Katharine McPhee will soon be heading to the big-screen in “The House Bunny,” her feature film debut. But could the former “American Idol” runner-up already be looking past the summer time, and into singing “Summertime”?
That’s the word straight from McPhee herself, who told MTV News that she wants to one day star in a musical biopic of one of rock’s greatest songstresses.
“Janis Joplin,” she enthused of who she would want to portray in a musical film. “I’m not opposed to movie musicals or anything. I’d have to think about that [if I every got offered].”
She’ll have to get in line. The musical biopic has gone through sort of a renaissance in recent years with megahits like “Ray” and “Walk the Line,” and nowhere is that more evident than with Joplin, who has at least three actresses circling no less than three different projects. One of those projects, “The Gospel According to Janis,” is officially on hold, star Zooey Deschanel told MTV last year.
But while there seems to be an opening, fans of McPhee may wonder if she’s the right choice to fill the void, considering that on “Idol” she was known for jazzy renditions of classic standards like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and not necessarily for rocking out to “Another Piece of My Heart.”
For her part, McPhee agrees.
“I don’t know if I would be the best choice for Janis Joplin just because I don’t think I really have that kind of a voice,” she confessed. “But I see myself as more of a serious, dramatic person.”
There’s obviously nothing on the table, but would you like to see Katharine McPhee as Joplin? Think she could pull it off? Is there another singer you’d like to see her give the biopic treatment to instead? Sound off below.
May 21st, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I hope Katharine sticks to music. I really like her music and if she does movies I wont be able to see her on tour.
I got to meet Katharine last year. Shes really hot in person, and really nice too.
Tom,
St. Louis MO
May 21st, 2008 at 3:10 pm
I dont think she should ever do it. I personally think that the lady from Across the Universe has the perfect voice to portray Janis Joplin. My mother would never forgive a movie being made about Joplin that has someone on it who cant sing even remotely like her, and neither would I. McPhee doesnt have the chops.
May 21st, 2008 at 3:43 pm
It’s not that she “doesn’t have the chops” period, it’s that she has an entirely different type of voice, and if you’re hiring a singer to portray a singer, you assume they’ll do their own singing. It would scare the crap out of me to listen to mcPhee actually doing that kind of rough-edged, tear-your-throat-out kind of singing that Joplin did, and if JJ hadn’t kept her throat well lubricated with Southern Comfort for years I don’t think she could have done it either. I love both of them but not inhabiting the same persona. They’re light years apart.
May 21st, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Katharine McPhee’s 15 minutes of fame is up. All she is good for is county fairs
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Wonder who “Patricia”could be??Probably the one who repeats the same mean-spirited cliches on every Kat blog she can find!Yawn…….boring!
Re:Joplin…..Wouldnt’ want Kat to ruin her voice trying to attain that grainy sound.It would take a ton of make-up to have Kat less beautiful and looking like Joplin.It would be a meaty acting role,though>
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Kat needs to stay in her own little niche’…….besides this role was MADE for Amanda Overmyer…..no-one else even comes close.
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Katharine would be a magnificent choice for this roll. However, Katharine doesn’t have that raspy voice required for the character. I would much rather look forward to Katharine in a film of a ballad singer. McPhee and David Foster will have a new CD together towards the end of this year. It will be a mixture of Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Leona Lewis type ballads.
May 23rd, 2008 at 12:38 am
Wrong type of voice, wrong look. She could probably do the acting part well, but hearing her sound like Janis would scare me.Besides, she’s got enough irons in the fire now.
How ya doing, pattispage? Up to your old tricks again, I see—–will you be seeing her movie “House Bunny” in August? Seen her Neutrogena commercials on tv yet? Her “15 minutes” is going to turn into 15 years the rate she’s going.
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:33 pm
i am 59 and i saw janis perform many a time. I love katherine and wanted her to win but as janis i don’t so. janis was a beatnik, a girl from texas that was not good looking and everyone told her so. she no longer cared and just rocked out. boozing and doping along the way. her skin was bad but her mind and voice was pure. she had a great laugh and she was a kind good person…