It's no secret that biopics are generally a pathway to the Oscars these days. Taking on the part of a genuine, historical figure can be the role of a lifetime for many actors. However, things get even more interesting when two actors must compete for Oscar gold through the same role -- something that seldom happens. It now seems that we have a legitimate race on our hands, as Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett Johansson have both signed on for competing biopics about the life of legendary Jazz Age icon, Zelda Fitzgerald.
According to a brand new report from THR, it appears that Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett Johansson have both signed on to portray legendary novelist Zelda Fitzgerald in two separate movies. Specifically, Lawrence is slated to take on the role in a film called Zelda (with Ron Howard potentially eying the director's chair), while Scarlett Johansson will play Fitzgerald in The Beautiful and the Damned, which derives its title from the writer's own literary work. Neither film has an official release date, but both will deal with the historical feminine icon's struggles with her marriage, mental illness, and adversity in a world that did not yet fully understand her.
Oddly enough, there's also another contender in this Zelda race -- albeit on the small screen. In addition to the current showdown between Zelda and The Beautiful and the Damned, Christina Ricci is also slated to play Fitzgerald in the upcoming Amazon series, Z: The Beginning of Everything.
Of course, it makes a great deal of sense that so many different projects centering on the life of Zelda Fitzgerald are currently in development; she was a legitimately fascinating historical figure. Rising to prominence during the Jazz Age of the 1920s and 1930s, Fitzgerald (along with her husband, F. Scott Fitzgerald) was very much emblematic of the excess of the time, while suffering her own personal battles with mental illness. In a time when feminine icons are slowly but surely starting to get the recognition that they deserve, Fitzgerald seems like a logical choice.
Despite the apparent competition to get their respective films to theaters first, they don't represent the first time an actress has depicted Zelda Fitzgerald on the silver screen. In fact, she's a historical character who has been very thoroughly covered over the years. Actresses ranging from Vanessa Kirby to Allison Pill have taken on the role of the Jazz Age icon in a number of different films, and all of them have brought something distinct to the part. Given the sheer amount of talent that Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett Johansson both bring to the table, we can assume that both of these performances will only add to the on-screen legacy of this real life icon.
CinemaBlend will bring you any and all relevant information related to Zelda and The Beautiful and the Damned as more details become available to us. Neither film currently has a confirmed release date, but for now it seems that both biopics are gunning for the 2018 Oscar season. Stay tuned for more details!
