Michelle Mitchenor to star in The First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story For BET+
Michelle Mitchenor (“Lethal Weapon “) will star as Tonesa Welch in The First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story.
The biopic charts Welch’s rise from teen mom to drug dealer to being labeled by federal prosecutors as “The First Lady of BMF.” Dreams and desires, craftiness and creativity, hustle and hard work, Welch tells a harrowing story about riches, remorse, personal responsibility, and redemption set amidst the lavishness and extreme violence of Detroit’s crack era and America’s “war on drugs.” The film is currently shooting in DC.
Vivica A. Fox directing the film based on a script by Gabrielle Collins; Tressa Azarel Smallwood (All In) and Judge Greg Mathis (Madea Goes to Jail) executive produce alongside Donte Lee and Delece James.
Most recently, Michelle starred as one of the three main leads in seasons two and three of BET+ ‘s hit comedy series, “The First Wives Club,” the TV adaptation of the 1996 comedy about three divorced wives who share a common past. Michelle was discovered by Academy Award-winning director Spike Lee and played ‘Indigo’ in his musical-drama feature film, CHI-RAQ. Her other past TV credit include a series regular role on the 20th Century FOX series, “Lethal Weapon.”
Currently, key aspects of her life make up the main storyline in Season 2 of the hit Starz series, BMF, with LaLa Anthony portraying the character inspired by Welch, MarKaisha Taylor.