The 'Clash of the Titans' actress admits to feeling 'terrified' to portray the legendary 'Son of a Preacher Man' hitmaker in an upcoming 'intimate' biopic.
- December 31, 2020
AceShowbiz - Gemma Arterton is "a bit terrified" of portraying Dusty Springfield in a movie.
The "Clash of the Titans" actress will play the late music legend in an upcoming biopic and while she's excited about the "intimate" project, she admitted she's daunted by the idea of stepping into the "Son of a Preacher Man" singer's shoes.
"It won't be sort of like Bohemian Rhapsody or Rocketman - it's not that kind of film," she told Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper. "It's much more intimate. I am kind of a bit terrified by it but at the same time really excited."
"It's about a specific moment in her life when she made Dusty in Memphis and went to America for the first time and did that amazing incredible album and defied everybody's expectations."
And Gemma confirmed she's been working hard at improving her singing.
"Her voice ... you know. We will see! I have done a little bit of practicing. I am not ready to publicly out her yet. I really hope I get to do it justice," she smiled.
The movie will focus on a period where Dusty fled to Memphis to escape scrutiny over her sexuality, but damaged her voice with drugs, cigarettes and alcohol. Gemma admitted it was a really "bleak" time in the "Wishin' and Hopin" singer's life.
"Her career just slid away from her in the 70s and didn’t come back until the 80s when she worked with The Pet Shop Boys," Gemma said.
"There was a really bleak time - she used to go into drag clubs and do Dusty Springfield acts and pretend to be Dusty in order to win $100 or $50. And sometimes she didn't win!"
