Meryl Streep to star as music legend Joni Mitchell in upcoming biopic

LOS ANGELES — Meryl Streep is set to portray legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell in an upcoming biopic directed by Cameron Crowe, according to music executive Clive Davis.

Davis confirmed the casting at his annual pre-Grammy gala on Saturday, Rolling Stone reported. The news follows long-standing rumors that Anya Taylor-Joy or Amanda Seyfried might be cast to play Mitchell in her younger years.

Crowe, the Oscar-winning director of the music-centric film "Almost Famous," has been developing the project for several years. In 2023, he expressed his goal to have the film released before 2026.

The production will bypass traditional biographical books, instead relying on Mitchell’s own firsthand accounts of her life.

"It’s Joni’s life, not through anyone else’s lens," Crowe said. "It’s her lens."

Streep has previously earned two Academy Award nominations for portraying real-life musicians. She was recognized for her roles as violinist Roberta Guaspari in "Music of the Heart" (1999) and the socialite singer in 2016's "Florence Foster Jenkins."

The announcement that Meryl Streep will portray folk-rock legend Joni Mitchell marks a high-stakes convergence of two cultural titans, elevating the project from a standard biopic to a significant event in prestige cinema. This is not merely an archival exercise; it is a strategic alignment of talent designed to deliver a profound exploration of artistic legacy and emotional depth.

The appointment of Cameron Crowe as director adds a critical layer of industry credibility. Crowe, whose 1970s rock chronicle Almost Famous remains a benchmark for the genre, possesses the specific expertise required to navigate the intricacies of that musical era. His involvement suggests the production will prioritize an authentic reconstruction of the period’s cultural landscape rather than relying on superficial nostalgia.

From a narrative standpoint, the most significant development is the decision to frame the story through Mitchell’s own perspective. By eschewing the traditional third-person biographical lens in favor of "Joni’s lens," the production indicates that Mitchell has retained substantial creative oversight. This internal narrative approach allows for a more intimate and complex character study, avoiding the common pitfalls of the "greatest hits" biopic formula and ensuring the subject remains the architect of her own screen legacy.

Streep’s track record in biographical roles—particularly her ability to inhabit complex musical figures—lends the project immediate institutional weight. Her history of garnering critical acclaim and Academy recognition for such transformations underscores the film’s potential as a major awards-season contender. As it stands, the project is positioned at the intersection of commercial viability and critical prestige, signaling a high-yield investment for the studio and a defining entry in the contemporary biographical genre.

For many older Vietnamese Americans, particularly those who were exposed to American culture during the 60s and 70s, names like Joni Mitchell and Meryl Streep are deeply familiar. The film serves as a cultural touchstone, evoking memories of a defining era in music and cinema.