Astghik Poghosyan | September 2016
Warhol’s popularity has garnered him multiple film portrayals over the years, including depictions of the artist by actors such as John Harris, Guy Pearce, and even the late David Bowie. Now, Hollywood has cast Jared Leto to star as the Pop Art revolutionary in the upcoming biopic film titled “Warhol”. There’s an eccentricity to the artist and a legacy of his life’s work that has always been alluring for the big screen. The biopic will be based on Victor Bockris’s book titled, “Warhol: The Biography.”
[front and back cover of “Warhol: The Biography” by Victor Bockris]
Leto is known for his diverse film involvements and unconventional roles. Hence, Warhol stands as an irresistible figure for him to delve into. The actor is celebrated for his intense technique of Method acting preparations before undertaking a role, his latest being the notorious DC villain, the Joker. As it stands, Warhol is a deep well of experiences and an irresistible figure for media recreation. His fifteen minutes of fame has transcended him, and his legacy has made him an everlasting figure in history.
The biographical book explores Warhol’s life since his early childhood and extends multiple depictions and perceptions of the artist, offering various monikers such as ‘the white witch’, ‘the village idiot’, ‘the genius’, ‘the voyeur’, ‘an alien looking at America from an obtuse angle’. Andy Warhol is known for his peculiar lifestyle, his legendary Factory set up in New York, as well as iconic prints of 1960’s – 1980’s celebrities and Campbell’s soup cans.
The screenplay will be written by “The Wolf Of Wall Street” screenwriter, “The Sopranos” co-writer and “Boardwalk Empire” and “Vinyl” creator Terence Winter. Leto will co-produce the film with Winter and Michael De Luca, who produced Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated films like “The Social Network” and “Captain Phillips”. With the critically respected trio on board, “Warhol” will surely be a tasteful take on the life of the late legendary artist.
[Michael De Luca, Jared Leto, and Terence Winter, respectively.]
(Source: imdb.com, http://www.imdb.com/news/ni60279829)
