Stop screaming about the Beatles biopic. Start whooping for Zendaya as Ronnie Spector and Lizzo as Sister Loretta Tharpe
Hollywood's musical biopic fever is, once again, in full swing. Buzz has never been louder for Sam Mendes's ambitious Fab Four biopic – a quartet of films from the perspective of each Beatle – even with the release date still being three years away. Meanwhile, although Timothée Chalamet might not have taken home the Oscar for his lauded performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, pundits are already tipping The Bear's Jeremy Allen White for next year's prize for his turn as Bruce Springsteen in the forthcoming Deliver Me From Nowhere.
But amid the discourse around how much Paul Mescal may or may not look like McCartney and whether White can nail those gravelly vocals, two other recent biopic announcements – among the slate's most exciting yet – risk being drowned out despite their considerable cultural significance.
Last week, it was confirmed that Zendaya will star as Ronnie Spector, the iconic lead singer of 60s girl group The Ronettes in the long-awaited biopic Be My Baby for A24, where she'll also take on a producer role. 'Ronnie, being able to know you is one of the greatest honors of my life' wrote Zendaya in an Instagram tribute after the singer's death in 2022. 'Thank you for sharing your life with me … I hope to make you proud.' Barry Jenkins will direct the film, based on Spector's 1990 memoir, in which her troubled relationship with the producer Phil Spector looms large.
Also revealed is that Lizzo is set to play the trailblazing gospel and blues musician Sister Rosetta Tharpe in a biopic for Amazon – finally bringing to the screen a pioneer as cinematically unsung as she has been in history. Tharpe's innovative, electric guitar-strapped style was instrumental in defining the sound of American rock and influenced a generation of stars including Elvis, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Keith Richards and Johnny Cash. Lizzo will also produce the film which promises to give Tharpe's legacy as the 'godmother of Rock n Roll' its rightful due.
'There were no auditions for Sister Rosetta Tharpe,' wrote Lizzo in an impassioned Instagram post. 'Because this is a film I've been producing for years, fighting for her story to get told … This is my baby, my passion – because Rosetta deserves. The Godmother of Rock n Roll is in good hands.'
Sure, these films finally getting the greenlight may be part of Hollywood's ongoing obsession with the stories of musical titans. But they could deliver an overdue celebration of groundbreaking Black female artists who changed music profoundly, something beyond what Hollywood has offered up recently. It heralds a powerful and much-needed turn amid a parade of biopics dominated by widely celebrated white male artists whose legacies continue to endure.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Braveheart's Mel Gibson makes surprising confession about filming of iconic Scots movie
MEL Gibson has admitted he faked it as a film director when he was making Braveheart. The Aussie-born superstar, 69, said he had to pretend to the crew and enormous cast that he was totally in control of the £150million blockbuster. 2 Mel Gibson celebrated the 30th anniversary of Braveheart in Philadelphia Credit: Getty He came clean at a Fan Expo convention in Philadelphia, US, as the Oscar-winning epic celebrated its 30th anniversary. Gibson, who played legendary Scots freedom fighter Sir William Wallace, recalled: 'It was only my second outing as a director and it was a massive shoot. 'There were about 3,000 people on the set. They're all looking at you like you know what you're doing. 'So I pretended I knew what I was doing. 'But somehow it all came together. "Logistically speaking, it was a monster — from feeding everybody to getting them all to look like they were in the war.' Gibson said his 'proudest achievement' was avoiding serious injuries in the movie's many battle scenes. He explained: 'One guy got a hangnail and another got a broken nose and twisted ankle but that was it. 'It was a long shoot — there were 105 shooting days. We didn't get any days off.' 'But I'm really proud of the end result. It really paid off.' Braveheart fans go mad for Mel Gibson as he's asked about independence Elsewhere a former child star from Braveheart has revealed how he used to slag off Mel Gibson's dodgy Scots accent on set - so the Hollywood A-lister begged him to help improve his brogue. Andrew Weir from Ayr played William Wallace's best pal Hamish in the Oscar-winning flick and even managed to get family friend James Robinson a crucial part as the young freedom fighter. But the pair would regularly fall into hysterics at the Aussie actor's attempt to master our dialect. Andrew, who now lives in New York, says: 'I think Mel liked that we were kids and not intimidated by him. We used to laugh at his accent and he would ask us to help him make it better.'
