Several years ago, Vanity Fair published excerpts from a book called Girls Like Us. You can read the VF excerpt here, and go here to read more about the book. The gist of the VF piece (and the book) was the intertwined careers, romances and trajectories of singers Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell and Carole King. I always remembered the VF article because it was so good, and because I learned a lot about whom those ladies romanced in their early days. I think Warren Beatty managed to sleep with all of them…? James Taylor managed at least two of them as well. Anyway, Hollywood has come callin’ and now they’re going to make the book into a movie. So who should play the young Carly? The young Carole? The young Joni? Variety claims that Taylor Swift is in talks to play Joni!
Taylor Swift is circling the role of Joni Mitchell in Sony Pictures and Di Bonaventura Pictures’ adaptation of Sheila Weller’s book “Girls Like Us,” which would mark the pop star’s first turn in a bigscreen drama.
Pic examines the careers of singers Mitchell, Carly Simon and Carole King. Swift does not have an official offer, but has been linked to the Mitchell role for several months as other actresses have auditioned to play Simon and King, including Alison Pill (“Midnight in Paris”) for the latter singer.
“House” exec producer Katie Jacobs, who optioned the book several years ago, is directing from a script by John Sayles. Lorenzo di Bonaventura (“Transformers”) is set to produce the Sony pic, which has not yet been greenlit, though it is tentatively skedded to start production later this year when the three leads’ schedules allow for filming.
Swift, who’s currently featured on “The Hunger Games” soundtrack, made her feature acting debut in ensemble rom-com “Valentine’s Day,” and recently voiced a role in Universal’s “The Lorax.” Before that, she appeared as herself in the 2009 Miley Cyrus vehicle “Hannah Montana: The Movie.”
[From Variety]
As far as looks and general vibes go, I kind of don’t hate Swifty for Joni. I have qualms about whether Swifty can ACT, but on looks alone, I could see it. The wide mouth, the ethereal, folksy vibe. I’m just saying… don’t yell about it. Yet. It will be interesting to see who gets cast as young Carole King and young Carly Simon, because I can’t even imagine who they would or could get. Wait… Emma Stone for Carly? Think about Emma in a really good Carly wig – couldn’t you see it? And please – Jessica Biel WISHES. I actually think Biel looks a lot like a young Carly, but don’t even offer her the role, producers. Carole King needs… young, pre-nose job Jennifer Grey. NO, I’ve got it! Mamie Gummer – Meryl Streep’s daughter. She could totally play Carole King.
You know what the real problem with this project is, though? Hollywood is so homogenized these days. None of the girls today will ever LET themselves look so odd and unconventionally beautiful like Joni, or Carly or Carole.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Vogue, archive photos of Joni, Carly & Carole.
Wow, you’re right, Jessica Biel DOES look an awful lot like a young Carly Simon! I never noticed that before.
OMG thats amazing! Sorry but Biel should DEF play her. Thats eerie.
I actually am a Swifty fan, but the girl can’t act for shit. I know her role in Valentines Day was supposed to be a bubble head…and she couldn’t even pull that out of her butt. How hard is it to act dumb? I did it alllll the time when I was bartending (gotta hustle to make those tips, haha), and it was relatively easy, even though I’m a very smart girl. I don’t see this going well :-/
Yes thank you. Her acting in that movie blew, big time! And I’m a fan of her music saying that. Need to stick with what your talented at. Instead, she should try something like a modeling campaign for Anthropologie or something similar, that would suit her better IMO.
Jessica Biel was my first thought, physically, for Carly Simon – I’ve always seen a resemblance. But I find Biel so painfully whitebread, I just don’t want her to get within sniffing distance of the role.
And Swift – well, apparently she can play the guitar. I don’t see the resemblance though. You’re right, there just aren’t enough funny-lookin’ actresses out there, who haven’t chiselled all their individuality out of their faced, to find matches for Joni, Carole or Carly. And I don’t want some bimbo miming her way through A Case Of You just to get the kids in to see it.
Let’s face it, though – whoever they get, they’re not going to be good enough. These are (and were) tough, intelligent, massively creative and talented musicians. If a film must be made of their lives, they deserve to be portrayed by actresses of equal talent. They don’t deserve to be stunt-cast with pop tarts in the roles, in the hope that Taylor Swift might possibly do a halfway decent job…
I hear you! Mitchell, Simon, and King have REAL talent – the ability to write MEANINGFUL lyrics AND to sing, each with her own distinctive voice and attitude. Swift as Joni would be an insult to the artist. Swift epitomizes the insipid and mediocre stylings that represent popular music these days. She cannot sing and this is why she got the boot from the Les Miserables casting.
I’m a Swift fan too. I think she’s going to be around for a long time. She’s one hell of a songwriter and will only get better as she matures. (Her albums so far were written while she was a teenager/just turned twenty).
