The Who frontman Roger Daltrey has shared an update on his long-gestating biopic about late drummer Keith Moon, revealing that he recently finished work on a script, has a new lead actor in mind, and is determined to finally get the film produced.
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The film has been in the works since at least 2005 – when Mike Myers was signed on to star as Moon – however it’s since languished in development hell. In a new interview with Vulture, Daltrey assured fans that won’t be the case for too much longer: “I just finished a script, and I’m hoping to do my biopic of Keith within the next couple of years,” he said.
The legendary singer expounded on his ambitions for the project: “I’m very pleased with the script. I want people to get an understanding of him and his life, and the complete genius he was. He had so much talent, that boy, but he became out of control for a lot of reasons. Mostly for lack of discipline. But once the drugs kick in, usually that disappears, doesn’t it?”
As for the actor Daltrey hopes will play Moon in the film, he stopped short of revealing their identity, but described them as “a role model”. He added: “He might be too old, but then again, Keith looked 50 when he died. He was 32, but he looked 54. I think the actor is about 40 now. I don’t want to jinx it and say his name. But there’s an actor who I’ve seen and when I look at him I go, ‘God, it’s Moon.’
“It’s all to do with the eyes. The eyes are all important. You virtually wouldn’t need to say any dialogue because you could read it in his eyes. I mean, that’s a bit much, but you know what I mean. You can read so much in the face of Keith. He had such an incredible vibrancy.”
Daltrey went on to say that Meyers “would’ve made a fabulous Keith” when he was onboard to star in the film, opining that “it’s a shame it never happened”. But he’s not willing to let the film slip through his fingers again, as he said in closing, “I’m driven by this project. It came to me in a dream 30 years ago.”
In February of 2022, it was reported that Moon’s biopic would finally begin shooting that summer (which ended up not being the case). The infamous drummer died in 1978, at the age of 32, from a drug overdose; last May, guitarist Pete Townshend reflected on his bandmate’s death, saying he “tried everything” to keep him alive.
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