A new biopic chronicling one of the most pivotal periods in the career of a young David Bowie has found its titular Starman in the form of Johnny Flynn, who will be stepping into the impossibly extravagant boots of the late, great Bowie.
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Flynn – who you might know from his musical exploits with backing band The Sussex Wit, or from his previous acting gigs on things like Netflix‘s Lovesick, which at one point was known by the far better but far less marketable name Scrotal Recall – will play Bowie in Stardust, it was announced earlier today.
The film will follow the period of Bowie’s career beginning in 1971 with his first trip to America; a journey that inspired him to invent and morph into the career and genre-altering alter-ego Ziggy Stardust.
The biopic has already added additional cast members Jena Malone, who will play Bowie’s first wife Angie, and Marc Maron, who will play Bowie’s record label publicist.
Bowie’s famous promotional tour of the US in 1971 was the late British icon’s first visit to America, done in support of The Man Who Sold The World. While there, Bowie observed both Lou Reed and Iggy Pop that inspired the creation of the Ziggy Stardust character upon his return to England, which in turn resulted in the release of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars in 1972.
The biopic is expected to begin shooting in June, and has already attracted major interest from major distribution studios.
Flynn, currently, is performing on London’s West End in a production of True West alongside Kit Harrington.
