The wait for Back to Black is nearly over, and audiences will finally be able to watch the biopic that has been a long time in the making. The film chronicles Amy Winehouse's journey from being an aspiring singer-songwriter to a Grammy Award winner whose life and music career were cut short upon her passing at only 27 years old. The project directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, who had previously helmed the John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy, will hone in on the singer's early days, her troublesome love story with Blake Fielder-Civil, and her struggle with addiction. Aside from these main events that will be depicted in the biopic, audiences will also witness Amy's relationship with her inner circle, including her heartwarming connection with her grandmother and her ties with her father (especially once she rose to fame). In case you would like to know who will play the British artist and the other characters present in the film, here is a detailed guide on who's who in Back to Black.

Marisa Abela

Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse was a British singer-songwriter with a style and personality that clashed in comparison to other women in music in the U.K. at the time. Different from the Spice Girls, she was inspired by jazz, and her signature sound and unique voice were heavily influenced by rhythm-in-blues. The film follows her as a Jewish girl with a guitar in her hand and a lot of attitude shows the lead-up to her record deal, and explores her rise to fame. It also focuses on her tempestuous relationship with ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil, her connection to her grandmother Cynthia, and her struggles with substance abuse.

Marisa Abela plays the artist on the big screen, and this is her first major role in a film. The actress is primarily known as Yasmin, an investment banker in the HBO series Industry. She also starred in the Sky One show, Cobra, back in 2020. After portraying Winehouse, she is set to join a film entitled Black Bag, a thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh starring Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender.

In a recent interview with Nylon, Abela shared more about the emotional ride she underwent while singing in Back to Black:

"It was confusing, trying to separate my own nerves and anxiety about being on set, from Amy being in a really vulnerable place. I’d never been so exposed as a person. I felt raw. You put your work out there, and it’s not up to you how people feel about it. As long as you’re doing it for the right reasons, then you’re on the right track.”

Jack O'Connell

Blake Fielder-Civil

Blake Fielder-Civil started off as a charming video producer whom Amy fell in love with and then went on to become her greatest muse. He was the inspiration behind most well-known tracks on the album Back to Black and the two eventually got married. The film captures their hefty, on-and-off romance, and how their relationship was marked by the presence of drugs, violence, and media scrutiny.

Jack O'Connell plays the character in the biopic. The British actor began his onscreen career during his teenage years as part of the cast of the teen drama Skins. Since then, he has starred in TV shows like Godless (even earning a Critics Choice Award nomination for his performance) and in independent films like Starred Up. He received critical acclaim for playing another real-life person, war hero Louis Zamperini, in the Angelina Jolie-directed Unbroken.

In preparation for starring as Fielder-Civil, O'Connell reached out to Winehouse's ex-husband. The latter shared in an interview with Good Morning Britain, that the actor wanted to meet with him “not asking for any notes or anything, just out of respect.”

Lesley Manville

Cynthia Levy

Cynthia Levy (known as Nan) was not only Amy's greatest role model but also the person who encouraged the singer to pursue her musical aspirations. A jazz performer in her youth, her bond with her granddaughter is marked by their similar musical tastes and outlook on fashion. After all, Amy's beehive and her gold chain are not just characteristic of her sense of style, but also a direct reference to the way her grandmother dressed and presented herself.

After The Crown and Citadel, Lesley Manville plays a supporting role in Back to Black as Cynthia. The actress has an extensive filmography, having collaborated with Mike Leigh several times in films like All or Nothing and Another Year. She also earned an Academy Award nomination for her role in Paul Thomas Anderson's Phantom Thread, in which she played Cyril, the attentive sister of a prestigious fashion designer. The actress is currently working on her next big role in the Greek tragedy OEDIPUS, starring alongside Mark Strong.

Eddie Marsan

Mitch Winehouse

Mitch Winehouse is Amy's father, who was a taxi driver before his daughter rose to fame. Initially not as present in her life growing up, he began to have a closer relationship with the singer when she became a signed artist. From then on, Mitch had an ever-present role in managing Amy's career, and in trying to find support for her during her trials with drugs and alcohol.

Eddie Marsan portrays the character on the big screen, and he has been in a lengthy list of productions. With more than 70 films under his sleeve, the actor is primarily known for his roles in Happy-Go-Lucky in the TV series Ray Donovan. Marsan recently starred in the Netflix thriller Fair Play and in the Apple TV + historical drama, Franklin. In an interview with The Guardian promoting the Amy Winehouse biopic, the actor shared more about what drew him to playing the artist's father:

"A friend of mine worked with Amy in the music industry and knew him. I said to him: what do you think about Mitch? He said: I liked the man. He saw him as a loving father who had a daughter who was an addict and who was at the same time the most famous woman in the world. He was just a cab driver trying to do his best, trying to deal with it. I’d never have done this film if it sanitised – or demonised – Mitch. It’s not even the way I approach life. Life is more complex than that."

Sam Buchanan

Nick Schymansky

Nick Schymansky was Amy Winehouse's manager and helped her land a record deal early in her music career. The two were close, and he was a fundamental person in her journey as an artist. However, they didn't look eye-to-eye when it came to Amy's sense of professionalism and the way she managed her substance abuse. In the film, he becomes one of the few people who press the singer to go to rehab and care for her well-being.

Nick Schymansky is played by Sam Buchanan, an emerging actor who previously starred in Prime Video's The Power and the British sitcom Such Brave Girls.

Juliet Cowan

Janis Winehouse

Janis Winehouse is Amy's mother, and she played a key role in the singer's early life. As previously mentioned, the British icon's father wasn't as present when she was growing up and her mother practically raised Amy by herself. In the film, the character plays a minor part in the story, eluding that she wasn't as active in Amy's life as Mitch was once she rose to fame. Yet, as fans well know, she does give her daughter a hug on stage upon her Grammy win, and this also happens in the film.

Juliet Cowan is Janis Winehouse in Back to Black, and prior to this acting credit, she often guest starred in British sitcoms like EastEnders and Back to Life. She previously shared the screen with O'Connell in Skins and with Buchanan in The Power.

Back to Black arrives in theaters on Friday, May 17, 2024.