Love, Johansson Speak Out About Cobain Biopic Rumors
Scarlett Johansson is calling the prospect of portraying Courtney Love in the upcoming Kurt Cobain biopic “intriguing,” although the actress admits she hasn’t seen the script based on the Nirvana frontman’s life yet. Johansson had previously been rumored to play Love opposite Twilight star Rob Pattinson in the Cobain role, and while Love quickly denied Pattinson was even being considered for the film, Love didn’t dismiss the idea of ScarJo joining the cast.
“I’m a big fan of Courtney’s, and I think she’s very, very talented. But I don’t know anything about the project,” Johansson told MTV News while promoting Iron Man 2. “It definitely would be a challenge.” As Rolling Stone previously reported, the long-delayed Cobain film based on the biography Heavier Than Heaven by Charles R. Cross is now in the hands of The Messengers director Oren Moverman and screenwriter David Benioff.
Earlier this week, Love discussed who she would want to play Cobain on The View , reiterating her desire to see either Ryan Gosling or James McAvoy tackle the role. Love has long been campaigning for The Notebook star Gosling to play Cobain — she began suggesting the actor as far back as January 2008. As for McAvoy, Love said the Wanted star “looks like Edward Norton and Kurt had a baby.” Norton and Love were romantically linked for three years following Cobain’s death.
Love previously squashed Internet rumors that Twilight‘s Pattinson was in line to portray Cobain, calling the idea “stupid,” adding, “That’s just so wrong.” As one of the producers on the biopic, Love retains final approval on casting decisions, the script and other production matters. However, she told the hosts of The View that she has no plans to see the Cobain film when it is eventually made: “I don’t think I can live through that.”