Can you see the star as Judy Garland? | Photo: Flickr/YourWay Magazine
American actor Renée Zellweger is taking on the role of a lifetime. In an upcoming biopic, she’s stepping into the shoes of Classic Hollywood star Judy Garland.
Set in 1968, Judy tells the story of the singer and performer Judy Garland a year before her untimely death. During this winter, she performed a series of concerts in London at the Talk of the Town nightclub.
It’s 30 years after her revelatory turn in The Wizard of Oz, as she grapples with inner demons.
Here’s Zellweger as the legend.
#JUDY starts principal photography in London today, starring Academy Award winner, Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland!#judygarland #reneezellweger #london #thetalkofthetown #jessiebuckley #finnwittrock #michaelgambon #rupertgoold #pathe #calamityfilms #bbcfilms #ingenious pic.twitter.com/VJAnMRuzKV
— Judy (@JudyGarlandFilm) March 19, 2018
As the tweet states, the film is starting principal photography today (19 March).
The film’s synopsis describes Garland during this time as ‘exhausted; haunted by memories of a childhood lost to Hollywood and gripped by a desire to be back home with her kids’. She also falls in love with Mickey Deans, her fifth and final husband.
Finn Wittrock is playing Mickey. The rest of the cast includes Rufus Sewell, Michael Gambon, and Jessie Buckley.
Rupert Goold is directing with a script from Tom Edge (The Crown).
An icon playing an icon
People are loving Zellweger’s look as Garland and praising the resemblance.
I was skeptical about the casting of Renee Zellweger as Judy Garland in a new movie, but, at least on a physical level, wow. pic.twitter.com/2M06hrcRYM
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) March 19, 2018
Please cancel all news today that isn’t about this photo of Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland. pic.twitter.com/J57gIVyZCL
— Sam (@mcsammer) March 19, 2018
Both Garland and Zellweger are stars in their own rights.
Zellweger has been nominated for three Oscars — three years in a row. It began with Bridget Jones’s Diary in 2001, following by Chicago in 2002. Finally, in 2003, she won for Cold Mountain, for which she also won a Golden Globe and BAFTA.
While Garland never won an Oscar, she accomplished much before her death at 47. She was expected to win an Oscar at the 1955 ceremony, but Grace Kelly took the statue instead. Garland also earned an Oscar nod for Judgment at Nuremberg.
In 1962, at the age of 39, she became the youngest and first female recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille awad at the Golden Globes.
Judy is set for release later this year.
