Kat Graham to play Motown legend Tammi Terrell in biopic

The Vampire Diaries star Kat Graham has been cast as Motown legend Tammi Terrell in an upcoming film about her life.

The as-yet-untitled project will document Terrell's rise to stardom, her memorable collaborations with the likes of James Brown and Marvin Gaye, and the tragedy of her death 1970, aged just 24.

Terrell started out as a back-up singer in the James Brown Revue, scored her own hits as a solo act and enjoyed chart success as Marvin Gaye's duet partner on songs like Ain't No Mountain High Enough and Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing.

Graham has shared her excitement for the new project in a statement which reads: "I immediately connected to Tammi and her story in many ways and have felt the incredible need to tell it.

"Tammi Terrell defined passion and soul itself... Getting lost in the music enabled her to override life's punishments - for when she sang, she could use the hurt to create greatness and give the world hope that maybe they could overcome their pain as well."

The project, which is slated to begin production next year (16), marks Graham's feature debut - and the first full-length film developed through her Panthera Pictures production company.