Michelle Williams Is In Talks To Play Janis Joplin In A Biopic
It feels like there has always been a biopic about Janis Joplin is “in the works” and it feels like 1/4 of Hollywood’s actresses have been “attached” to play Janis at one point or another. The most recent mention of a Janis Joplin biopic was about two years ago when Amy Adams was “attached” to play Janis in a film called Get It While You Can, (I guess Jack Donaghy never did get those life rights). But that movie was sort of put back on Hollywood’s shelf while the producers and the writer dealt with a lawsuit. Variety says there’s another Janis Joplin movie in the works, and there’s a very good chance this one could star Michelle Williams.
Variety has learned that Michelle is in talks to star in a Janis Joplin biopic called Janis directed by Martha Marcy May Marlene director Sean Durkin. Janis will be about the final six months of Janis Joplin’s life before she overdosed at 27 in 1970. Janis will be produced by Peter Newman, who holds the rights to a significant amount of Janis Joplin’s catalogue and written materials. No word on how close Michelle Williams is to going from “in talks” to “attached“, but I hope that if and when it does happen, she confirms it by taking a giant swig out of a bottle of Southern Comfort.
To me, Michelle Williams as Janis Joplin makes about as much sense as the ghost of Janis Joplin coming back from the dead to play Jen Lindley in an unauthorized Lifetime movie about Dawson’s Creek. But she’ll probably make it work. After all, when I heard Michelle Williams was signed on to play Marilyn Monroe, I fully expected a version of Marilyn that would bring a tear of pride to Spirit Halloween’s low-budget eye. But My Week with Marilyn didn’t end up being that bad. I guess Michelle as Janis is fine.
What I’m really interested in is who will play Stevie Nicks if Janis includes a scene of Janis cursing Stevie out at the San Jose Fairgrounds in 1970. Dear Lindsay Lohan: if you still have one, now is the time to call your agent!