For as long as I can remember, there’s been some sort of Janis Joplin biopic in the works. Over the years, we’ve heard reports that actresses like Amy Adams, Pink, Zooey Deschanel, and even the late Brittany Murphy were attached to a JJ project. Well, we can add Shailene Woodley to that list. Shailene is currently in preproduction on Janis Joplin: Get It While You Can. Although it’s still early on, this could very well be the JJ movie that actually makes it to the big screen. During a recent interview with People, Shailene admitted that learning how to sing is a “very scary” part of playing a world-famous singer.
One of Shailene Woodley’s upcoming roles is bringing her into new territory. The actress, 33, is set to star in and produce a Janis Joplin biopic, Janis Joplin: Get It While You Can, which will tell the life story of the iconic singer, who died at age 27 in 1970.
Preproduction continues on the project, which has been in development for years, and Woodley tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that she finds singing for the role is not the easiest task.
“Singing is very scary. It’s very vulnerable,” the Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe-nominated star admits.
The Hollywood Reporter and Rolling Stone reported in September 2024 that the Joplin biopic was moving forward with the help of California’s tax credit.
“I have a feeling Janis would be smiling ear to ear, zipping down the PCH in her psychedelic Porsche knowing her story is bringing opportunities and funding to the city and people that held so much significance to her,” Woodley said in a statement regarding the film at that time.
During an appearance on The Tonight Show months later, the Big Little Lies star spoke about the film, telling host Jimmy Fallon, “We’ve been working on it for seven years now, and it’s just — she’s such a groovy chick, man. She really brought the light to this planet in a really singular way.”
When Fallon asked Woodley whether the movie has access to clothes from Joplin’s era, she admitted, “We have the outfits. Everything.”
Woodley…is currently working with Linda Perry on the Joplin-based feature. The lead artist of 4 Non Blondes “is an incredible songwriter, singer and music producer, … and she and I have been working very closely for a few years now,” Woodley tells PEOPLE.
I’ve been trying to figure out if Shailene has any type of musical history. There are clips of her singing 10 seconds of “A Whole New World” back in 2014, singing “It’s Raining Men” with Sam Claftin in 2018 and doing karaoke with Sebastian Stan in 2019.. She sounds fine, but so do I when I sing that same line in the shower. I have no doubt that if singing isn’t your thing, then preparing to play a beloved singer with a cult fanbase would be nervewracking, especially when you’re the one who is getting a very long-awaited biopic across the finish line. Just on vibes alone, Shailene would not have been my first choice to play Janis, but with enough vocal lessons…who knows? I do trust Linda Perry to know what she’s doing in terms of prepping Shailene.
Photos credit: KIKA/Wenn/Avalon, Maria Laura Antonelli/AGF Foto/Avalon, Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon, Avalon.red, Getty