Carole King Movie Hit With Huge Setback
The lead is no longer attached to the project.
According to actress Daisy Edgar-Jones, the anticipated Carole King biopic is not moving forward, at least with her in it. The revelation came during an interview with Variety while she was promoting The Twisters. When asked for an update on the movie, she provided a disappointing update.
"That's no longer happening. I love Carole and I love that story, but it was a year ago that they decided [to no longer pursue it]. I did learn a lot of piano. I think it's a gorgeous story, and the script probably needs a little more time in the oven," she said. "But I did meet Carole King on Zoom, and I was like, "This is the coolest thing ever." She really enjoyed "Normal People," so she was a fan of that and I was a fan of hers. I get so starstruck by musicians, much more than actors, and Carole was one where it was quite hard to keep my cool."
Variety notes the film is still in the works at Sony. The actress' involvement with the musical was reported before she had officially signed on. Without Edgar-Jones, the producers are searching for a new lead.
Beautiful, the working title for the biopic, is an extension of the Broadway musical. The musical debuted in 2013 to rave reviews. It ended in 2019. The musical tells the story of the early life and career of King. Songs that she with Gerry Goffin, and other songs by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Phil Spector, and more are spread throughout the two-and-a-half-hour production.
King is a lauded as a musical prodigy. She began writing songs with her first husband, Gerry Goffin. The duo wrote for the likes of Aretha Franklin, The Monkees, and Dusty Springfield. She went solo after they split collaborated with Joni Mitchell and James Taylor, and began recording her own albums.