Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein is set to write and direct a new biopic about the Seattle rock band, Heart.
Heart frontwoman Ann Wilson announced the news in an interview on SiriusXM’s Volume West show. “I saw the first draft of the script,” Wilson revealed. “It’s really cool.” She went on to explain that the film will be released via Amazon, and will be produced by Lynda Obst (Sleepless in Seattle). It will chart Ann and her sister (and Heart guitarist) Nancy’s lives from childhood and will “end up in the 90s”.
Discussing who might be cast in the biopic, Wilson said: “A few actresses have come forward. No one that’s right. It’s known that the role of Nancy and the role of me are being cast.” Wilson added that Anne Hathaway had put herself forward to play her, but that she doesn’t “think she’s exactly right for it”.
Heart was formed in Seattle in 1973 by Ann Wilson, guitarist Roger Fisher, bassist Steve Fossen, drummer Brian Johnstone, and keyboardist John Hannah. Shortly after, Ann’s sister Nancy joined as rhythm guitarist. The group, whose music is influenced by hard rock, heavy metal, and folk, rose to fame with singles including “Magic Man”, “Crazy on You”, and “Barracuda”.
As well as performing and releasing music as part of Sleater-Kinney, Brownstein recently wrote a film with St. Vincent’s Annie Clark, titled The Nowhere Inn. The movie – a psychological thriller mockumentary – premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, and stars Brownstein, Clark, and Dakota Johnson as themselves.
While you wait for the forthcoming Heart film, look back at Dazed’s interview with Sleater-Kinney, speaking to the band before and after the departure of drummer Janet Weiss. Listen to Wilson discussing the biopic below.