TV ONE PREMIERES FIRST-EVER UNSUNG-INSPIRED BIOPIC, LOVE UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT: THE MIKI HOWARD STORY

TV ONE announced Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story will premiere on Sunday, June 12 at 7 p.m. ET / Encore presentation at 9 p.m. ET. Starring Teyonah Parris in the title role and featuring a special cameo appearance from Grammy Award-nominated R&B songstress Miki Howard herself. Inspired by TV One's signature series Unsung, Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story is the network's first-ever bio-pic and will feature a star-studded ensemble cast opposite Parris, including Darius as Gerald Levert; Vanessa Bell Calloway as Miki's mother Josephine Howard; Gary Dourdan, as Augie Johnson; LisaRaye McCoy as Sylvia Rhone; and Amari Cheatom as Eddie Phelps.

Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story is produced by Eric Tomosunas and Carl Craig for Swirl Films. The screenplay was written by Christine Swanson and Rhonda F. Baraka, with Swanson also serving as Director. For TV One, Jubba Seyyid is Executive in Charge of Production and Sr. Director of Programming; Donyell McCullough is Senior Director of Talent & Casting; Robyn Greene-Arrington is VP of Original Programming; and D'Angela Proctor is Head of Original Programming. Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story was filmed on location in Savannah, Georgia.

"Black Music Month is the perfect time to share Miki Howard's inspiring and courageous journey of resilience with TV One's audience, said D'Angela Proctor, TV One's SVP, Original Programming & Production. "We are proud to have such an incredibly talented cast involved in Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story to help us represent with our first feature film from our award-winning Unsung series."

Before topping Billboard's R&B charts, Miki Howard was a homeless teenager estranged from her gospel singer mother and desperate for love, attention and success. Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story candidly explores the complicated history of Howard's romantic relationship with R&B singer Gerald Levert, the tumultuous relationship with her mother, and her battles to overcome spousal abuse and drug addiction.

Parris found inspiration in playing the resilient R&B songstress. "I really wanted to be a part of this story because you watch someone go through so much," she stated. "Literally hit rock bottom not just once, a few times -- but pick themselves up and say 'that moment does not define who I am now and it won't define who I am in the future.'"

Howard is excited to have her story told as an original movie to encourage dialogue about important topics affecting women of color. "We need to have a conversation about many of the things that happened to me as a young woman coming up in show business and being an African-American woman," she shared. "I don't think we talk about enough things that are prevalent in our community, such as spousal abuse and trying to live up to expectations that are not our own."

For more information about TV One's Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story, visit the network's companion website at www.tvone.tv. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@tvonetv) using the hashtag #MikiHowardStory and catch clips and promos on TV One's YouTube Channel.

(Photo Credit/Content: Courtesy of TV One/Front Page Firm)