From Jeremy Allen White’s upcoming Bruce Springsteen film, to Timothée Chalamet showing off his Bob Dylan-like vocals in A Complete Unknown, music biopics seem to be everywhere.
Yet, these flicks aren’t a new phenomenon. Films centered around the lives of music icons have been captivating audiences for decades, from 1980’s Coal Miner’s Daughter, about the life of country icon Loretta Lynn, to 2005’s Johnny Cash biopic, Walk the Line.
James Mangold, the writer and director behind both Walk the Line and Chalamet’s upcoming film, describes A Complete Unknown as a departure from the typical music biopic format.
“I didn’t want to turn Bob Dylan into a simple character with a simple thing to unlock that then makes you go, ‘Ah, now I get him.’ I don’t think that’s possible, having gotten to know him,” Mangold, 60, told Rolling Stone earlier this year. “So then my role as a dramatist becomes, if I’m not going to do that… which in a way I did do in Walk the Line. It’s a difference.”
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He continued: “Johnny Cash is defined by his upbringing, the loss of his brother, the shame he’s carried in life, and an addiction that was driven by the sorrows of his childhood. It lines up very clearly. And his music being about, kind of, imprisonment and darkness — it’s all in incredible, dramatic harmony with these psychological observations about him. None of that would be that easy with Bob.”
While a music biopic has a focus on one character in particular, Mangold says the story can also be about a whole ensemble of characters, and most importantly, how the story makes audiences feel.
“One of the things that is truly hard to define and certainly I think hard to define on film — and one of the great questions of life — is what is talent and how is someone born special,” Mangold said. “Instead of me trying to answer that question, which I truly believe is unanswerable, I think that we try to answer — when we come across someone like that, who’s got some kind of artistic tiger by the tail and seems on a kind of rocket ship compared to us mortals — [is] how does it affect us and our feelings about existence, our own validity? Jealousy, worship, idolatry, obsession, love — all these things can be the result of this kind of superpower that a character can have.”
Keep scrolling for Us Weekly’s picks of the best music biopics of all time:
‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ (1980)
Following the life of country music icon Loretta Lynn from her upbringing in poverty in Kentucky to her marriage at 15 years old and her eventual rise to fame, Coal Miner’s Daughter is titled after the singer’s 1970 hit song of the same name and garnered praise from both the critics and the box office.
Based on George Vecsey’s 1976 biography of the musician, the film became the seventh highest grossing film of 1980. Lynn hand-picked Sissy Spacek to play her in the film, and Spacek went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her powerful performance (the film was nominated for seven Oscars total).
‘Amadeus’ (1984)
Adapted from the 1979 stage play of the same name, Amadeus tells a fictionalized story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with a particular focus on his rivalry with composer Antonio Salieri. The positive critical reception for the film is evidenced by eight Academy Award wins, including Best Picture, Best Director (Miloš Forman) and Best Actor (F. Murray Abraham).
A period piece marked by its intensity, creativity and strong performances from its leads, Amadeus is an inventive and entertaining look at the legendary composer’s life.
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‘La Bamba’ (1987)
Titled after Ritchie Valens’ rock and roll adaptation of the Mexican folk song of the same name, La Bamba follows the Chicano star’s short-lived rise and fall in the music industry. Called “the definitive Eighties music biopic” by The Times, the Luis Valdez-helmed film is marked by powerful music, family conflict, prejudice and a tragic ending made even more poignant by the fact it is based on a true story.
‘Selena’ (1997)
Jennifer Lopez’s breakthrough performance as Selena Quintanilla-Pérez in this 1997 biopic made her the first Latina actress to earn $1 million and shot the rising star into unprecedented levels of fame.
Beyond Lopez’s commanding performance as the Tejano music star, whose life was tragically cut short at age 23, Selena boasts a strong soundtrack and a tear-jerking story written and directed by Gregory Nava.
‘8 Mile’ (2002)
Starring Eminem in his film debut, with strong performances from Brittany Murphy, Kim Basinger and Mekhi Phifer, 8 Mile is a fictionalized version of Eminem’s upbringing and fledgling rap career in his home city of Detroit.
A huge box office success, the gritty and emotional film also earned praise from critics, including an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Lose Yourself.”
‘Ray’ (2004)
Ray is a film spanning three decades of the life of Ray Charles, in which Jamie Foxx gives an Oscar-winning performance as the soul musician. With support from Kerry Washington, Regina King and Clifton Powell, the movie explores the complexity of Charles’ life while paying homage to his legendary career.
‘Walk the Line’ (2005)
Based on two biographies of Johnny Cash, Walk the Line follows the singer-songer’s early life, including his relationship with June Carter (played by Reese Witherspoon) and his issues with addiction. Joaquin Phoenix gives a riveting performance as Cash, and Witherspoon took home her first and only Academy Award for her portrayal of Carter.
‘La Vie en Rose’ (2007)
Titled after her signature song, La Vie en Rose recounts the life of French singer Édith Piaf in a non-linear structure. From a childhood spent in a brothel in Normandy to grappling with grief, addiction and health issues later in life, Marion Cotillard portrays the singer’s life with a grace and fortitude that earned her the first Academy Award given to a French-language role.
‘Straight Outta Compton’ (2015)
Starring Ice Cube and Dr. Dre (who were former members of the group NWA and also producers of the film), Straight Outta Compton depicts the rise and fall of the Compton-based hip hop group. The film won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture and inspired Dr. Dre’s successful 2015 album, Compton.
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (2018)
Centered on Freddie Mercury’s life, from the formation of Queen to the band’s famous 1985 Live Aid performance, Bohemian Rhapsody was produced by Queen manager Jim Beach, with band members Brian May and Roger Taylor serving as consultants on the film. Rami Malek’s riveting portrayal of Mercury earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor, and the film also took home Oscars for Film Editing, Sound Editing and Mixing.
‘Rocketman’ (2019)
Based on the life of Elton John, Rocketman differs from many of its biopic predecessors in that it’s a jukebox musical drama told completely through John’s discography. Traversing the highs and lows of the iconic singer’s career, Taron Egerton’s performance as the singer earned praise from audiences and critics alike. The film was pioneering in that it was one the first from a major studio to include a gay male sex scene.
‘Elvis’ (2022)
An unrecognizable Austin Butler transforms into Elvis Presley for this colorful retelling of the King of Rock and Roll’s life. With Baz Luhrmann’s eclectic style, including modern-day takes on classic Elvis songs, the film tells the story of Presley’s childhood, career, rise, fall and eventual death, recounting romances, addiction issues and relationship troubles along the way. Tom Hanks gives a haunting performance as Colonel Tom Parker, Presley’s manager who serves as an antagonist in the film.
