Fantasia Barrino has become pregnant by a married man as she prepares to play the Queen of Gospel in the biographical film “Mahalia!”

Producers are also furious with Fantasia, 27, for not telling them about her unexpected pregnancy until she was four months in. “She [initially] claimed that she was putting on weight for the role,” an insider said.

Production of the movie has been pushed back because of Fantasia’s pregnancy with her married boyfriend, Antwaun Cook...

Too bad Jennifer Hudson lost all that weight. She'd have been a shoe-in for the role.