Principal Cast
Jennifer Hudson
as Aretha Franklin
Forest Whitaker
as C. L. Franklin
Marlon Wayans
as Ted White
Audra McDonald
as Barbara Franklin
Mary J. Blige
as Dinah Washington
Marc Maron
as Jerry Wexler
Tituss Burgess
as Reverend Dr. James Cleveland
Saycon Sengbloh
as Erma Franklin
Hailey Kilgore
as Carolyn Franklin
Tate Donovan
as John Hammond
Skye Dakota Turner
as Aretha Franklin (young)
Heather Headley
as Clara Ward
Leroy McClain
as Cecil Franklin
Lodric D. Collins
as Smokey Robinson