Reese Witherspoon is set to lead an untitled biopic on the life of jazz musician Peggy Lee with Nora Ephron (“Julie & Julia”) writing and directing for Fox 2000.
Spearheaded by the actress herself, Witherspoon evidently acquired the rights to Lee’s life after meeting the singer’s granddaughter before bringing on producer Marc Platt (the ‘Legally Blonde’ franchise) and taking the project to Fox 2000, the home of her last musical film, James Mangold’s “Walk The Line,” in which she and Joaquin Phoenix starred as June Carter and Johnny Cash.
The currently untitled film will reportedly “explore the professional and personal life of a legendary performer” whose career spanned nearly seven decades beginning with her first #1 single “Something Else Is Taking Place” in 1942. She earned twelve Grammy nominations, took home a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995 and saw collaborations with artists such as Duke Ellington and Quincy Jones. She’s cited as an influence for many iconic latter-day artists including Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra, Dusty Springfield and Madonna.
Lee was also known for her cinematic ventures including an Oscar-nominated performance in “Pete Kelly’s Blues” as an alcoholic jazz singer and for multiple supporting roles in Disney’s classic 1955 animated film “Lady And The Tramp” which she also penned several songs for. Lee continued to perform well into the ’90’s before passing away at the age of 81 as a result of complications caused by diabetes and a heart attack.
It’s an illustrious, decorated life and career which should provide quite the acting and musical challenge for Witherspoon. No word on when production will begin but given the calibre of talent involved, we imagine things may move smoothly once deals are agreed upon.
Witherspoon will appear in James L. Brooks’ “How Do You Know?” alongside Paul Rudd and Jack Nicholson this fall and then opposite Robert Pattinson and Christoph Waltz in “Water For Elephants” next April.