The Lifetime network television movie about R&B singer Aaliyah has filled the roles for some of its supporting cast members.

After struggling to land the lead role, Lifetime casting has now secured relatively unknown Chattrisse Dolabaille and Izaak Smith to play rapper Missy Elliott and producer Timbaland.

The network announced the news about the TV movie currently given the working title "Aaliyah: Princess of R&B."

Initially, former Disney actress Zendaya Coleman was tied to playing the lead role. However, Zendaya, 17, later dropped out and has been replaced by actress Alexandra Shipp. The news of the biopic originally upset members of Aaliyah's family and was speculated to be the reason the young actress backed out of the role.

Aaliyah rose to fame in the mid-1990s and Elliot and Timbaland served as collaborators and mentors to the young singer, shaping her music on her sophomore album "One in a Million." The album was Aaliyah's greatest success and launched all of their careers upward. The singer was tragically killed in a plane crash in 2001 at the age of 22.

Shipp, 23, along with Dolabaille and Smith are facing some backlash from fans. Dolabaille in particular received most of the heat, with the public saying she does not resemble Elliott at all via social media. On Twitter, commenters centered around using the hashtag #LifetimeCastings to spill their opinions on the TV movie.

"Did you even try with the Missy Elliott casting?" user @MyLittleVixen said. "Like you know she's like seven shades darker with hips right? #LifetimeCastings."

Another twitter user went as far as to mock Lifetime's choice in actress by picture of Betty White and a fake Maya Angelou biopic title.

"Aaliyah: Princess of R&B" is set to premiere this fall and is being produced by Debra Martin Chase and Wendy Williams.