Amy Winehouse Biopic: See Industry Actress Marisa Abela Channel the Late Singer in First Photo
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Focus Features; Kevin Mazur/WireImage Marisa Abela (L); Amy Winehouse
Marisa Abela is the spitting image of Amy Winehouse in the first photo from director Sam Taylor-Johnson's upcoming biopic Back to Black.
The Industry actress, 26, stars as the late singer in a photo the director shared on Instagram Friday, showing Abela rocking Winehouse's signature beehive hairstyle and large hoop earrings.
"Marisa Abela … watch out everyone! Cameras roll on Monday. Here we go!" Taylor-Johnson, 55, wrote in the caption.
Abela shared the photo on her Instagram Story as well, adding a black heart emoji to her post.
She also posted a photo gallery to her feed, led by a snapshot of herself posing in front of a brick wall that boasted a stunning mural of Winehouse.
" 'And for London. This is for London. Cause Camden Town ain't burnin down,' " Abela captioned the post, quoting Winehouse's 2008 Grammys speech. She concluded, "I love you, Amy. ❤️"
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The upcoming film will chronicle the late Grammy winner's "vibrant years living in London in the early aughts and her intense journey to fame," according to a press release obtained by Entertainment Weekly.
Taylor-Johnson, who directed the first installment of the popular Fifty Shades of Grey franchise, confirmed in July that she'd be directing Back to Black, which shares the name of the singer's second and final studio album.
"This is a dream movie to helm," the filmmaker wrote in an Instagram caption at the time while sharing a post from Deadline, which first reported the news. "I'm ready, let's go … #amywinehouse #backtoblack."
Writer Matt Greenhalgh wrote the screenplay, while Studiocanal is producing with Alison Owen and Debra Hayward, alongside Tracey Seaward, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The project has also received support from Winehouse's estate.
RELATED VIDEO: Remembering Amy Winehouse
In a statement to EW, Taylor-Johnson said her "connection to" Winehouse, who died from alcohol poisoning at her home in London in July 2011 at the age of 27, "began when I left college and was hanging out in the creatively diverse London borough of Camden."
"I got a job at the legendary KOKO club, and I can still breathe every market stall, vintage shop and street," she continued. "A few years later Amy wrote her searingly honest songs whilst living in Camden. Like with me, it became part of her DNA."
Noting Winehouse's "genius," Taylor-Johnson added, "As a filmmaker, you can't really ask for more. I feel excited and humbled to have this opportunity to realize Amy's beautifully unique and tragic story to cinema accompanied by the most important part of her legacy: her music."
"I am fully aware of the responsibility, with my writing collaborator Matt Greenhalgh I will create a movie that we will all love and cherish forever. Just like we do Amy," she added.
