If Jean-Marc Vallée has proved anything with his last two films, he knows how to direct actors. Dallas Buyers Club earned both Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto Oscars, and Reese Witherspoon and possibly Laura Dern are vying for nominations for this year’s Wild. I would not say either film is particularly great, but I cannot fault those performances.
This news is actually a couple of months old, but thanks to The Playlist, Vallée’s interview with Journal de Québec (via Metro) is now far more public. Vallée will be taking the directorial reigns of the forthcoming Janis Joplin biopic starring Amy Adams, who herself is looking for her sixth Oscar nomination for Big Eyes.
Lee Daniels was attached to direct the film and seemed fairly adamant about wanting to make it. Quite frankly, I think Vallée is a more interesting director than Daniels, and after Lee Daniels’ The Butler, I am not very excited to see what he has next.
Adams is an interesting casting choice for this part. I think she is a phenomenal actor and cannot wait to see what she does with the part. I am just surprised they are going with someone over a decade older than when Joplin tragically died at the age of 27. I am not saying that is a bad thing. It’s actually a good thing. They want the best person for the role. I am all for that.
This is not to be confused with the other Janis Joplin biopic in the works, which is to be directed by Sean Durkin and starring Tony winner Nina Arianda as the rock star. Both films have been in development for quite a long time, and I think both deserve to get made. Everyone involved with both is talented, so why should they not both get a shot with this fascinating woman?
Original report from The Playlist.
