GUESS THE STAR PLAYING JUDY GARLAND
SHE piled on the pounds and adopted a pitch perfect Home Counties accent to become the lovable Bridget Jones. Now shapeshifting Renee Zellweger has done it again with an uncanny likeness to screen legend Judy Garland.
The 48-year-old actress plays the tragic performer in the biopic Judy, which began filming in London yesterday.
A photograph of her as Garland performing on stage at The Talk Of The Town in her final London concerts in 1968 shows the incredible attention to detail by Zellweger and hair and make-up artists.
Even the dress is a faithful recreation of one the starlet wore during the run of live concerts.
The film, set 30 years after she shot to fame in The Wizard Of Oz, follows Garland’s determination to perform despite her failing health from drink and drug addiction.
At the time, the star was haunted by memories of a childhood lost to Hollywood as well as being gripped by a desire to be back home with her children.
It will feature some of Garland’s best-known tunes, including her signature Over The Rainbow, from The Wizard Of Oz, and Zellweger is expected to sing. No stranger to the microphone, she sang and
danced in the 2002 film adaptation of Chicago, winning a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination.
She also won a best supporting actress Oscar for her role in American Civil War romance Cold Mountain, opposite stars Nicole Kidman and Jude Law – again transforming herself and changing her native Texan accent to one of a woman born in rural North Carolina.
Garland died in London aged 47 from an accidental overdose and the movie focuses on her friendships with fellow musicians and fans, battles with management and her relationship with musician Mickey Deans, who became her fifth husband.
Harry Potter star Michael Gambon stars as Garland’s manager Bernard Delfont, while Finn Wittrock from TV’s American Horror Story series plays Deans.
Garland’s two daughters Liza Minnelli and Lorna Luft are played by Casualty’s GemmaLeah Devereux and Bella Ramsey, 14, best known for her portrayal as the fierce young noblewoman Lyanna Mormont in Game Of Thrones.