Danielle Brooks praises Robin Roberts for allowing her “voice to be in the room” for 'Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia'

Courtesy of LifetimeDanielle Brooks stars as revered gospel singer and civil right activist Mahalia Jackson in Lifetime’s Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia.

Brooks, whose vocals are also heard throughout the film, tells ABC Audio that her interest in portraying the gospel star came as the result of separate conversations with two respected singers: Jennifer Hudson and Jennifer Holliday.

“They said, ‘You you sound like Mahalia Jackson,’” Brooks recalls. “I was like, ‘What’d you mean?’ And so my head started turning and I got the idea if I was to play any notable figure, I would want to play her because, I