Mary J. Blige Presents: Be Happy Makes Its Debut on Lifetime This Friday

A New Chapter in the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul's Cinematic Journey

By Sahndra Fon Dufe, Atlanta, GA

Source: Deadline

Mary J. Blige continues her successful partnership with Lifetime as her latest film, Mary J. Blige Presents: Be Happy, premieres this Friday, February 7, at 8 p.m. ET as part of the network's "Love of a Lifetime" winter slate.

This marks the first project in Blige's newly extended three-picture deal with Lifetime, following the success of her previous films Real Love (2023), Strength of a Woman (2023), and Family Affair (2025), which collectively reached more than 6.1 million viewers.

Named after her iconic 1994 hit from the landmark album My Life, Be Happy tells the story of Val, a 50-year-old devoted wife and stay-at-home mom portrayed by Tisha Campbell. As her youngest child heads off to college, Val finds herself eager to reignite the spark in her marriage to Ross, played by Russell Hornsby. Grappling with empty-nest syndrome, loneliness, and growing emotional distance, Val begins to realize that her marriage, and the woman she once was, may be slipping away.

A spontaneous escape to New Orleans to support her pregnant daughter, Kayla (Zing Ashford), awakens long-buried dreams and passions. There, she meets photographer Peter Mosley (Mekhi Phifer), who helps reawaken her artistic spirit and sense of self-worth.

The film marks the television directorial debut of Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe (Precious, Empire, American Horror Story), and was written by Cameron J. Ross.

Be Happy is produced by Blige's Blue Butterfly Productions and Mona Scott-Young's Monami Productions, in association with Motion Entertainment and Swirl Films. The powerhouse creative team includes Blige as executive producer, alongside Bruce Miller and Milana Edwards Brooks as co-producers. Mona Scott-Young and Angela White serve as producers, with Nick Roses, Mychael G. Chinn, Stephanie R. Gayle, and Michael Lang serving as executive producers for Monami Productions.

This collaboration brings together some of entertainment's most influential voices in Black film and television, from Blige's vision as one of the women in entertainment and as a producer, to Scott-Young's proven track record in television production, and Sidibe's fresh directorial perspective, creating a compelling story about rediscovering your own happiness.

Don't miss Mary J. Blige Presents: Be Happy this Friday, February 7, at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime.

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