Naomi Watts as Princess Diana

Naomi Watts as Princess Diana

We have already seen this year that Abraham Lincoln, Liberace and Alfred Hitchcock have been the subject of some great biopic movies.

The biopic film is growing in popularity and there are some more very famous faces and stories getting the big screen treatment over the next six months or so.

We take a look at just who we will be seeing on the big screen and which stars will be playing them.

- Linda Lovelace (Lovelace)

This week we see the story of Linda Lovelace brought to the big screen as Amanda Seyfried takes on the title role.

Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman the life of Linda Lovelace told through the production of 'Deep Throat', her abusive relationship with Chuck Traynor (Sarsgaard) and eventual spearheading of the feminist anti-pornography movement.

This is one of the most daring roles of Seyfried's career to date as she really gets under the skin of this character and shows her trauma and pain.

Lovelace is released 23rd August.

- Princess Diana (Diana)

Princess Diana was one of the most famous women in the world - arguably still is - and so you would have expected a biopic about her to have hit the big screen before now.

Oscar nominated actress Naomi Watts was given the task to play Diana in the Oliver Hirschbiegel directed film.

The movie will focus on the last two years of her life and the secret love affair that she had with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan; played by Naveen Andrews.

Watts is one of the best actresses currently working in Hollywood and I am excited to see just how she has played this role.

This movie is set to lift the lid on an important relationship in Diana's life as well as recreating some of her most iconic images and moments.

Diana is released 20th September.

- Steve Jobs (Jobs)

Much like Amanda Seyfried, Ashton Kutchar is stepping into the biopic and taking on one of the biggest roles of his acting career.

He will play Steve Jobs in a biopic about the late innovator and ground-breaking entrepreneur.

We are use to seeing Kutchar play the funny man in most of his movie projects, but this is something that is a little more serious - showing off a different side to the actor.

The film has already been released in the U.S. and while there has been praise for Kutchar's performance, the film as a whole has come under fire.

- Nina Simone (Nina)

There have been some great musical biopics over the years with the like of Ray and Walk The Line winning over audiences as well as critics.

Nina Simone is next to get the big screen treatment as a biopic about her life is on the horizon.

Cynthia Mort will make her directorial debut with Nina, she has also written the screenplay for the film.

And it is Zoe Saldana who will take on the title role in a movie that follows Nina Simone's rise to fame and her relationship with her manager Clifton Henderson.

David Oyelowo, Mike Epps and Alexa Davalos make up an exciting cast for promises to be a great film.

- Jimi Hendrix (All Is By My Side)

Sticking with the music biopic the story of Jimi Hendrix is also set to make it to the big screen.

All Is By My Side will focus on the pre-fame years of the rock icon, and will see Andre Benjamin play Hendrix.

John Ridley is back in the director's chair as he makes his first feature film since Cold Around the Heart back in 1997 - he has also penned the screenplay.

A great cast has been assembled for the film as Benjamin is joined by Hayley Atwell, Imogen Poots and Burn Gorman are all on board.

- Nelson Mandela (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)

Idris Elba is becoming a major acting force having found success on both the big and small screen.

But the role of Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is set to be one of the most important roles of his career.

Directed by Justin Chadwick the movie will chronicle the life of Mandela from his childhood, right the way through to becoming president of South Africa.

Elba is one of the finest British actors at the moment and we are going to see a very different side to him as an actor with this role.

While we have seen Nelson Mandela portrayed on the big screen in this past this is the first real biopic about his incredible life.

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is released 3rd January

- Walt Disney (Saving Mr Banks)

But there is one biopic film that I am really looking forward to... and that is Saving Mr Banks.

The movie will follow author P.L. Travers as she travels to America to meet Walt Disney, who wants to turn her book Mary Poppins into a film.

Tom Hanks will take on the role of Walt Disney while Emma Thompson with play P.L. Travers - it really does have incredible performances written all over it.

But it is not just about the two lead characters as Colin Farrell, Ruth Wilson, Paul Giamatti and Jason Schwartzman are all also on board.

This has the promise to be a really great biopic film and Hanks and Thompson look set to deliver some top notch performances.

Saving Mr Banks is released 17th January.

The Academy seems to have a soft spot for biopic performances in recent years, so could any of the biopic performances that we seen between now and the Oscars be awards worthy?

Other biopic to watch out for include Rush, Grace of Monaco and a Freddie Mercury film is also set to be made. 

Lovelace is released 23rd August.


by for www.femalefirst.co.uk
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