Actors have been cast to play Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger in new biopic
A Marianne Faithfull biopic is reportedly in the works, and Finnish director Zaida Bergroth is set to direct it. It’s rumoured that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes star Freya Allan will play the iconic musician who passed away in January in a film simply titled Marianne. It’s also reported that Jojo Macari of Sex Education is in talks to play Mick Jagger, who was famously in a relationship with Faithful in the late 1960s.
With the project still in pre-production, talks are being had with potential buyers led the U.K.’s Altitude Film Sales at the European Film Market in Berlin.
A project synopsis has been released: “From angel-innocent pop icon, actress of stage and screen and long-time muse and girlfriend of Mick Jagger, to homelessness, addiction, and ignominy. Marianne will depict Marianne Faithfull’s rollercoaster ride from the brightest lights of the wild 1960s of her youth, to fallen golden girl and then her remarkable phoenix-like rise and resurgence” that “establishes her as one of the great icons and true artists of our time”.
Written by Julia Taylor-Stanley of Artemis Films and co-produced alongside Roosa Toivonen, this is a resurgent project after Taylor-Stanley had previously tried to get something similar off the ground to no avail. Marianne is being produced by Julia Taylor-Stanley of Artemis Films and Finnish producer Roosa Toivonen. Taylor-Stanley had been shepherding a previously announced Marianne Faithfull biopic that fell apart.
Faithfull died in London on January 30th and news of her passing sent ripples through the music industry. Upon the publication of the news, Paul McCartney responded: “What sad news that Marianne Faithfull has passed away,” McCartney wrote on Instagram. He continued: “She came into my life in the Sixties and was a beautiful, sweet 17-year-old who radiated innocent joy. Then through the years I was lucky enough to run into her and to become a life-long friend.”
McCartney signed off his message by adding: “It’s very sad to think that I won’t be meeting her again but my memories of our encounters over the years will always bring me joy. May god bless you Marianne and guide you in the next steps of your journey.”
Faithfull rose to fame in 1964 with her single “As Tears Go By,” co-authored by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. She and the Stones were then the subject of multiple press stories for their drug use.
By the early ‘70s, Faithfull had become homeless, living on the streets of London and had endured traumatic episodes, including a miscarriage and struggles with an eating disorder. She experienced a life full of struggle but rose to become an icon in both cinema and music, with her work now being heralded with deep cultural importance.
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