Renée Zellweger and Sam Smith to duet on ‘Judy’ soundtrack
The upcoming Judy Garland biopic will see contributions from two influential LGBTQ musicians.
By Will Stroude
Renée Zellweger and Sam Smith are set to make sweet music together as duet on the soundtrack of upcoming Judy Garland biopic Judy.
Zellweger, who plays the late Hollywood icon in the new drama film from Rupert Goold, will sing with fellow Oscar winner Sam on a special version ‘Get Happy’, which Garland famously performed in 1950’s Summer Stock.
In a statement, Sam said it was an “honour” to sing with Zellweger as part of a film about legendary LGBTQ icon Garland.
“When I was 17 years old I did a project on Judy Garland for my Film Studies A-Level. I was immediately immersed into the magic of Judy and her incredibly brave and triumphant story,” he said in a statement.
“She has remained as one of the icons of my life. She was one of the bravest humans out there and her vulnerability and honesty in her art still gives me goose bumps like it did the first time.
“It was truly an honour to sing with Renée. Nobody could have played Judy as well as Renée, and it is a career highlight for me to be singing with her, and in some small way, with Judy.
“I hope everyone loves the film as much as I did.”
Sam isn’t the only LGBTQ singer of note to team up with Zellweger for the soundtrack: Rufus Wainwright will also sing with the Chicago actress on ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’.
“Judy Garland has been a constant force in my life”, said Wainwright, a self-professed Judy Garland superfan.
“The Wizard of Oz was one of the pyramids of culture that I gazed at as a small child. It’s nice to come back and observe her again in the film and through this wonderful duet with Renee, her performance is astounding in a film that focuses on the love and the generosity that Judy always had for the world around her.
“It reminds me of how unique her life and art were.”
Judy hits cinemas in the US on 27 September and in the UK on 4 October. The soundtrack is set for release across the globe on 27 September.