Yahoo News Amy Winehouse biopic Back To Black releases first look image
Rising star Marisa Abela has been cast as the Rehab singer in an upcoming biopic
Amy Winehouse fans have been given their first look at the upcoming biopic about the late singer.
An image tweeted by StudiocanalUK shows rising star Marisa Abela in character as Winehouse, with her trademark beehive and earrings.
Entitled Back To Black and directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, the film will look at the late Rehab singer's "vibrant years living in London" and "her intense journey to fame".
Read more: Amy Winehouse's mum felt 'disbelief' when she was told star had died
Abela, who has starred in Industry and COBRA, was known to be a frontrunner for the coveted role.
One of music’s greatest artists, Amy Winehouse, comes to the big screen in Sam Taylor-Johnson’s Back to Black. With cameras rolling from next week, we’re thrilled to release this first look at rising star Marisa Abela as Amy. pic.twitter.com/owZGXwOWP3
— StudiocanalUK (@StudiocanalUK) January 13, 2023
The tweet said: "One of music’s greatest artists, Amy Winehouse, comes to the big screen in Sam Taylor-Johnson’s Back To Black.
"With cameras rolling from next week, we’re thrilled to release this first look at rising star Marisa Abela as Amy."
Taylor-Johnson said she felt "excited and humbled" to be making Back To Black.
She said: "My connection to Amy began when I left college and was hanging out in the creatively diverse London borough of Camden. I got a job at the legendary KOKO CLUB, and I can still breathe every market stall, vintage shop and street...
"A few years later Amy wrote her searingly honest songs whilst living in Camden. Like with me, it became part of her DNA.
"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 realise Amy’s beautifully unique and tragic story to cinema accompanied by the most important part of her legacy – her music."
She went on: "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 Amy Winehouse Estate added: “We are thrilled that STUDIOCANAL, Focus Features and Monumental are making this movie celebrating our daughter Amy’s extraordinary music legacy and showcasing her talent in the way that it deserves.”
Read more: Previously unheard demo from 17-year-old Amy Winehouse revealed
Winehouse was found dead in July 2011 aged 27, and an inquest later found that she had died of alcohol poisoning.
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