Recommendations of the Editorial team
Early this week announced A24 knownthat the excitedly expected Ronnie Spector-Filmography with Zendaya is staged in the leading role of Barry Jenkins. The film with the title “Be my baby” (of course) is based on Spectors memoirs “Be my baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirt, and Madness, Or, My Life as a Fabulous Ronette“From 1990. The legend of the Girlgroup personally selected Zendaya to just before her death to play in 2022. “Thank you for shared your life with me. I could listen to your stories for hours”, wrote Zendaya at the time in a homage. “I hope I make you proud.”
Be my baby Is only one of several much discussed biopics about musicians who are currently in the works. There is also the long -promised Janis Joplin film with Shailene Woodley In the leading role. As well as one Linda-Ronstadt-Filmby Selena Gomez the Powerhouse singer will play. And another, in the Lizzo The groundbreaking guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe will play.
These films follow a number of successful male biopics. The most obvious of the bob-dylan film A complete unknown from last year, which brought Oscar nominations for leading actors Timothée Chalamet, among others. But also the film “Bohemian Rhapsody“, For which Rami Malek actually won an Oscar. And not to forget the recent films that the life stories of Elvis,, Elton John,, Bob Marley,, Mötley Crüe and Robbie Williams as a chimpanzee for some reason dramatized. It will be refreshing to see that musicians in Hollywood experience the same treatment.
“It is so important for Janis”
As is well known, the production of these films takes years. And often projects fail on the complications with the discounts of the musicians and the musical rights. In December 2024, Woodley knocked on the wood of Jimmy Fallon’s desk so as not to spoil the chances of the Joplin film. “We have been working on it for seven years now,” she told the television presenter. “She is such a great woman, man. She really brought light into this world in a unique way.”
The Joplin project, which is produced by Woodley and supported by Temple Hill Entertainment, was announced last September in a press release from the California Film Commission, which granted the film a tax credit. “”[Es ist] An incredible gift for this film because we can actually shoot in California. What rarely occurs these days, “said Woodley.” And it is so important for Janis. ” However, it is still unclear whether the Joplin estate is involved.
“I can’t sing anything! Christmas carols? What should I sing?”
If this is the case, Woodley will sing her own vocals in the film. She spoke to Fallon about working with Linda Perry, who acts as a music producer of the film. “She really pushed me to find out how I can find my own voice,” said Woodley. “‘I can’t sing like Janis’ and she has brought me into many unpleasant situations. ‘Imagine this date here.’ A huge empty warehouse with a complete volume. I like that: “I can’t sing anything at all! Christmas carols? What should I sing?”
Gomez was incredibly busy. She took albums with her fiancee Benny Blanco. Played in one successful comedy series On Hulu. And stepped in an Oscar-winning (and controversial))) Netflix film on. In November 2024, however, she confirmed in an interview with Vanity Fairthat the Ronstadt film is still in the works. “It still happens, even though I’m not sure when,” she said, adding that she met Ronstadt and “read two books”. Probably their memoirs “Simple Dreams” From 2013 and “Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands” from 2022.
“I just thought she was like that [faszinierend]”, Said Gomez.” She had such an interesting view of music and life. And I really admired that. She would never have had to be so successful. She was ready to try different things. But there is a reason why it takes time. We want to make sure that it will be good. “
David O. Russell should direct
Like Zendaya and “Be my baby” the Ronstadt project is also approved. The long -time manager of the singer, John Boylan, and James Keach (the 2019 the documentary “”Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice“Produced) are under contract as co-producers. David O. Russell should direct.
It remains to be hoped that the projects via Joplin and Ronstadt are the example of Be my baby consequences. And concentrate on a single moment in the musician’s saga instead of telling an exhaustive life story from start to finish.
Zendaya and Jenkins have announced that they will focus on the turbulent six-year marriage of the Ronettes singer with the controversial producer Phil Spector. We also hope that the three films will not go to the so -called Back to black-Falle Tap, in which the story of a musician focuses on her romantic relationships, instead of her art. We just have to wait for one of these films to get into the cinemas.