She definitely looks the part and she’s a fan of Joni et al. In fact, she did a duet with James Taylor on her recent tour. BUT I’m not sure that she can act?
I am a fan of Taylor’s music. But can she act? Casting on looks alone is almost always a bad choice.
I’ve always thought Carly Simon is so pretty, it’s so funny to me to think that people don’t.
Same! I think she’s pretty.
People don’t? I think she’s gorgeous. Always has been. And I don’t mean to be all blokey about this, but that picture up there – she really had fantastic tits.
(Well, I’m impressed with ’em, anyway!) 🙂
Carly looks like a cross between Jessica Biel and Eva Mendes.
As someone who knows a lot about Joni M its terrible casting they may look alike but it would take a lot of depth to portray her. Joni was an enigmatic, troubled heartbreaker with a secret child who had affairs with just about every talent of her generation. Swifty is a childish priss there is no way she could pull that off.
Yeah, Taylor does not have the acting ability to pull it off. I would love to see Emma Stone as Joni or Carly.
I went on a mini 1970s Sissy Spacek marathon this weekend, including watching her incredible portrayal of Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner’s Daughter – now there’s a brilliant & unconventionally beautiful actress who could have done Joni Mitchell justice, if she were the right age.
Then again, the industry has changed a lot since the 1970s – if Spacek was a young actress just starting out today, her unconventional looks would probably rule her out as leading lady material.
IA! Sissy reminded me of Joni when she was younger.
Coal Miners Daughter is one of my all time favorite movies!!! (RIP to Levon Helm who played the dad)
If I had to pick a modern young actress who could pull off the Joni vibe I’d have to go with J-Law. From everything I know about her although she had an ethereal and flowery side she was also tough,haunted, and haunted.
I have a feeling the script sucks though and I don’t know if J-Law would be interested or if she can sing.
Doesn’t Sissy Spacek have a daughter that is a folk singer? Maybe she wants to be an actress.
What about Judy Collins? She was another important part of the folk movement and a friend/contemporary of Mitchell, Simon, and King. And yeah, most of the performers from that era shared partners all the time–it was the free love 60s! Maybe Swifty could play Judy Collins instead of Joni Mitchell.
Judy has a great voice, but did she write a lot of her own music? These three women are singer-songwriters, though Joni and Carole sit way above Carly in that respect.
Yup, Judy Collins wrote some of her own stuff. She started out singing traditional folk tunes (which alot of folk singers/groups from that era did because they loved the art of story-telling and passing down these old tunes), and most of her bigger hits were written by friends of hers, like Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan, but she recorded some of her own stuff, too. Or, what about Joan Baez? Who could play her?
The book that they’re basing the movie on was only about Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell and Carole King. “Girls Like Us,” by Sheila Weller. Of course Judy Collins is mentioned in the book, so they probably will have to cast someone as her, but it’s not a primary part.
just because she’s a pretty blonde who can play the guitar she’s cast as joni? joni’s songs are way too deep for taylor and her revenge and girl shaming ways. they’re absolutely different.
Exactly. Girl can’t act and lacks depth. Casting just on looks alone is always a bad idea. Swifty is not an actress, she is a star.
Carole, Joni and Carly. Hubba Hubba. Agree with the other commenters, there are no unique talented actresses(Emma Stone cannot do everything) left that can accurately portray these wonderful women.It is too whiteboard, pre manufactured in HW for this film to even be a success.
NO. If they’re going to be that ridiculous about it, they may as well cast Zac Efron as Leonard Cohen, and that foot from Twilight as Graham Nash.
From your keyboard to some moronic casting director’s ears! Careful what you curse into existence, someone will make it happen…!
I was going to add a disclaimer to all casting directors: Don’t read this; these are the ramblings of a madwoman before she’s had her coffee, but I thought, f*ck it. 😉
LOLOLOL thanks for the chuckle 🙂
Vanessa Hudgens has always looked like the spitting image of a young Linda Ronstadt to me. But I’d never want her to play her in a movie. Unless it was a silent one.
Ack! No to Swift! I’ve got nothing against her, and I can’t think of another singer / actress off the top of my head that would do justice to Joni, but I can’t see her in this role. They’re going to have to think outside the box to cast this one if they want to do it right. Going by hairstyles and ability to play guitar isn’t going to cut it.
Is Liv Tyler to old to portray Carly Simon? I think she’d be a good fit.
Swift and her music are about as deep as a puddle. I can’t see her smoking even fake cigarettes for that sort of role. Taylor’s very beautiful, but she lacks that unconventional quality needed to pull off Joni.
Joni’s music was always so complex and multilayered; I can still listen to The Hissing of Summer Lawns (discovered it about 5 years ago) and still find something new in it with every listen. It’s such a shame that music like that isn’t promoted any more.
