Back to Black, a Sam Taylor-Johnson directed biopic on the legendary Camden-born star Amy Winehouse, saw the late singer’s estranged parents reuniting to help the film’s production.
In particular, Amy’s dad Mitch Winehouse met with many of the leading cast to help with their character development and weigh in on the project in general.
While most of the first meetings went off without a hitch, Juliet Cowan revealed she had a more emotional start.
The actress, who plays Amy’s mum and Mitch’s ex-wife Janis Winehouse, shared with Daily Express: “The first time I met Mitch he cried, when I was dressed up as Janis.”
Amy’s parents divorced when she was just nine years old. She grew up living with her mother while visiting her father and his girlfriend-turned-wife Jane in Essex on the weekends.
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The Power star took this as a good omen, saying it was one of her favourite behind-the-scenes moments and the interaction with Mitch “meant a lot to me”.
Looking every bit the celebrity she is at the film’s London premiere earlier this week, the 49-year-old explained that one of her priorities in the role was nailing Janis’ look.
She shared: “It’s really important, especially if you’re playing somebody that’s alive, really important to honour them physically. What they look like, sound like.”
Despite her clear connection and work behind the hard-earned role, Juliet wasn’t expecting to be a part of Back to Black at all as she had initially just joined the project to read with actresses auditioning for Amy.
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She revealed: “I was there when they first auditioned Marisa (Abela), because I read in for her granny.
“We sat down, she read and sang, and we all kind of went; ‘This is Amy’.
“I didn’t think I’d be in the film but then they were like; ‘Oh yeah, we want you to be the mum,’ I was like ‘oh okay!’.”
While the film has come under scrutiny, even before its release, Juliet has some very simple hopes for audiences, that they will walk away feeling “like they’ve spent two hours with Amy and see how much love she had”.
Back to Black releases in cinemas on April 12.
