in Akeelah’s life.
It soon becomes apparent that if
Akeelah has any intention of entering
the national spelling bee championships
in Washington, DC, she will not do so with
Tanya’s permission or blessing.
This marks the first onscreen reunion
of Bassett and Fishburne since their
Academy Award-nommed performances
as Ike Turner and Tina Turner
in Brian Gibson’s 1993 biopic,
What’s Love Got to Do with It.