Marisa Abela is the "frontrunner" to play Amy Winehouse in the 'Back to Black' biopic.
Marisa Abela is the favorite to play Amy Winehouse
The tragic singer - who died at the age of 27 back in 2011 after struggling with alcohol and drug addiction for a number of years - is to be immortalised in the new biopic and the 25-year-old actress is the favourite to take on the role, according to Variety.
However, the outlet also went on to allege that Marisa - who is best known for her roles in HBO series 'Industry' and the Sky One show 'COBRA' and auditioned for the role of Amy back in June - has not yet been given a "formal offer" to play 'Rehab' hitmaker, it is expected one will come into place once "other elements of the production" have been worked out.
The reports come just days after it was announced that 'Fifty Shades of Grey' director Sam Taylor-Johnson - who is said to have been close friends with Amy in the years before her death - will be at the helm of the project.
It's said the movie has the full support of her father Mitch Winehouse, who participated in BBC's 2021 documentary 'Reclaiming Amy' to mark 10 years since her death.
An earlier script was originally written by 'Kinky Boots' scribe Geoff Deane, but now Matt Greenhalgh - who wrote 'Control' about the late Joy Division singer Ian Curtis - is on board.
Back in 2017, Mitch dismissed the idea of pop superstar Lady Gaga signing on to play his late daughter, and he admitted he would be happier for an "unknown" actress to take on the role, while he wants the portrayal to be honest.
He previously said: "I wouldn’t mind betting it would be an unknown,
young, English — London, cockney — actress who looks a bit like Amy. What we want is somebody to portray Amy in the way that she was…the funny, brilliant, charming, and horrible person that she was.
"There’s no point really me making the film because I’m her dad. But to
get the right people to do it, that’s very important, and we will.”
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