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Tony Award Winner Nina Arianda Will Star as Janis Joplin: Who Would Play Her Best?

SodaHead Celebs 2012/07/10 20:00:00
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The concept of making a Janis Joplin biopic has been kicked around for years now. But as of this morning, there’s a new version in the works starring Nina Arianda. Never heard of her? She’s not really a household name, unless your household happens to love theater. She’s actually a Tony-award winner for Best Actress in a Play for “Venus in Fur.” Now she’ll be donning tie-dye and bangles to play the gravelly-voiced rock star who died tragically at the age of 27.

nina arianda  janis joplin

But Arianda isn’t the first actress who’s been attached to the coveted role. In 2004, pop star Pink was set to take on the part. That version’s director, Penelope Spheeris, clearly figured the singer could connect with the character. Pink’s song “Unwind” was actually a tribute to her idol, Joplin. But Pink left the film and a mad search started for a suitable replacement.

Next, “New Girl” star Zooey Deschanel beat out Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and Scarlett Johansson for the part. The She & Him singer spent years trying to nail the Joplin’s signature voice, but she probably would have been too adorkable to pull it off. This version fell apart, too.

When director Fernando Meirelles took over the project, he made an unlikely casting choice: Amy Adams. True, she was known to sing in films like “Enchanted,” but it was hard to imagine her taking on the persona of the hard-drinking, psychedelic rock star. So going with a relatively unknown actress might be the best choice. Moviegoers will be able to watch the flick without any preconceived notions of the actress. What do you think: Who would play Janis Joplin the best?
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Top Opinion

  • Wolverineland 2012/07/10 21:29:12
    Nina Arianda
    Wolverineland
    +5
    My vote would be for Lily Taylor. She has that plain Jane sexiness that Janis had and I think she can sing. lily taylor

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Opinions

  • Chloey ... tobe 2012/07/11 00:43:56
    Chloey Hamer
    yeah that too. I'm thinking they should just not do the biopic altogether..
  • tobe Chloey ... 2012/07/11 00:48:37 (edited)
    tobe
    me too... i read the biography of Bette Midler years back and she was talking about how they originally wanted to make "the rose" be "the pearl" but she wouldnt do it because to directly play janis joplin was something she didn't want to do. she said the only person who could play janis is janis. I think she was right. I think if anybody could do it in the music industry now it'd be crystal bowersox (she's got the grit, she's got the voice) but the idea of someone playing her just seems kinda doomed to failure.some things just shouldn't be touched.
  • Chloey ... tobe 2012/07/11 01:05:37
    Chloey Hamer
    +1
    That's exactly how I feel, I don't want to see it unless they plan on brining her back to life...
  • tobe Chloey ... 2012/07/11 01:08:42 (edited)
    tobe
    exactly. janis is sacred. she put so much heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears into her music. i don't even like hearing her music covered. it never even close to adds up.
  • tobe Chloey ... 2012/07/11 01:09:38 (edited)
    tobe
    +1
    sure woulda been awesome to see her live though. her, not someone pretending to be her.
  • Chloey ... tobe 2012/07/11 01:10:37
    Chloey Hamer
    +1
    I agree That would have been amazing.
  • tobe Chloey ... 2012/07/11 01:11:29
    tobe
    +1
    yes it would
  • Sybil tobe 2012/07/11 01:47:27
    Sybil
    I love The Rose!!!!
  • tobe Sybil 2012/07/11 01:49:45
    tobe
    its a great movie. inspired by janis but not "the janis joplin story" which i respect.
  • Sybil tobe 2012/07/11 01:55:23
    Sybil
    You know, I never knew that! But it makes sense now.
  • tobe Sybil 2012/07/11 01:57:10
    tobe
    yeah i read bette midlers bio years back, my mom gave me her copy. it was originally suppose to be titled "the pearl"
  • tobe Sybil 2012/07/11 01:59:03
    tobe
    they changed up some stuff and gave her a different name but it was created inspired by her. bette wouldnt play janis. not to insult janis but out of respect.
  • wolf sloan 2012/07/10 20:53:44
    Pink
    wolf sloan
    +1
    She has the attitude down, and Janis was no raving beauty (she could wail though) and neither is Pink.
  • Nika 2012/07/10 20:50:18
    Pink
    Nika
    Really it should be Dana Fuchs. She has that strong bluesy voice.


