Fans of late singer Amy Winehouse are outraged about a new biopic based on her life’s story, calling it “revolting” and “bloody awful”.
Six-time Grammy winner Winehouse, known for her iconic style and soulful vocals, died in 2011, aged 27, from alcohol poisoning.
Twelve years later, an authorised biopic titled Back to Black is in the works, named after her hugely successful 2006 album.
Back to Black will reportedly delve into Winehouse’s rise to stardom, love life and untimely death.
Industry actor Marisa Abela has been cast as Winehouse, while Eddie Marsan will play her father, and Jack O’Connell her ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil.
Photos emerged from the set in North London last week, with fans sharing their opinions about Abela’s likeness – or lack thereof – to the singer.
“Oh lord the actress they chose for Amy Winehouse biopic looks NOTHING like her,” said one fan. “Let’s hope she’s an amazing actor.”
“Those photos from the Amy Winehouse biopic look like they came from a bad SNL skit,” said another.
“That film needs to be shut down and they need to let Amy rest.”
Others called for singer Lady Gaga – who bears a striking resemblance with Winehouse – to take Abela’s place.
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Criticism about the biopic has been reignited by fresh photos from the set, which suggest episodes of Winehouse’s life are being dramatised for the cameras.
In 2007, Winehouse’s then-husband Fielder-Civil was arrested for his part in an assault and attempted cover-up.
The arrest took place inside Winehouse’s apartment with the singer present.
According to her then-mother-in-law, Winehouse was “distraught”.
Winehouse had apparently shouted to Fielder-Civil before he was taken away in a police car.
The Mirror reported at the time that she was clearly distressed, and had yelled: “Baby, I love you. Baby, I’ll be fine.”
She then ran out of the apartment to shout: “I’ll be fine. Baby, I love you.”
Fielder-Civil reportedly replied, “I love you”, before being taken away.
This story appears to have been sensationalised, according to recent photos from the set of the biopic.
Photos show Abela as Winehouse screaming in front of paparazzi and the general public, and being restrained by police as they escort her husband away.
This contradicts reports from the time, with no evidence of a scuffle on the streets.
Although the biopic has been authorised by Winehouse’s estate, controlled by her father Mitch, fans argue that the project is exploitative and unnecessary.
“No one wants an Amy Winehouse biopic. Must we always exploit an artist and their life’s work posthumously? Especially someone like Amy who had [a] tumultuous time in the public eye,” one fan said.
Another said they were “frustrated and confused” by the decision to make a biopic.
“She had such a traumatic time in the spotlight, and it feels gross to capitalise off of that. Why can’t we just let her rest [and] remember her through her music?”
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Friends ‘upset’
It hasn’t just left Winehouse’s fans outraged but her close friends, too.
The Mail reports that one of Winehouse’s friends said they do not want the project to go ahead.
They argued the film couldn’t possibly do Winehouse justice, saying filmmakers hadn’t done their research.
“Nobody consulted us about Amy,” they said.
“How can it be authentic and accurate if they don’t know the real Amy or the truth about what happened in her final years? We are against this and we are upset. Amy was absolutely striking.”
Her friends also took issue with how the film was presenting her relationship with the paparazzi.
They told the publication Winehouse had a respectful relationship with photographers, and even became friendly with members of the press before her death.
This argument is further complicated by the fact that the biopic is being directed by Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam Taylor-Johnson, who was said to be a close friend of Winehouse.
Taylor-Johnson said in a statement that she is “excited and humbled” to lead the project, but many fans of the singer do not share her excitement about her involvement.
Taylor-Johnson met her husband, James Bond contender Aaron Taylor-Johnson, on the set of John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy in 2009 when she was 42 and he was 18.
Although their relationship was entirely legal, fans have called out the director for the 24-year age gap and the role that power dynamics may have played in their relationship, given she was the film’s director, and he was a young star.
One fan said it was “disgusting” for her to be involved in the project, saying Winehouse deserved “so much better”.
