The late singer Amy Winehouse rocketed to fame by singing “no, no, no”, and now, producers behind the upcoming film about her life have purportedly found a star in Industry’s Marisa Abela, who might say “yes, yes, yes,” to playing the troubled artist.
News of the potential choice for the Back to Black project was reported by Variety article. The role has always been intended to go to a newcomer or relatively unknown performer, and Abela has only completed two films, with two others in post-production, as well as recurring roles on in two television shows. It is known she can sing, and she is also of a Jewish background like Winehouse was, which is said to be important to the team behind the idea, as they want to get as close to who she was as possible with their pick.
Back to Black will be directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, who was a friend of Winehouse before her death at the age of 27 in 2011. The movie also has the support of Winehouse’s father Mitch, and while nothing is official surrounding Abela’s casting in the role right now, she’s said to be close to signing on the dotted line.
Back to Black is set to release in 2024. No other information about casting or a more specific release date has been revealed, and the film’s name comes from her second and final studio album. The work was critically acclaimed upon its release in 2006, and is credited for paving the way for other artists like Adele, Duffy and Estelle to break out with their own soulful musical contributions.