Adrienne Warren, the talented actress who brought Tina Turner to life in the hit Broadway musical Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, is paying tribute to the legendary Queen of Rock n’ Roll. In a touching Instagram video, Warren and Turner can be seen meeting after Warren was cast in the role. Warren expressed her gratitude to Turner, saying “If it weren’t for you, I would never have become a performer. I shook my hips before I could tie my shoes because of Tina Turner.” In the caption, Warren mourned the loss of her teacher and mentor, writing “Today we lost our Queen of Rock and Roll, an inspiration, an ICON. Rest, my friend. I love you, Anna Mae Bullock. Thank you.”🙏🏾
Warren’s portrayal of Turner was so powerful that she won the 2020 Tony award for Lead Actress in a Musical. Tina – The Tina Turner Musical opened to rave reviews on November 7, 2019, at Broadway’s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and closed on August 14, 2022, after a three-year run. Turner herself issued a statement about the musical prior to its closing, saying “To witness my story on the Broadway stage, created by the most talented artists, has been an incredible coda to a storied career. Looking back on opening night on Broadway almost three years ago and remembering the love and support I received from my friends and the Broadway community is an experience I will not soon forget. For this Nutbush, TN, native, it was a homecoming long overdue and it has been an honor and a privilege to share this story with audiences across the globe.”
Sadly, Turner passed away today after a long illness at her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland. She was 83. Her legacy as a trailblazing musician and performer will live on forever.