FILM 2308: BEYOND THE LIGHTS (2014)

TRIVIA: The film was originally titled Blackbird, but there were multiple movies with the same title coming out the same year, so this was eventually changed.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw sang all of her own songs for this movie.

Noni Jean's relationship with her mother was inspired by Gina Prince-Bythewood's relationship with her biological mother, whom she met in her 20s, and how she imagined their relationship would have been if her mother had not given her up for adoption.

Noni Jean was originally written as an American, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw auditioned for the role with an American accent. However, after hearing her speak in her natural accent, Gina Prince-Bythewood rewrote the character to make her English.

The film features a singer whose role model is Nina Simone having a relationship with a police officer. The real Nina Simone married a police officer, Andrew Stroud, and made him her manager. But the relationship did not end well.