- Aaliyah, Queen of the Damned, 2001. What were they thinking? Cher was hardly going to agree to be a (26 minute) supporting act to the vampire Lestat…! Particularly in such a mish-mash of two Anne Rice novels. rushed into action before Warner Bros’ rights ran out. She would have been great, of course. However, director Michael Rymer decided Queen Akasha should be black. He saw all the inevitables: Halle Berry, Rosario Dawson, Vivica A Fox, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vanessa Williams,plus newcomers JenNa Dewan and Samanatha Mumba… But Aaliyah was at her short-lived zenith. Having survived the odious R Kelly (she wed him at 15; the certification said 18), she died tragically in a Bahamas plane crash soon after shooting wrapped. She was just 22.
- Nona Gaye, The Matrix Reloaded, 2003. The great Irish singer (“Body II Body”) was considered to take over Zee, following the shock air crash death of Aaliyah. Nona Gaye is daughter of the late Marvin Gaye.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Usual occupation: SingerCasting Calls: 0