Marisa Abela is truly setting the stage on fire with her portrayal of Amy Winehouse in the biopic “Back to Black,“ directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. Interestingly, Taylor-Johnson previously explored another British music icon’s life, John Lennon, in “Nowhere Boy.” But who really is Marisa Abela? Here’s a deeper look.
Meet Marisa Abela: A Rising Star
- Early Life:
Marisa Abela was born in 1996 in Brighton. Growing up in an artistic family, she was surrounded by creativity from an early age. Her mother, Caroline Gruber, is an actress, and her father, Angelo Abela, is a TV director and producer. Marisa also has an older brother, Jack, who is both a journalist and a stand-up comedian. Unfortunately, her parents separated when she was a child.
- Career Beginnings: Initially, Marisa didn’t plan to become an actress.
While her mother introduced her to theater at a young age, Marisa dreamed of being a lawyer specializing in human rights. However, she quickly realized that acting was her true calling. She dropped out of her law and history studies and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London in 2019, like many future stars.
- Acting Breakthrough: Marisa made her on-screen debut in 2020 in the political thriller series “Cobra,” playing the Prime Minister’s daughter. After her role in “Cobra,” she landed a lead role in “Industry,” a series about young finance professionals. In 2022, she starred in her first movie, “Rogue Agent,” based on the true story of a fake MI6 spy and real con artist, alongside Gemma Arterton and James Norton. She then appeared in the romantic drama “She is Love” and had a cameo in the blockbuster “Barbie.”
- Transforming into Amy Winehouse: To prepare for her role as Amy Winehouse in the film “Back to Black,” Marisa moved to Camden, London, for four months and underwent intense training, dubbed “Amy bootcamp.” Additionally, Marisa herself sings in the movie. She worked hard with a coach to mimic Amy’s unique voice, but without the singer’s struggles with heroin and alcohol.
- Future Projects: After “Back to Black,” Marisa will star in “Black Bag,” a spy thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh. She will be joined by Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris, and Pierce Brosnan.
- Personal Life: Since 2020, Marisa has been in a relationship with Jamie Bogyo, an actor she met at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Jamie is known for his performances in musicals.
This article first appeared on grazia.fr – Author: Jordane Guignon
