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Photo by Ray Stevenson/REX/ShutterstockOscar nominated actress Michelle Williams has signed to star as music icon Janis Joplin in an upcoming biopic.
Williams, no stranger to playing showbiz legends following her acclaimed performance as Marilyn Monroe in 2012’s “My Week with Marilyn,” is a huge fan of the blues singer who was hugely admired for her powerful and uninhibited voice.
To whet your appetite for the movie, which will be titled simply, “Janis,” here is more information on the fabulous singer and feminist icon.
NAME: Janis Lyn Joplin
LIFETIME: January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970
WHY WE LOVE HER: Janis Joplin was the premier blues singer of the sixties, using her raw and powerful voice to captivate millions. Her voice and spirit made her one of the most famous female vocalists of her time.
WHAT SHE’S KNOWN FOR: In 1967 Joplin was the little known frontwoman for Big Brother and the Holding Company, but she would take them to stardom at the Monterey Pop Festival. After releasing two albums with the band, she decided to strike out on her own and began working with the Kozmic Blues Band and then the Full Tilt Boogie Band. She headlined at Woodstock, along with Jimi Hendrix and The Who. In 1971, her cover of “Me and Bobby McGee” reached number one on the Billboard Top 100. Her most popular songs include “Piece of My Heart,” “Cry Baby,” “Down on Me,” “Ball n’ Chain,” “Summertime” and “Mercedes Benz.” Joplin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, and is remembered for her electric presence while performing and her sunny personality off the stage. Rolling Stone has listed her as the 28 greatest singer of all time, and remains one of the top selling artists of all time. Joplin’s death from a drug overdose at age 27 stunned the world, and came just 16 days after the death of fellow rock legend Jimi Hendrix, also 27.
FUN FACT: Joplin was known for her eclectic style, loose, wavy hair, and accessorizing with feathers, scarves, and beads. However she was also instrumental in making tattoos a form of body art. She had a tattoo wristlet and a small heart on her left breast, which help to normalize tattoos as a form of art.
READ MORE: #WomenThatDid: Billie Holiday
