Actor and fashion designer Vanessa Williams was originally offered the role of Leticia Musgrove. During an appearance on “Oprah’s Master Class,” Williams shared her reason for turning down the lead role (via HuffPost). Referencing the film’s graphic sex scene, she explained, “I just had a baby, and I was like, ‘I am not getting naked in front of a crew of people at this time!'”
In a December 2020 Instagram Live with rapper Fat Joe, Williams further reflected on her decision to pass on the film in light of the sexual assault charges against Harvey Weinstein, whose team she claims was involved with the film (via Cheat Sheet). “That [film] was also Harvey Weinstein and that was a whole other crew that I’d never worked with before and I think [Halle Berry had] work with them before and stuff,” she explained. “So I was happy that I dodged that bullet.”