British singer and performer FKA twigs has been cast to portray Josephine Baker in an upcoming biographical film chronicling the life of the renowned dancer and civil rights icon. The production aims to highlight Baker’s multifaceted legacy as an entertainer, activist, and World War II resistance hero.

The announcement was made ahead of the Cannes Film Festival, which begins Tuesday. The film will explore Baker’s journey from poverty in St. Louis, Missouri, to becoming one of the world’s first global superstars during the Roaring Twenties. Known for her refusal to perform before segregated audiences in the United States, Baker ultimately settled in France, where she made significant contributions to the French Resistance during World War II. Her efforts included espionage on behalf of British and American intelligence agencies.

In recognition of her wartime and cultural achievements, Baker was the first Black woman to be interred in the Panthéon, France’s monument to national heroes. Beyond her resistance work, she was a prominent advocate against racial discrimination in the U.S. and spoke alongside Martin Luther King Jr. at the 1963 March on Washington.

FKA twigs, a Grammy-winning singer, dancer, and choreographer, expressed enthusiasm for the role, describing Baker’s enduring influence as a source of inspiration. She said she looks forward to portraying Baker’s “fight, her love, her losses, her talent and her heroism” on screen.

The film is being directed by Maimouna Doucoure, known for her 2020 film “Cuties.” Production is scheduled to begin later this year. StudioCanal, the production company, stated that they collaborated with Baker’s sons, Jean-Claude Bouillon Baker and Brian Bouillon Baker, during the development of the screenplay to ensure authenticity.