Alicia Keys: Happy as producer of ‘Mister & Pete’

NEW YORK (AP) - The film, in theaters Friday, tells the story of two inner-city children in New York who have to take care of themselves after their mothers are taken away by the authorities...

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

NEW YORK (AP) — Alicia Keys says she considered a role in “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete,” but decided she was comfortable as an executive producer.

“It definitely came up once or twice,” Keys said with a smile.

The film, in theaters Friday, tells the story of two inner-city children in New York who have to take care of themselves after their mothers are taken away by the authorities.

“Mister & Pete” stars Jennifer Hudson and young actors Skylan Brooks and Ethan Dizon. Jeffrey Wright, Anthony Mackie and Jordin Sparks also appear in the movie.

“I felt very confident continuing on the producer front and really being focused on that realm,” Keys said in an interview last week.

She has appeared in the films “The Secret Life of Bees” and “Smokin’ Aces.”

Keys and director George Tillman Jr. worked on “Mister & Pete” for five years.

She scored the film — a first for the 32-year-old Grammy-winning singer — with Mark Isham.

Keys said she read the script for “Mister & Pete” in a day and her heart was “totally wrapped up in one piece.”

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