Amy Winehouse’s dad Mitch says actress Marisa Abela is a ‘great choice’ to play his late daughter

Amy Winehouse’s father Mitch has defended the controversial casting choice for her new biopic.

Actress Marisa Abela has been selected to portray the late singer as filming is already underway- with many claiming the two don’t look enough alike.

But dad Mitch disagrees with the backlash as he shared this week that the actress is a ‘great choice’, admitting it doesn’t matter if they ‘don’t look exactly alike’.

The Hollywood biopic, named Back To Black, is currently filming in London and will document the life of the legendary star up until her death at the age of 27.

Chatting with TMZ on the new release about his daughter, Mitch said:’Marisa is Marisa and Amy is Amy … so it’s no big deal if they aren’t mirror images. 

‘Marisa is a great choice for the role’

He continued that Eddie Marsan, who will be portraying Mitch in the film, doesn’t look exactly like him either, noting: ‘there’s too much emphasis on looks.

Resemblance? Actress Marisa (pictured left on set) has been selected to portray Amy (pictured right in 2007) as filming is already underway – with many claiming the two don’t look enough alike

Filming: Mitch continued that Eddie Marsan (pictured on set with Marisa) , who will be portraying Mitch in the film, doesn’t look exactly like him either, noting: ‘ there’s too much emphasis on looks

‘Because there’s plenty of Hollywood examples of actors not looking like their real-life character.’

Mitch’s defense comes as the casting choice of Marisa, who is known for playing Yasmin in BBC One TV series Industry, left many fans divided as they took to social media.

One fan Tweeted: ‘Marisa Abela is a good actress but anyone who thinks she looks anything like Amy Winehouse needs to make an appointment with their eye doctor’.

‘Marisa Abela looks nothing like Amy Winehouse,’ echoed another.

Not convinced: Mitch’s defense comes as the casting choice of Marisa, who is known for playing Yasmin in BBC One TV series Industry, left many fans divided as they took to social media

As a third added: ‘It’s not a good choice. #amywinehouse had a natural softness and vulnerability. but Marisa Abela, as Amy, just looks hard and mean. Sorry’.

Mitch and wife Janis are parents to Amy, who passed away from alcohol poisoningin 2011, and son Alex, 44.

But while the casting has her parents’ seal of approval, Amy’s friends are not so convinced either.

One told The Mail on Sunday that they are unhappy at the casting of Marisa because, despite the near perfect wig she wears and the identical tattoos, they do not think she looks like the Rehab singer.

Close: Amy’s father Mitch inherited her estate as the singer died at 27 with no will, meaning inheritance laws came into play (Mitch and Amy pictured together in 2008)

Tough: Marisa, who is known for her role in BBC show Industry, has received backlash over the casting as fans claim she isn’t the right fit

They also contrast Roedean-educated Ms Abela’s social background with London-born Ms Winehouse, who was known for her streetwise persona.

‘Nobody consulted us about Amy,’ said the friend. 

‘How can it be authentic and accurate if they don’t know the real Amy or the truth about what happened in her final years? We are against this and we are upset. Amy was absolutely striking.’

Friends of Amy are also furious with the makers of the biopic for failing to consult them about the star’s life, claiming that executives working on Back To Black have not been in touch to ask about their memories of the late singer, raising fears that the film will be inaccurate.

‘I love you, Amy’: Marisa has described Amy as one of her heroes, sharing a post to Instagram earlier this month as she paid tribute to the star

Despite it being almost 12 years since Ms Winehouse was found unresponsive at her townhouse in Camden, North London, in July 2011, her grief-stricken friends still believe it is early for such a film to be made.

Sources on the set of Back To Black – directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and named after Ms Winehouse’s hit 2006 album – say that filming is only due to last eight weeks, which industry insiders believe is not very long for such a production.

One insider said: ‘It all feels very fast, almost a bit smash and grab.’

Many have also doubted the film being made as a whole, accusing the project of ‘exploiting the singer’s legacy’ and ‘capitalising off her trauma’, with some calling for people to ‘just let her rest’.

Negative: Many have also doubted the film being made as a whole, accusing the project of ‘exploiting the singer’s legacy’ and ‘capitalising off her trauma’, with some calling for people to ‘just let her rest’