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Scots castle is transformed into ancient Greek palace for new blockbuster movie
It is being transformed to look like ancient Greek with some of the biggest stars on the planet linked to the project. Work has begun on the Banffshire coast for the big screen epic The Odyssey - the latest and most expensive blockbuster by Oscar winning director Sir Christopher Nolan. It is believed the Oppenheimer director will use locations around Buckie and Cullen, including Findlater Castle, for the Hollywood movie. A-listers including Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattinson have all been linked to the project with hundreds of people expected to be involved on some days. Yesterday (Mon), a diversion at the castle, overlooking the Moray Firth, was in place with a sign warning it will be in place until July 25. A fake period building has been constructed from plywood in the fenced area overlooking the castle. The shoot will also involve scenes at the sea with replicas of ancient Greek vessels. Filming for the big screen production which is due to be released in cinemas on July 16 next year started in February in Morocco. It has also taken place in Greece and Sicily. The Odyssey is predicted be the most expensive film of Sir Christopher's career. It dramatises the journey of the ancient Greek king of Ithaca, Odysseus, back home to his wife following the Trojan War. The 54-year-old filmmaker achieved major success with the release of Oppenheimer in 2023 which went on to won him the Academy Award for best director. It is hoped that The Odyssey will have similar success with filming taking place around the world. Visit Aberdeenshire has confirmed Findlater Castle is 'inaccessible' until July 25 'as a result of a private commercial activity' in the 'immediate vicinity of the site'. The tourism body added: 'This also includes the closure of the Barnyards of Findlater car park during this period, which is regularly used for visiting the castle.' While those in Cullen say the presence of film crews in the area is becoming 'common knowledge, a spokesman for Moray Council would only say: 'The support we provide through our film liaison service is confidential.' However, one local said: 'We have been told that 500 people may be involved at its peak.' The 2016 remake of Whisky Galore, starring Eddie Izzard and Gregor Fisher, was also filmed in the area.
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Kieran Culkin faces fierce fury over his bizarre response to being cast in Hunger Games prequel
Along with his iconic role as Roman Roy in the hit series Succession (and his appearance as the lesser-known McAllister brother in Home Alone), Kieran Culkin is also known for his dry humor. For years now in various interviews and speeches, he's made countless 'jokes' about not caring about his job or not knowing what he's doing. He's sarcastically discussed his own award nominations, told fans who have called him their favorite actor that they should 'aim higher,' and claimed the Oscar awards was just a bargaining chip to get his wife to agree to have more children. And most recently, he's made a pretty shocking statement about his upcoming portrayal of Caesar Flickerman in the Hunger Games prequel, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Culkin, 42, who was confirmed to appear in the series last month, was signing autographs for fans outside of his Broadway play, Glengarry Glen Ross, when he made the comment. A fan, recording Culkin, told him, 'You're going to an amazing Caesar Flickerman.' 'I don't think so,' Culkin responded as the supporter continued, 'I'm so excited.' Culkin then said, 'Lower those expectations please... please do... I have no idea what I'm going to do with that.' Most recently, he's made a pretty shocking statement about his upcoming portrayal of Caesar Flickerman (seen in the original franchise) in the Hunger Games prequel Culkin is an Oscar-winning actor, and yet his nonchalant attitude about his accomplishments is starting to rub fans the wrong way - especially when it comes to a franchise as beloved as The Hunger Games. Fans took to social media to share their disapproval over Culkin's comments after the video went viral on X, formerly Twitter. 'This "I don't take anything seriously" act of his has worn out its welcome' one X user shared. 'This whole bit of his where he doesn't give a f**k or care about his job is tired and annoying,' another agreed. 'I thought winning one of the most undeserved Oscars ever might make him less annoying, but it didn't,' said someone else. 'The pretending not to care thing is getting old because [people of color] would get slaughtered for this and there's better actors out there that probs couldn't even get an audition for this,' a different person pointed out. 'I cannot not think of all the actresses who are witch hunted daily for making jokes not even close to this… a woman publicly saying she is not prepared for a role? Cannot even imagine,' a fifth tweet read. has reached out to Culkin for comment. Fans expressed anger at Culkin's constant sarcasm, pointing out the double standards in the industry that allow him to get away with it 'Can you imagine the reactions if Rachel Zegler had said that?' asked another user, undoubtedly referencing the backlash Zegler received when she shared her opinions about the original Snow White movie being 'dated.' The upcoming Hunger Games film is set to be released on November 20, 2026, and explores the world of Panem about 24 years before Katniss Everdeen's story. As of right now, the franchise includes five books and six movies, the most recent release being The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie which was released in 2023. And with Sunrise on the Reaping being not too far away, fans are encouraging Culkin to get it together. 'Lower expectations... this is the f**king hunger games... not your little Saturday Night Live monologue..... READ THE BOOKS AND GET THE F**K TO WORK,' another user said.
