Industry’s Marisa Abela transformed into Amy Winehouse as she continued filming the biopic Back To Black in London on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old actress was the spitting image of the late musician, who died of alcohol poisoning at the age of 27 in 2011 while filming the much-anticipated movie.
She channeled the late singer in a leopard-print top and joggers and drank from a bottle while surrounded by crew members during the late-night session.
Marisa, also sporting a pair of pink earrings and Amy’s trademark pumps, walked alone through Camden, where the star lived before her death.
The filming comes after Mitch Winehouse defended the controversial casting choice for the new biopic, after many claimed that Marisa and Amy don’t look close enough.
The dead ringer: Industry’s Marisa Abela transformed into Amy Winehouse as she continued filming the biopic Back To Black in London on Tuesday.
Dad Mitch takes issue with the backlash when he shared this week that Marisa is a “great choice,” admitting that it doesn’t matter if they “don’t look exactly alike.”
chatting with TMz On the new pitch about his daughter, Mitch said: ‘Marisa is Marisa and Amy is Amy… so it’s not a big deal if they’re not mirror images.
“Marisa is a great choice for the role.”
He went on to say that Eddie Marsan, who plays Mitch, doesn’t exactly look like him either, noting, “There’s too much emphasis on looks.
“Because there are so many examples in Hollywood of actors who don’t look like their real-life character.”
Mitch’s defense comes as the casting choice of Marisa, known for playing Yasmin on the BBC One television series Industry, left many fans divided when they took to social media.
One fan tweeted: “Marisa Abela is a good actress but anyone who thinks they look anything like Amy Winehouse needs to make an appointment with their eye doctor.”
“Marisa Abela is nothing like Amy Winehouse,” repeated another.
In character: The 26-year-old actress was the spitting image of the late musician, who died of alcohol poisoning at age 27 in 2011 while filming the much-anticipated movie.
Tragic: She channeled the late singer in a leopard-print top and joggers
Performance: Marisa had a drink from a bottle while surrounded by crew members during the night shoot.
Outfit: She was sporting a pair of Amy’s signature pink hoop earrings and pumps.
As a third party added: ‘Not a good choice. #amywinehouse had a natural softness and vulnerability. but Marisa Abela, like Amy, just looks tough and mean. I’m sorry’.
Mitch and his wife Janis are the parents of Amy, who died of alcohol poisoning in 2011, and their 44-year-old son Alex.
But while the casting has her parents’ stamp of approval, Amy’s friends aren’t so convinced either.
One told The Mail on Sunday that they are not happy with Marisa’s casting because, despite the near-perfect wig she wears and identical tattoos, they don’t think she looks like the rehab singer.
They also contrast the social background of the Roedean-educated Ms Abela with the London-born Ms Winehouse, known for her street persona.
“No one asked us about Amy,” the friend said.
Her Side: The filming comes after Mitch Winehouse defended the controversial casting choice for the new biopic, after many claimed Marisa and Amy don’t look close enough.
Defending: Dad Mitch disagrees with the backlash when he shared this week that Marisa is a ‘great choice’
Tough: Marisa, known for her role on the BBC show Industry, has received backlash over the casting as fans claim she’s the wrong one.
Casting: Chatting to TM Z about his daughter’s new release, Mitch said, “Marisa is Marisa and Amy is Amy…so it’s not a big deal if they’re not mirror images.”
Good point: He went on to say that Eddie Marsan, who plays Mitch, doesn’t exactly look like him either, noting, “there’s too much emphasis on looks.”
‘How can you be authentic and accurate if you don’t know the real Amy or the truth about what happened in her later years? We are against this and we are upset. Amy was absolutely amazing.
Amy’s friends are also furious with the creators of the biopic for not asking them about the star’s life, saying that executives working at Back To Black have not contacted them about their memories of the late singer, raising fears that the film will be inaccurate.
Even though it’s been nearly 12 years since Winehouse was found unconscious at her home in Camden, north London, in July 2011, her heartbroken friends still believe it’s too early to make such a film.
Sources on the set of Back To Black, directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and named after Winehouse’s hit 2006 album, say filming is due to last 10 weeks.
A source said: “It all feels very fast, almost a bit of a smash and grab.”
Many also doubted the film would be made in its entirety, accusing the project of “exploiting the singer’s legacy” and “capitalizing on her trauma”, with some calling on people to “just put her to rest”.