It’s been over a decade since Renée Zellweger starred as Roxie Hart in “Chicago,” but the actress seems poised to show off her impressive pipes in the near future. The Oscar winner has signed on to play Judy Garland in an upcoming drama about the “Wizard of Oz” star, The Hollywood Reporter confirms. Titled “Judy,” the film is based on the true story of the Hollywood legend’s final concerts in London, held in 1968. While THR doesn’t specify whether or not the pic will feature Zellweger on the mic, it seems likely that she’ll sing given “Judy’s” subject matter.
The project takes place “30 years since ‘the world’s greatest entertainer’ shot to global fame in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and as she prepares for the concerts, she battles with management, charms musicians, and reminisces with friends and adoring fans, while also embarking on a courtship with Mickey Dean, her soon-to-be fifth husband,” the source summarizes. “Yet Garland is also fragile, and having spent 45 of her 47 years working, is haunted by memories of a childhood lost to Hollywood and a desire to be back home with her kids.”
Written by Tom Edge (“The Crown”) and directed by Tony nominee Robert Goold, the project is backed by Pathe and Calamity Films and production is slated to kick off February 2018.
Zellweger won an Academy Award in 2004 for “Cold Mountain.” She’s also received nods for “Chicago” and “Bridget Jones’s Diary.” Earlier this year she was honored at Greenwich International Film Festival for her work off-screen: supporting research on ALS and collaborating with an Austin-based org that aids individuals in the music industry who are affected by depression and mental health issues.
When asked about aging in Hollywood, the actress has responded, “I’ve never seen the maturation of a woman as a negative thing.” She explained, “I’ve never seen a woman stepping into her more powerful self as a negative.”
