When the David Bowie biopic "Stardust" released in 2020, it wasn't universally well-received. A good number of Bowie fans were less than appreciative of a film that failed to feature any of the subject's original music. And that's because Bowie's estate — down on the project from the beginning — refused to lend filmmakers the rights (via Entertainment Weekly). But frankly, we can't help but admire the end result, a fascinating take on Bowie's origin story that wouldn't have been nearly as engaging without Flynn at its center.
The point, for Flynn, was to tell a story people don't know about Bowie, and to show him as a real and vulnerable person on a journey. "I was very keen for it not to be an impersonation which people could pick holes in," he told The Observer. "We wanted to tell an alternative story to the Bowie that you know ... it's really a creative invitation to not have the music and look at all the other stuff he was doing in this time."
Flynn's Bowie isn't always likable (one reason, perhaps, for the estate's lack of support), and he nails the narcissistic edge that often seems to accompany eventually-recognized greatness. Not only that, he's the man behind the music in the movie; a talented musician in his own right, he performed all of the songs.
Flynn has plenty more projects in the works, including "The Dig," now on Netflix, as well as "Ripley," a Showtime TV series. We can't wait to see what he brings to the screen next.
