The Joplin War Begins

It has ever been the case that, when one idea for a film is mooted, someone with the exact same idea will produce their own version in competition. It may seem like an incredibly lazy way to go about making movies but it's also consumer choice at its best. Anyway, hot on the heels of Renee Zellweger's casting as singer Janis Joplin in biopic Piece of My Heart, Penelope Spheeris' rival Joplin picture has found its leading lady. Alecia Moore - aka the rather scary singer Pink - has landed the role as the iconic singer in Spheeris' film, provisionally titled Gospel According to Janis. A fleeting appearance in Charlie's Angels 2 hardly qualifies Pink for a role of this scope but apparently her ability to perfectly replicate Joplin's distinctive vocal style has blown the director away. "After trying to make a picture on Janis' life for 15 years, I'd call Alecia's screen test the most gratifying moment in my film career," Spheeris told Variety."She is the perfect age to play Janis from when she first came to California at 19 to when she died at 27." The film is scheduled to begin shooting this summer.