Pink Dropped Out of Janis Joplin Movie Because She Didn’t Want to Compete in Casting ‘Circus’
Pink was once in the running to play Janis Joplin in a movie about the classic rock musician’s life. She withdrew from the project because she heard other stars like Lindsay Lohan and Scarlett Johansson were also being considered for the part. Here’s why it has been so difficult for filmmakers to create a Janis Joplin biopic and what Pink said about the casting process.
Pink was going to play Janis Joplin in a movie, but she dropped out because Lindsay Lohan, Scarlett Johansson, and others were considered for the role
For decades, filmmakers have been trying to put together a biopic about legendary rock singer Janis Joplin. Several entertainers have attempted to snag the coveted lead role, including pop star Pink. Director Penelope Spheeris, who has been called a “rock ‘n roll anthropologist,” reportedly said that Pink was the frontrunner to star in a film called The Gospel According to Janis.
But Pink dropped out of the project, citing the casting “circus” as the reason for her change of heart. She’d heard that many other stars, including Lindsay Lohan and Scarlett Johansson, were also being considered for the role.
“They’re trying to turn it into some circus pop contest – who’s the ‘it’ girl who wants to play Janis?” the singer said (per Digital Spy). “Janis was so much deeper than that.”
Pink also cited scheduling conflicts as another reason for dropping the project.
Many stars besides Pink and Lindsay Lohan were in the running to play Janis Joplin
Pink and Lindsay Lohan weren’t the only stars competing for the role of Janis Joplin. Several other high-profile singers and actors wanted to play the “Piece of My Heart” singer.
Zooey Deschanel, Amy Adams, and Renée Zellweger have all been considered for the part, according to Entertainment Weekly. Reese Witherspoon was reportedly in talks with Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke for the role. Witherspoon proved her ability to play a musician in a biopic when she earned an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award for her portrayal of June Carter in the 2005 movie Walk the Line.
Margot Robbie has said she would like to portray Stevie Nicks or Janis Joplin in a movie. Singer Melissa Etheridge, the late actor Brittany Murphy, and Tony-winner Nina Arianda have all been in the running for the role.
Filmmakers have been trying to create a biopic about the ‘Cry Baby’ singer for decades
Various filmmakers have unsuccessfully attempted to make a movie about Janis Joplin’s life. Problems with obtaining the rights, scheduling conflicts with actors, or failure to reach funding goals have all been obstacles to finishing a film about the iconic singer.
Producer Peter Newman has been working on a movie about Joplin since the 1990s. “There’s sort of five legs to the table to get a film like this made,” Newman told Business Insider in 2015, explaining why it was so challenging to complete the project. “One is rights, another is a script, you need a director, of course a star, and the final thing is money. I’ve had a combination of all those over the last 20 years, but never all five [at once].”
Newman holds the rights to Joplin’s life, 21 of her most popular songs, her old band (Big Brother and the Holding Company), Joplin’s close friend Peggy Caserta and the book she wrote about her time with the singer, and a collection of letters Joplin wrote to her family and friends. Newman said he and his partners have invested a total of over $2.5 million in the Joplin rights they have collected over the last two decades.
