Back to Black star Jack O’Connell defends controversial Amy Winehouse biopic and claims singer’s dad ‘wanted to deck him’ when he was dressed as her former husband Blake Fielder-Civil

Jack O’Connell has defended the controversial Amy Winehouse biopic Back To Black, describing it as a ‘celebration’ of the late singer’s life.

The actor, 33, plays the star’s husband, Blake Fielder-Civil in the upcoming film, alongside Industry’s Marisa Abela, 27, as Amy – who tragically died of alcohol poisoning in 2011 at the age of 27.

Back To Black, which is endorsed by Amy’s father Mitch (played by Eddie Marsan), has sparked outrage from the singer’s friends who slammed it for its “grisly” depictions of the star’s drug addiction and also the filming of her funeral.

But wondering if it was “too early” to make the biopic Jack championed, the filmmakers asked what an “acceptable timescale” would be.

Narrate The Sunday times: ‘Put it this way: if we were trying to portray her in some sort of negative light, that might be a valid point and I can understand one or two people prejudging that. But if you talk to Sam (Taylor-Johnson, director), we don’t even call this a biopic, it’s a celebration.”

The actor plays Blake Fielder-Civil, the star’s estranged husband, in the upcoming film alongside Industry’s Marisa Abela, 27, as Amy (pictured together in the film)

Amy tragically died of alcohol poisoning at the age of 27 in July 2011, after struggling with substance abuse, mental illness and addiction (pictured with dad Mitch in 2006)

Jack further claimed that he thought Amy’s father Mitch might want to “cover” for him during his visits to the set and see him dressed as Blake.

Blake, who was married to the singer between 2007 and 2009, previously admitted introducing her to heroin and is seen by many of her fans as partly responsible for her untimely death.

The actor also revealed how he spent an afternoon with Amy’s former husband, now 41, as he prepared for the role.

Telling the publication: ‘He was quite open. He spoke so highly of Amy. There was something so sincere in the way he spoke that it was indisputable to me that he loved her.”

Later revealing Blake’s thoughts on the film, Jack said: “He wasn’t too excited, ‘because it’s obviously going into a phase of his life that’s very personal and he’s harboring a mixed bag of emotions.’

Last year, Blake said he would have done “almost everything differently” in their relationship as he marked Amy’s 40th birthday.

Blake, who rarely gives interviews, was asked by Good Morning Britain presenters Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard what he would have done differently. He replied, “Almost everything.”

He continued, “It’s sad, but I wanted to wish Amy a happy birthday. It’s terrible that she’s not here. I think about her all the time, I thought about her this morning when I said happy birthday to her, she was my best friend.

Back To Black, which is endorsed by Amy’s father Mick (played by Eddie Marsdan), has sparked outrage from the singer’s friends who slammed it for its “creepy” depictions of the star’s drug addiction and also the filming of her funeral ( Marisa depicted as Amy)

Jack (left) further claimed that he thought Amy’s father Mitch might want to ‘cover for’ him during his visits to the set and see him dressed as Blake (pictured right in 2007)

Blake, who was married to the singer between 2007 and 2009, previously admitted introducing her to heroin and is seen by many of her fans as partly responsible for her death from alcohol poisoning at the age of 27 in 2011 (together on the photo in 2005)

“If certain factors hadn’t been there, I think it could have been a different outcome. For Amy, everything happened very quickly. We were young.’

The biopic has sparked outrage from friends, including musician Neon Hitch, who called the film “ridiculous” and “tasteless” and said: “I feel very strange. Can you please let Amy rest?’

Friends expressed their anger at her father after he allowed grisly scenes of Amy’s drug overdose to be filmed in her old flat. Last February, Marisa was seen wearing an oxygen mask as she left the property in North London.

The flat is now owned by Mitch, who also appears in the scene, like Eddie filmed alongside Marisa and other actors playing paramedics.

At the time, Amy’s friends were devastated that her father had given permission to use the Camden flat to recreate one of his daughter’s darkest moments, which took place in August 2008.

Friends expressed their anger at her father after he allowed creepy scenes of Amy’s drug overdose to be filmed in her old flat (Marisa pictured with Eddie Marsan as Mitch Winehouse)

It followed a 36-hour marathon drug session, which ended when she checked into the £10,000-a-week Causeway Retreat rehabilitation center on Osea Island, Essex.

One told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The fact that Amy’s father said OK to a scene where she overdosed in the flat she lived in is disgusting. It was such a personal thing and it’s so upsetting and unnecessary…

‘It’s as if the film is reliving all the darkest moments of her life, when there were so many more amazing moments. All we see are the depressing things, but that’s not who she was. Mitch should be ashamed of himself.

‘His behavior is shocking. He didn’t know what was going on and how she was with us all those years. Amy would really hate for them to focus on all the dark things she’s been through.”

The film will be released in UK cinemas on April 12