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Lil Kim’s relationship with actress Naturi Naughton is quite strained. Although Naturi was simply an actress hired to portray Lil Kim in a film, Kim directed her frustration at the movie’s portrayal, and she primarily holds Naturi responsible for the unfavorable depiction.
Naturi Naughton may be a television star now, but in the late ’00s, she was still known as the member who got ousted from 3LW. While her groupmates, Adrienne Bailon and Kiely Williams, achieved major success with The Cheetah Girls, Naturi was essentially starting her career over as a local actress in New York. Her hard work led to a role in the Broadway production of Hairspray. In 2009, her breakthrough year came when she landed a leading role in the film remake of Fame, where she also sang the iconic theme song. During that same year, she was cast as Kimberly Denise Jones, aka Lil Kim, in a biopic about The Notorious B.I.G.
Naturi has shared her experiences over the years about the casting process, confessing that she initially felt unprepared and unsuitable for the role, as she knew little about Lil Kim or rapping. However, through dedication and hard work, Naturi impressed during her audition and secured the part. The film received positive acclaim from fans, but Lil Kim has been one of its most vocal critics. Despite initially taking the criticism personally, Naturi eventually moved past it, understanding that she was hired to portray a character and had no personal animosity towards Lil Kim.
Lil Kim’s strong feelings about Naturi’s portrayal in the film have been evident over the years, and she has openly expressed her displeasure with it. In a past interview with Necole Bitchie, Kim shared her perspective, emphasizing that the movie misrepresented her relationship with Biggie. She strongly believed that the film inaccurately depicted her as a “jump-off” when, in reality, she and Biggie were in love.
Kim also had serious issues with the casting process, as she was not consulted about the choice of the actress to play her. She asserted, “I would have never picked Naturi; she doesn’t have a Lil Kim aura at all! She looks nothing like I looked back then, and we have no similarities.” Kim was highly critical of Naturi, labeling her as “tasteless and talentless” and criticizing her acting as “dreadful.” Kim further emphasized that Naturi never reached out to her for her blessing or endorsement of the role, contending that a “true” actress would have taken such a step.
Lil Kim has maintained her negative views about Naturi Naughton’s portrayal in the film, expressing that she found Naturi ill-suited for the role. Kim went so far as to describe Naturi as “one of THE worst actresses” she had ever seen and expressed disbelief at her casting. Kim also mentioned that there were payment issues with the filmmakers, which led her to involve lawyers. Furthermore, she believed that the film predominantly focused on Faith Evans and Ms. Wallace rather than her own story.
Despite Lil Kim’s persistent criticism, Naturi Naughton has consistently taken a respectful and understanding stance regarding Lil Kim’s opinions on the matter.
