Amy Winehouse's friends enraged over biopic
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Friends of Amy Winehouse are outraged at the impending biopic's producers for not talking to them about the star's life. They assert that 'Back To Black' producers have not contacted them to inquire about their memories of the late artist, prompting concerns that the movie will be inaccurate.
One person expressed disappointment in Marisa Abela's casting as, despite the near-perfect wig she wears and the similar tattoos, they do not believe she resembles the 'Rehab' singer. "Nobody consulted us about Amy," said the friend. "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."
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They also contrast the socioeconomic background of Abela, who received her education at Roedean, with that of Winehouse, a London native noted for her streetwise demeanor. Even though it has been nearly 12 years since Winehouse was discovered dead at her townhouse in Camden, North London, in July 2011 at the age of 27, her distraught friends still think it is too soon to make such a movie, as per Daily Mail. However, films on deceased celebrities have been made and released. 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody', a movie that chronicles the life of music icon Whitney Houston, who passed away in 2012, is presently playing in theaters.
According to sources, on the set of Sam Taylor-Johnson's 'Back to Black', which is titled after Amy Winehouse's popular 2006 album of the same name, filming of the biopic will only last eight weeks, which according to insiders in the business is not particularly long for such a production. One insider said, "It all feels very fast, almost a bit smash and grab." Additionally, they questioned how the paparazzi were portrayed in sequences shot last week. Witnesses claim that Winehouse's portrayal as being hostile towards them was inaccurate as she had had a cordial relationship with photographers and developed friendships with some.
Abela, 26, had originally intended to attend college to become a human rights lawyer. However, she abruptly changed her mind and chose to enroll in Rada Drama School in order to emulate her mother, the actress Caroline Gruber. Both mother and daughter have drawn criticism for their acting roles: Gruber in the comic production 'Heil Honey I'm Home!,' in which Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun move in next door to a Jewish couple, and Abela in 'Industry,' where she plays City worker Yasmin Kara-Hanani. She will also be seen in Greta Gerwig's upcoming movie 'Barbie', which will be released in July.