When it comes to any newly announced biopic film that sets a purpose of retelling the true and often tragic story of a beloved star, often the most controversial part of the entire production process is casting. Moreso than the usual work of pure fiction that relies on multiple elements to tell a good story, casting alone essentially makes or breaks the projected success of a biopic. It has worked remarkably well on some projects and not so much on others. For Amy Winehouse’s upcoming biopic Back to Black, the process so far has been no different.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Avid fans of the late singer have predictably protested against the chosen casting of breakout star Marisa Abela (Industry) as Amy, claiming that the young actress looks nothing like the singer. However, one particularly important person has officially put himself in Abela’s corner. Per a report from IndieWire, in an interview with TMZ, Amy’s father Mitch Winehouse has come out in defense of Abela’s casting.
Sam Taylor-Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey), who is directing Back to Black alongside writer Matt Greenhalgh, is working closely with Mitch Winehouse on the project, to ensure that all aspects of the story told are accurate and genuine. Taylor-Johnson herself noted in a press statement that, as a former close friend of Amy’s, the film will indeed honor her “genius” as a musician and artist.
“Marisa’s a great choice for the role, even if she doesn’t look exactly like Amy”
Back to Black will delve into the life and career of Amy Winehouse, from her early days as a North London jazz musician and follow her rise to fame all the way up to her Grammy-winning stardom. While Marisa Abela plays the embattled and talented Amy, Jack O’Connell is cast as Amy’s former husband Blake Fielder-Civil, who is largely to blame for the singer’s drug addiction. Eddie Marsan plays Mitch Winehouse and Lesley Manville plays her grandmother Cynthia Winehouse. The film has since started principal photography at key spots in London at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and Camden Town at Amy’s former flat.
“I first saw her perform at a talent show at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho and it was immediately obvious she wasn’t just ‘talent,’ she was genius. As a filmmaker you can’t really ask for more…I feel excited and humbled to have this opportunity to realize Amy’s beautifully unique and tragic story to cinema accompanied by the most important part of her legacy – her music. I am fully aware of the responsibility, with my writing collaborator — Matt Greenhalgh — I will create a movie that we will all love and cherish forever. Just like we do Amy."
The Hollywood Battle for Amy Winehouse’s Biopic
As precarious as it is to accurately cast a biopic, the timing of one is often just as difficult. Not long after the singer’s death in 2011, there were several attempts to put a feature project together and none panned out. Fans speculated who would fill the trademark ballet flats of Amy Winehouse, from fellow musician and jazz alum Lady Gaga (A Star is Born), to Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit) to Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes) who herself remarked that she would love to play the role. However, rumors stayed rumors for several years, with little more than speculation whether a film would actually happen. It wasn’t until 2018 that Winehouse’s estate officially signed a deal to produce a biopic about the singer’s life and accolades, agreeing on British director Sam Taylor-Johnson to helm the project and gaining usage rights to several of Winehouse’s songs from Universal Music Group and Sony Music Publishing.
As production commences, audiences will have to wait and hope that the film lands on the positive end of the ever-growing spectrum of celebrity biopics, and that it genuinely honors the legacy of Amy Winehouse and encapsulates her life that was cut far too short.
