Slideshow: Who should play these black icons?

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This week brought the news that soul music legend Aretha Franklin wants Oscar winner Halle Berry to portray her in a planned feature film about her life. This got the staff at theGrio thinking—who would we cast to play other iconic African-Americans on the big screen?

As numerous performers have proven (Angela Bassett as Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It, Jamie Foxx in Ray and Denzel Washington as Malcolm X, to name just a few) a top-notch performance in a Hollywood biopic can elevate an actor or actress to a new level of super-stardom and win them numerous accolades, like the Academy Award.

We cast not only for resemblance — but we kept in mind the spirit a performer embodies, their range and their potential as performers. Take a look at our casting couch and see if you agree with our choices.