5 Reasons We’re Watching Toni Braxton’s Biopic

We all know Toni Braxton, right?  Who can’t, right now, belt out the words to her 1996 mega hit Unbreak My Heart? How many fans dared to chop off their locks to get the infamous Toni Braxton cut? Turns out, the very song some would argue solidified her career, Braxton never wanted to record.

“I didn’t want to do it” Braxton says of Unbreak My Heart “but I did it and it was the biggest thing in my career” she later told ABC News. At the time, Braxton was looking to move beyond her adult contemporary persona and portray a sexier image. This is just one of several little known facts revealed in the Lifetime Network biopic.

Braxton executive produces the two-hour film that gives fans an intimate look at the span of her career from being discovered by mega producers L.A. Reid and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, to her battle with Lupus. The movie also delves into how she made it through her public divorce, her son’s autism, family struggles and yes, both bankruptcies.

Now, after a 10-year gag order, Braxton is able to divulge details on how she received $22 million after winning her first bankruptcy case against LaFace Records & Arista. “I hated being seen as a walking cliché. ‘Oh, another artist lost her money,’ ” Braxton says of the ordeal. “Now I can tell my side.”

Here’s What else we know about Lifetime’s biopic:

1. While Braxton wasn’t involved in the selection process, she did give final approval on who would play the lead role. Ironically, Lex Scott Davis hails from Braxton’s home state, Maryland.

2. Because of licensing contracts, Braxton re-recorded the music for the biopic.

3. Lifetime executives reached out to Braxton only months after the release of her memoir offering her the TV movie deal.

4. Can’t get enough Braxton? Stay tuned after the movie for the Lifetime special “Beyond the Headlines” that will feature interviews with family, friends and industry insiders.

5. Still craving more? Take a look through our photo album for a fun and stylish trip down memory lane.