It’s not even noon yet, and all the Taylor bashers are already out of the woodwork. Guess you peeps like shooting fish in a barrel. *Yawn*
While I think Taylor is a good choice looks-wise, she hasn’t proven herself acting-wise. Perhaps this story has some truth to it, or perhaps it’ll end like the one earlier in the year when she was “cast” in Les Miserables.
Bashing? Nobody’s bashing – well, maybe two comments out of nearly thirty. A few people are even saying “I’m a Swifty fan, but…” The mood here seems to be “Nothing against her, but she’s no Joni!” That’s…not really bashy.
In fact, if anything, I think the Swifty-bashers are absent; what you’ve got here is a respectful flock of Joni-lovers. 🙂
I just remembered that Swifty has a friendship with another of the 60s folk crowd – Kris Kristofferson.
Anybody else think that there are NO good young actresses? So far. I’m talking young like early 20’s. Nobody you can look at and say she’s got a long career ahead of her. None.
Jennifer Lawerence, Emma Stone, Carey Mulligan, Dakota Fanning, a couple others. You don’t think any of these will have a long, successful career? I may have to politely disagree.
AAAARRRRGGHHH!!!
i’m all in for Mamie Gummer, i love that girl!
Has anybody seen Grace Potter of Grace Potter & The Nocturnals? She’s a knockout rocker who could be Joni or Carly. You can see her on an episode of “Darrel’s House,” the online show hosted by Darryl Hall of Hall & Oates. Worth a view. Very talented woman!
Hot damn, I love Grace Potter. She has the vocal chops for it, but I don’t think she looks like Joni. If they ever needed someone to do the music for a Bonnie Raitt biopic, they should call her: she’s BR’s voice twin.
This casting could get really interesting. Biel does look A LOT like Carly Simon. Their resemblance is downright creepy lol.
“NO, I’ve got it! Mamie Gummer – Meryl Streep’s daughter. She could totally play Carole King.” That girl is awesome, just saw her on an episode of Smash – looks JUST like her momma!
not a very bad choice too bad she cant act
dreadful casting, if it happens.
wondering what joni thinks of the prospect…?
I’m reading, and thoroughly enjoying, this book right now. I can’t believe that someone wants to make it into a movie. How on earth will they ever cast these iconic musicians – and not just the three leading ladies, but all the various other famous characters who criss-crossed throughout their lives and careers? Although with John Sayles handling the script, they have half a chance for that to be excellent, but still the problem of casting…SMH. Just don’t know how they’re going to pull that off. I wouldn’t even try.
And yeah, they need to give up on the idea of Taylor Swift as Joni. There may be a (slight) physical resemblance, but she cannot act her way out of the proverbial paper bag.
Maybe not terrible casting as long as they dub in Joni’s voice on the songs – Taylor doesn’t have the range to pull it off.
Thank you some bitch PLease Swifty’s songwriting and guitar skills are amateurish – if i want guitar playing i’ll listen to clapton, beck, B.B. not this puerile pop tart – why does this girl and her corporate handlers have to shove her down our throats – she’s as deep as a puddle and as interesting as an eyelash; doesn’t she have enough money bad enough we have to see her flop around on those covergirl ads, now this insult; this is a bad idea that should be dropped. I’ve seen grace potter and the nocturnals since she’s a real musician she’s ignored and i suspect she doesn’t have this twit’s massive corporating industry machine behind her.
Great comment lisa – but they would cast zac efron as jeff buckley not leonard cohen, that would go to idk, maybe seth rogen?
No, no, no and ten times NO!!! The fact that she is blonde, is a mediocre singer and plays the guitar does not qualify her as a good fit for the part! The girl can’t act for sh*t!
Get Saoirse Ronan, she may not have the exact look but I bet you any amount of money she’d pull off the part. She learnt to play one of the most difficult pieces of music on the piano for Byzantine – ‘Piano Sonata Opus 2, No. 3.
I think she could handle a guitar. I’d go for acting quality over looks any day of the week.
Hollywood should write Taylor off as an actor. Period.
Let her keep writing her songs about unicorns and fairytales, and keep her AWAY from real artists like Joni Mitchell.
I read that book a while ago, it was very interesting, I’d recommend it.
Like other bios we’ve discussed, I think they need to cast for TALENT, not looks. And if they can’t find someone in the typical Hollywood ranks, open auditions.
I like Taylor’s music but she always comes off like she’s a 13 year old girl. I can’t imagine her pulling this role off.
One word: AAAAAAAAGGGHGH!
If you put Lea Michele in a Carole King wig and dressed her down, she could actually look like Carole.
I picture singer/actress Jackie Tohn as Carly.