BET+ has given the green light to the biopic, The First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story, based on the life of Tonesa Welch, a Detroit native whose story was first featured on the streamer’s true crime series, American Gangster: Trap Queens. The film will be directed by Vivica Fox (Holiday Hideaway) from a script by Gabrielle Collins. Executive producers are Tressa Azarel Smallwood (All In), Judge Greg Mathis (Madea Goes to Jail), Donte Lee, and Delece James.
The biopic follows Welch’s journey from a teenage mother to a drug dealer to being dubbed “The First Lady of BMF” by federal prosecutors. Her story highlights her dreams and desires, craftiness and creativity, hustle and hard work, and the consequences of her choices in the midst of the lavishness and extreme violence of Detroit’s crack era and America’s “war on drugs.”
Tonesa Welch’s story reignited interest in the history of the Black Mafia Family, as featured in Season 2 of the hit Starz series, BMF, with LaLa Anthony portraying the character inspired by Welch, MarKaisha Taylor. Production for The First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story will begin in April in Washington, D.C., and will premiere on BET+ later this year.
