Alexandra Shipp to play Aaliyah in biopic

Alexandra Shipp has very little time to get ready for her new role as the late R&B singer Aaliyah.

Lifetime spokeswoman Kannie Yu LaPack confirmed on Friday that Shipp will play the singer, who died in a plane crash in 2001. Shipp replaces Zendaya in the Lifetime biopic Aaliyah: Princess of R&B. Zendaya pulled out of production last month.

The project was briefly halted, but filming will start later this month, leaving the 23-year-old Shipp little time to prep. She has played roles on Nick show House of Anubis and the movie Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.

The biopic will be released this fall and will follow the multi platinum-selling R&B star’s career from 10-year-old Star Search contestant to her death in a plane crash in the Bahamas at age 22.