Three-time Academy Award nominee Renee Zellweger has been lined up to play Judy Garland in a film about the later stages of her life. A February 2018 start date has been set for principal photography on Judy, a film based on the true story of her last concerts in London in 1968. Celebrated British stage director Rupert Goold will direct.
The film will focus on Garland’s life, 30 years after the massive success of The Wizard Of Oz shot her toward global stardom, as she prepares for shows, battles with management while wrestling with the desire to be back at home with her kids. Having worked for 45 of her 47 years, she’s exhausted and haunted by memories of a childhood lost to Hollywood. Will she have the strength to go on?
The film will feature some of Garland’s best known songs, and will be based on a script written by Tom Edge (The Crown).
It clearly sounds like a personal project with a lot of heart, and is likely set to be a gruelling path to capturing a star that shined as bright as Garland’s by Zellweger, who hasn’t had a defining role for a while, but may have just been given the chance for her most iconic performance.
Garland was known as “the world’s greatest entertainer”, so there will be expectations for a similarly entertaining and spellbinding film. No pressure then, for a director used to directing theatre and a writer more comfortable in TV. But they have plenty of fantastic true to life stories to take from, so hopefully Judy can be anywhere close to as good as its potential promises.
#Peace.Love.Judy
