VOICE OF THE BEEHIVE ICONIC Singer Amy Winehouse. AMY WINEHOUSE STAR O ON NAILING RASPY TONE Actress Marisa sounded so much like late legend, producers decided not to dub over her singing in biopic. (2024)

Byline: HEATHER GREENAWAY

ACTRESS Marisa Abela, who plays music legend Amy Winehouse in the much-anticipated biopic Back to Black, has revealed she was never supposed to sing in the film's finished cut.

The relatively unknown star, who beat thousands of hopefuls to the role, says producers planned to dub over her singing voice - until she proved she could nail Amy's unique raspy tone.

Marisa, 27, spent hours perfecting the musician's distinctive vocals and also lost weight to embody the late star as closely as she could.

The 27-year-old, who starred in raunchy BBC Two and HBO drama Industry, said: "There is a certain amount of pressure and responsibility to do Amy justice. It was a massive thing to take on but I was excited from the very moment I heard about the project.

"At first they were going to bring in a singer to dub over my voice but part of understanding Amy is to know singing was everything to her.

"It was her whole life so I trained really hard to get as close to her voice as I possibly could. I listened to her a lot and also listened to artists who had influenced her, people like Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and Lauren Hill.

"But the biggest challenge was all the technical stuff - the exercises, getting the right face and neck shape when I was singing. I worked a lot with my voice coach on that."

Marisa, who appeared in Sky One series COBRA, added: "I wanted to explore every avenue I could in playing Amy. Losing weight was part of that and it definitely changes how you interact with the world and how the world interacts with you. But it was done responsibly, I worked with a dietician. I did a lot of work physically, emotionally and mentally to embody Amy, as I would any character."

Back to Black, which hits UK cinemas today, tells the incredible yet tragic story of Winehouse who was one of the most famous singers on the planet in her heyday.

The film will delve into her life, from the early 2000s as a north London jazz musician, culminating in her rise to fame as a Grammy-winning singer with songs like Rehab and Back to Black. Throughout her adult life Amy, who suf fered from mental illness, battled substance abuse.

I explored avenue I playing did fall in her as a MARISA PREPARING

On July 23, 2011, she was found dead in her London home. The cause of death was later ruled to be alcoholic poisoning.

The biopic, directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, stars Jack O'Connell as Amy's former husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, Eddie Marsan as her dad, Mitch, and Lesley Manville as her gran, Cynthia.

Marisa, whose mum is Grange Hill actress Caroline Gruber, admits stepping on set with Amy's trademark beehive was a moment she will never forget. She said: "There was a lot of the physical aspect, teetering around in little dresses and that beehive.

"Stepping out on set with that hairdo felt like a big moment. I had every could in Amy. I really love with person. ABELA ON FOR ROLE done so much preparation on jus t abou t everything else so to finally see myself as her was kind of nerve-wracking. "But Amy was about so much more than just her look. needed to understand her, all her power, her voice and her legacy. It was also about understanding her as a victim of a disease, her addiction and her eating disorder and how that changes you physically."

Marisa, whose dad is director Angelo Abela, added: "It was a little scary portraying such an icon but the more I learned about her, the more I felt really connected to her.

"Everyone involved with this film took a lot of care to respect Amy and to get it right and that really comes across when you watch the film." Ever since Winehouse's untimely death, aged 27, several filmmakers have attempted to create biopic projects but none of them progressed until Back to Black, which has been made with the blessing of Amy's family. And Marisa was delighted when they came to watch her during filming.

She said: "They did come to set. That was a lovely moment and we all tried to make it as calm and respectful as we could. They are very supportive and I'm very grateful for that."

The actress learned so much about Amy during the making of the movie, she admits she fell in love with her.

She said: "I really did fall in love with her as a person. She was so authentic, so independent, so brave and so singular as an artist and as a person.

"I love all her songs. Stronger Than Me is one of my favourite songs ever. She has so many incredible songs that really stand the test of time."

Marisa, who never dreamed of being an actress, says this is a huge breakthrough role for her and she feels privileged to bring Amy and her music back to the masses.

She said: "My mum is an actress and my dad is a producer and a standup, so performing has always been part of my life. My mum mostly worked in theatre and I was taken a lot, from when I was really young.

"At first I really didn't want to be an actor then I was cast in a school play and you know, applause happens and you're like, 'Yeah, I guess I'll do this!'" Marisa, who played Teen Talk Barbie in the Barbie movie, added: "I 'm excited to see what Amy Winehouse fans make of the movie. I just want for people to see it and to be able to bask in Amy's light again.

"Her incredible music and writing is very much the basis of this story so this is a chance to spend a couple of hours in her world and in her mind."Back to Black is in cinemas today.

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CAPTION(S):

EX With Jack O'Connell, who plays Blake Fielder-Civil

ICONIC Singer Amy Winehouse