UPDATE: All change! Contrary to what we reported earlier, it looks like Lady Gaga may not be so quick to fill Cilla's boots. According to her publicist, "reports of Gaga starring in the project are false." Though Dionne Warwick's rep has yet to comment, this does all seem a bit bizarre when journalists at Cannes were apparently shown promotional posters for the biopic that included Gaga's name. Has the singer officially said 'tara'? Or will she Surprise! Surprise! and star after all? Watch this space.
Well here's a sentence we never expected to write: Lady Gaga has been cast as Cilla Black. Yes, the American singer-slash-actress (real name Stefani Germanotta) is set to play the Liverpudlian singer-slash-actress (real name Priscilla White) in upcoming Dionne Warwick biopic, Dionne.
Gaga will be playing Warwick’s British singing rival, with former Destiny’s Child member LeToya Luckett in the titular role and Olympia Dukakis as her mentor, Marlene Dietrich. Danny Glover is also onboard as Warwick’s father. Warwick herself announced the casting news at Cannes, also expressing her hopes that Mario Van Peebles (New Jack City) will direct the film based on her 2010 autobiography, My Life As I See It.
Black – who sadly died last year – may be viewed as a national treasure on this fair isle, but looks set to be cast in a slightly different light here. Why? “Because she stole my music!” Oo-er.
Gaga’s acting career has swiftly progressed from tongue-in-cheek bit parts in the likes of Machete Kills to her Golden Globe-winning stint on FX’s American Horror Story, but an English accent (let alone a Scouse one) is something she has yet to tackle. However there’s absolutely no denying that Gaga has the pipes to play the late singer.
Dionne will start production later this year.