Amy Winehouse biopic casts Industry star Marisa Abela in lead role
Filming is set to start on 16 January.
Back to Black, the long-awaited biopic about the iconic British singer, Amy Winehouse, has found its leading lady – Marisa Abela.
The film will be directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey). Studiocanal, Focus Features, and Monumental Pictures are producing. Filming is set to start on 16 January.
Written by Matt Greenhalgh, Back to Black will focus on Amy’s life and music.
“Crashes through the looking glass of celebrity”
A press release says: “Back to Black will focus on Amy’s extraordinary genius, creativity, and honesty that infused everything she did.
“A journey that took her from the craziness and colour of 90s Camden High Street to global adoration – and back again, Back to Black crashes through the looking glass of celebrity to watch this journey from behind the mirror, to see what Amy saw, to feel what she felt.”
The film is set to feature many of Amy’s iconic hits and is supported by The Amy Winehouse Estate.
A first-look image of Abela as the ‘Rehab’ singer has also been released.
Abela is known for her role as Yasmin Kara-Hanani in the hit HBO banking drama Industry.
She will also be seen opposite Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in Great Gerwig’s Barbie film out later this year. She has also starred alongside James Norton and Gemma Arterton in Rogue Agent.
Posting on Instagram on Friday (13 January) Abela wrote: “‘And for London. This is for London. Cause Camden Town ain’t burnin down’. I love you, Amy”. She also shared several images, including one of her seemingly in costume.
Amy is widely considered one of the greatest artists in recent history. She has sold more than 30 million records worldwide and still generates more than 80 million streams per month.
Her acclaimed 2006 album Back To Black, propelled her to global stardom and won five Grammy Awards.
In June 2022 it was speculated that Lady Gaga was favored to play the ‘Rehab’ singer, a rumour that divided fans.