  • abubinc... Nika 2012/07/10 20:56:05
    abubincrazy
    She's a little over the top. And can she act? Not that acting is the main thing the producers are looking for, I guess.
  • Nika abubinc... 2012/07/10 22:26:49
    Nika
    +1
    Yeah she was in Across the Universe
  • abubinc... Nika 2012/07/11 21:49:44
    abubincrazy
    +1
    I'll have to check it out. Thanks!
  • mwf122090 2012/07/10 20:49:00 (edited)
    Pink
    mwf122090
    +2
    I'm not sure if Pink would have the acting ability, but she definitely has the musical talent and the voice. Her gritty/deep voice would work so well in this role.
  • tobe 2012/07/10 20:43:42 (edited)
    Pink
    tobe
    i think pink could nail the voice but she looks about as much like janis as i do, i think nina arianda has janis's jaw but thats about all i can say being I've never heard of her (but that s not always a bad thing either), i think Zooey could pull it off because she's great at becoming other people on screen but i think she's too small framed but i guess they could do something about that. Amy Adams i like alot but i don't see her as playing Janis Joplin.

    Ive seen her act on a tv show where she played a prisoner and I know she can sing like Janis and she's been compared to her. Id go with Crystal Bowersox. Crystal Bowersox
    I can only speak for myself personally but Im sure I'm far from the only one though. Id rather not see a movie about Janis Joplin at all than see a movie about Janis that wasn't done right. I don't see a single person on that list that'd make me go see it. I've already seen the Rose which was loosely based on her. It was suppose to be her bio and be called "the pearl" but bette midler wouldn't do it.
  • Aly Hart 2012/07/10 20:34:47
    Pink
    Aly Hart
    +1
    Pink, because she has the gritty raspy rock voice for it. None of the others here have that, they're too pretty-pretty and fluffy to play someone like Janis.
  • tobe Aly Hart 2012/07/10 20:44:48
    tobe
    +2
    none of them have her grit
  • Jimbo 2012/07/10 20:31:53
  • Lanikai 2012/07/10 20:29:04
    Pink
    Lanikai
    +2
    Not that we need another Janis Joplin film. NO ONE will ever do as good of a job as Bette Midler did. And I HATE Midler, but props to her on that one.

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0...



    Seriously, Hollywood needs some fresh ideas, stop the remakes already.
  • brunyon 2012/07/10 20:27:22
    Amy Adams
    brunyon
    +1
    none of these girls should have to play her. Damn Janis Joplin is ugly as hell
  • Lanikai brunyon 2012/07/10 20:37:22
    Lanikai
    +3
    But she was CRAZY talented.
  • brunyon Lanikai 2012/07/10 20:45:28
    brunyon
    +1
    and crazy ugly. Doesn't help how talented she was if I still have to look at that face
  • Vieuphoria brunyon 2012/07/10 20:53:44
    Vieuphoria
    +5
    Obvious troll is obvious
  • brunyon Vieuphoria 2012/07/10 20:56:10 (edited)
    brunyon
    really? because I have an opinion about joplin being ugly, I am a troll? When did a difference of opinion become trolling? in fact I could say the same about you, calling someone on trolling in hopes of getting them to have an emotional response
  • Vieuphoria brunyon 2012/07/10 21:23:01 (edited)
  • Ev Rom 2012/07/10 20:26:13 (edited)
    Pink
    Ev Rom
    I like Pink but if this girl Jennifer Espinoza can act I would love to see her do it, but do her live renditions.











    I like her style and voice.

    Janis was a one and only but I get the same kind of chills with Jennifer as I do when I listen to Janis.
  • 1wickedwitch 2012/07/10 20:15:28 (edited)
    Nina Arianda
    1wickedwitch
    I say Juliet Simms.. she has the look and the sound juliett simms
  • Ben 2012/07/10 20:11:56
    Pink
    Ben
    +1
    Because she also sounds like a dying, squawking bird when she sings.
  • ☆Hitler... Ben 2012/07/10 22:11:12
    ☆Hitler was a community organiz☆
    lolz

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