Life Is Not a Fairy Tale is a memoir by American singer Fantasia Barrino, describing her life prior to national prominence as winner of the third season of American Idol. The book was released by Atria Publishing Group, and adapted into a 2006 Lifetime television movie.
Fantasia recounts her rise from high-school dropout to music star in her autobiography, which became a New York Times bestseller. The book was dictated by Barrino and typed by a freelance writer, as Barrino was functionally illiterate,[1] though she has since earned a GED and attended college.
As an American Idol contestant, Barrino came to national attention, winning the show's third season and launching a singing career. But her life began much more humbly. At the age of seventeen, Barrino was an uneducated, unmarried teenage mother living in poverty. She was faced with many tough battles growing up in the city of High Point, North Carolina. She shows respect and admiration to her mother and grandmother who raised her, both preachers who instilled in her a strong faith in God. Both women struggled with similar problems as Barrino faced, which inspired her to make changes in her life.
| Director: | Debbie Allen |
| Music: | Rickey Minor |
| Cinematography: | John Simmons |
| Editor: | Lillian Benson |
| Network: | Lifetime |
| Runtime: | 84 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
Life Is Not A Fairy Tale: The Fantasia Barrino Story is a 2006 American biographical film directed by Debbie Allen, based on the life of American singer Fantasia Barrino, adapted from her book of the same name.
The movie begins with Barrino's early life in a religious family. Barrino faces problems with self-esteem, sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, and her faith as she fights to overcome her mistakes at a young age.
The movie premiered on August 19, 2006, with more than nineteen million viewers during the August 19–20 weekend, becoming Lifetime's second most-watched movie in its 22-year history. The movie was ranked the top cable movie premiere of the year among women ages 18–49.
No soundtrack was released, but many songs appear throughout the film.
| Award | Year | Category | Nominee | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAACP Image Awards | 2007 | Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special | Life Is Not a Fairytale | ||
| Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special | Fantasia Barrino | ||||
| Loretta Devine | |||||
| Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special | Kadeem Hardison | ||||
| Teen Choice Awards | 2007 | Choice TV Movie | Life Is Not a Fairytale |