Toni Braxton's family values are being passed down to the next generation.
The Grammy-winning singer and star of "Braxton Family Values" is starring in the new Lifetime movie "Twist of Faith" -- alongside her son Diezel Braxton-Lewis.
It's a new adventure for both of them: Braxton's first starring role as an actress and the autistic 9-year-old's first screen appearance.
Diezel was initially going to play her son, but Braxton didn't want to push him too far. "Even though he's considered high functioning right now, he wasn't in the past," she told the Associated Press, "and that's why I thought him carrying the movie and trying to do the movie and tutoring would have been too much for him. He was a little disappointed at first, but I think in the end, he's happy about the turnout."
In the movie, Braxton plays single mother and teacher Nina, who forms a connection with an Orthodox Jewish man from New York named Jacob. He wanders into her small Alabama town after a devastating personal tragedy. Their shared love of music brings them together and begins to heal both of their hearts.
Diezel has a cameo as one of Braxton's students, who talks to her about his school report on Abraham Lincoln:
Braxton was nervous about not just Diezel's role but also her own. "I never had to carry anything before. It's a lot of work," she admitted. "Singing is indigenous for me, but acting is not. I've had to work to prepare for it."
"Twist of Fate" airs Saturday, 2/9 at 8 PM on Lifetime.