Tyrese Sues Teddy Pendergrass’ Widow Over Biopic Rights
Tyrese’s Voltron Entertainment is suing Teddy Pendergrass’ widow, Joan, for at least $1 million in damages over the abandoned rights to the late crooner’s life story.
TMZ claims that the Beautiful Pain singer retained the rights back in 2011 with Joan’s blessing. She reportedly granted him the rights to a book and film “in exchange for [Voltron Entertainment] agreeing to invest in the projects and use his celeb status to promote them and Teddy’s legacy.”
According to the lawsuit, Tyrese invested roughly $450,000 into the biopic, that he’s been powering for nearly a decade. However, in 2022, Joan apparently refused to extend the rights to Tyrese and Voltron, causing them to suffer financially.
The 44-year-old took to Instagram to share his feelings on the situation.
“Sadly things had to come to this…. This has been 13 years+ years in the makin this man embraced me when he was on this earth and shared to me, ‘No one can play me in my biopic but you Tyrese I’m sure of it,'” wrote the “Love Transaction” singer.
He continued, “Hearing those words coming from him as one could imagine put me in under an unbearable amount of pressure but I knew that I was BORN to play Teddy Pendergrass. The first person I called was my mother RIP and shared the news she’s SCREAMED!!!! My mother was the BIGGEST TEDDY PENDERGRASS FAN ON EARTH! She couldn’t believe it…. There is nothing more uncomfortable than trying to create magic with inexperienced creatives!”
Tyrese is confident that things will be sorted out and added, “I owe it to my mother and Teddy to get this done!! Teddy Movie will happen!”
Back in 2019, it was confirmed that Tyrese would portray Pendergrass onscreen in a film directed by Lee Daniels and produced by Warner Bros.
Joan has not made a public statement regardless the new lawsuit.
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