Marisa Abela sang ‘from start to finish’ in Amy Winehouse biopic, says director

Marisa Abela will sing “from beginning to end” in biopic of Amy Winehouseconfirmed the director Sam Taylor-Johnson. The actress took singing lessons to play Winehouse in Back to Blackaccording to the filmmaker.

“When we first talked about this, my first question to [Abela] was: ‘Can you sing?’ And she said: ‘I can’t do it’”, the director told Empire (via NME). “I was thinking, maybe we would use the voice of Amy all the time, and we would do it that way. She then left after the audition — still not knowing if she had gotten the part — and began practicing her voice.”

After a successful test recording at Abbey Road Studios in London, The beauty sang “the entire movie, from beginning to end”, which Taylor-Johnson described it as “a great achievement”. She also worked with the original band of Winehouse in studio recordings.

“Dale [Davis] was there, his bass player, and Ade [Omotayo, vocalista] and we all stood there and said, ‘Fuck!’ She is incredible”, recalled the director. “They didn’t know what to expect. They were full of emotion, because it’s a multilayer of feelings for the people who were close to her and worked with her.”

The first official trailer for Back to Black was released on February 2. The biopic of Amy Winehouse will focus on the production of the eponymous album, as well as the singer’s life in London and her rise to fame.

The film will star Marisa Abelawho recorded and performed the singer’s songs with the approval of her estate Amy. Jack O’Connell will be in the role of Blake Fielder-Civilex-husband of Winehousewhile Eddie Marsan her father will do, Mitch, Juliet Cowan the mother, JanisIt is Lesley Manville the grandma, Cynthia.

Watch the trailer: