John Fogerty is next in line for a biopic.
While attending the 55th annual Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday night in New York City, Fogerty spoke with The Hollywood Reporter, exclusively sharing an update on the project.
“I’m really excited about it. That’s such an honor, to get a movie made about you,” he said. “I’m thrilled and happy that this is finally going to come out. I think they’re working on it. That’s about all I can say.”
Music biopics have long been popular in Hollywood, but the genre has surged over the past decade. Audiences have seen some of music’s biggest figures portrayed onscreen, including Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in Elvis, Naomi Ackie as Whitney Houston in Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin in Respect, Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown and most recently, Jaafar Jackson as his uncle Michael Jackson in Michael.
When asked who he’d want to play him in a film about the “Centerfield” singer’s life, Fogerty quipped, “I don’t even know,” before adding, “I used to joke, ‘Oh, Brad Pitt!’
“Years ago, probably in the middle of all the dark times, I would tell people, ‘Someday they’re going to make a movie about me, but I’ll be too old to play myself.’ It’s kind of like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz singing about someday.”
“Whoever they find that makes it work, I’ll be happy with,” he continued.
The 81-year-old added that the film’s team has “been down the road” on casting, but “I don’t think I’m allowed to say much more.” Fogerty also told THR that the script is currently being written.
On Thursday night, Fogerty was at the Songwriters Hall of Fame to accept the Johnny Mercer Award, the organization’s highest honor.
“I’m kind of overwhelmed about the whole thing,” he told THR. “You write music, write songs because you have to. I mean, you’re just compelled to do it. And the fact that Johnny Mercer has his name on it — he’s one of my favorites, a really, really great songwriter. So I have kind of a reverence about the whole thing. I’m not sure I quite understand it all, but it feels pretty good.”
As for who he was most looking forward to seeing, Fogerty gushed about being a Swiftie. The two share a connection through their battles to gain ownership of their music. Fogerty has previously spoken about being inspired by Taylor Swift’s successful re-recording strategy as he sought to reclaim control of his own catalog.
“I’d love to talk to Taylor Swift for a minute or two. I know she’s the biggest artist in the world. I think she’s probably kind of busy, but we’ve got a bit of history. Me and my family, especially my daughter Lyndsay, have been Swift fans since she was about 7,” he said.
“We listened to her every day driving to school and driving back,” he added. “Every time a record came out, we’d wait patiently, put it in the CD player in the car and talk about it.”
As it turns out, he accomplished his mission. See Fogerty and Swift, below.
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