<P> Halle Berry, Robin Givens, Pam Grier, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, and Vanessa L. Williams and were all considered for the role of Tina Turner . Whitney Houston was actually offered the role, but had to decline due to imminent maternity . Jenifer Lewis, who plays Tina's mother in this film, originally auditioned to play Tina Turner, as well; Born in 1957, Lewis is one year older than Angela Bassett . </P> <P> Angela Bassett auditioned for the role in October 1992 and was chosen only a month before production began in December . During that time she had to learn not only how to talk like Turner but to dance and move like her . She would have been willing to try to do the singing as well, but' ' not in the time we had,' ' she said .' ' I did think about it for a second, though .' ' Instead, she lip syncs to soundtracks recorded by Tina Turner and Fishburne . Bassett worked with Tina Turner, but only' ' a little bit .' ' Turner helped most with the re-creations of her famed dance routines . </P> <P> All the Ike and Tina Turner songs used in the film were newly re-recorded versions featuring Tina Turner covering her own songs . On "Proud Mary" and "It's Gonna Work Out Fine", Laurence Fishburne sings Ike Turner's parts . For Tina Turner's solo recordings, the original masters were used, including the Phil Spector - produced "River Deep - Mountain High". </P> <P> Laurence Fishburne was offered the role of Ike Turner five times and turned it down each time .' ' It was pretty one - sided,' ' said Fishburne, who turned down the project based on the script he first read . Ike, Fishburne added, was' ' obviously the villain of the piece, but there was no explanation as to why he behaved the way he behaved - why she was with him for 16 to 20 years, what made her stay .' ' The writers made some changes and though Ike is still shown as a pretty despicable sort, the film offers at least some insight into him - most notably a scene in which Ike recalls watching, at age 6, his father's death from wounds suffered in a fight over a woman . The changes helped persuade Fishburne to do the role, but he says that Bassett's casting as Tina played a key part .' ' She was the deciding factor, really,' ' he said . </P>

Who did the singing in the movie what's love got to do with it