Keesha Sharp to Produce and Star in Eartha Kitt Biopic

Lethal Weapon's Keesha Sharp will be bringing the story of Eartha Kitt to the big screen.

According to a recent report from Deadline, Sharp has officially picked up the rights to America's Mistress: The Life and Times of Eartha Kitt, a 2013 biography written by John Williams. The actress will develop and produce the project alongside her husband, Brad Sharp, and star as Kitt.

In addition to Lethal Weapon, Sharp's filmography includes American Crime Story, Marshall, and Girlfriends.

"Eartha Kitt was a force in the entertainment industry and an icon who opened doors for so many women, especially women of color during a time when it was not popular in America," Keesha Sharp said in a statement. "Although I may have been compared to her in the past, I am passionate about bringing her story to life because everyone needs to know how incredible she was!"

"People don't mention her in the same conversation with the icons of Hollywood, but she belongs there. The biggest star at the time, Orson Welles, called her 'the most exciting woman in the world' for good reason. Her life was full of complexity, pain, and triumph, and I am thrilled to take on the challenge."

Kitt, who began acting and performing in 1948, had a pretty profound career, most notably as Catwoman in several episodes of the 1960s Batman series. In the 60s and 70s, the actress was blacklisted for her statements against the Vietnam War, before ultimately making a comeback in the Broadway musical Timbuktu!. Before dying of colon cancer in 2008, Kitt served as a voice actor on the The Emperor's New Groove franchise and My Life as a Teenage Robot.

"I feel that no matter what you remember me by, I'm very glad to be remembered." Kitt said in an interview back in 2007. "Because you remember me, I'm still working. I would say that most of the memory comes from Catwoman and now The Emperor's New Groove."

"I don't know [how I got the role of Catwoman]." Kitt continued. "They called and asked if I would do it. ... I'm very glad I got that part. It was one of the funniest things I've ever done without thinking how funny I was. ... People say to me, 'You are a cat. You move like a cat. You talk like a cat. You grrrrowl like a cat. And you look like a cat."

Are you excited to see Sharp bring Eartha Kitt's story to life? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.