British actress, writer, singer, and songwriter Cynthia Erivo’s star has been on the rise ever since her breakout turn in “Bad Times at the El Royale,” and the twice Academy Award-nominated performer has now landed arguably her biggest role to date.
Variety reports that Erivo has signed on to star in Searchlight’s remake of 1979 drama “The Rose,” which starred Bette Midler in the lead. The film was loosely based on the life of legendary singer Janis Joplin (it was originally envisioned as a biopic until Joplin’s family forced script revisions), who died from a drug overdose in 1970 at the age of 27. While this new take is expected to have the same basic premise, it will “put a contemporary lens on the high price of fame.”
The remake doesn’t sound like it’s going to veer too far away from the plot of the original, however, as it’s said to “follow a self-destructive female rock star who struggles to deal with the constant pressures of her career and the demands of those who surround her.”
The story’s themes of addiction and self-destruction echo those of another ’70s musical drama that recently received the remake treatment, and Searchlight will no doubt be hoping that “The Rose” finds even half the success that Bradley Cooper’s adaptation of “A Star Is Born” did back in 2018.
Erivo is also set to produce along with Solome Williams under her new Edith’s Daughter production banner. The project’s writer and director have yet to be announced.
The multi-talented actress has a busy time ahead, having recently wrapped production on Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Pinocchio.” She is also set to release her debut album Ch. 1 Vs. 1 later this year, as well as her first children’s book, “Remember to Dream, Ebere.”