By Movie Geeks | June 6, 2019
To say we’re big fans of these women is an understatement. We grew up watching COAL MINERS DAUGHTER (Academy Award for Best Actress Sissy Spacek – who did her own singing) in 1980, followed by SWEET DREAMS in 1985 starring Jessica Lange as Patsy Cline.
Spacek’s co-star Beverly D’Angelo, who played Patsy Cline, also did her own singing rather than lip-synching; she was nominated for a Golden Globe as was Tommy Lee Jones.
Now comes Lifetime’s Patsy & Loretta.
The official Loretta Lynn Facebook page debuted this first poster from the upcoming film.
The movie will star Megan Hilty (Smash, The Good Wife) as music legend Patsy Cline and Grammy winner Jessie Mueller (Broadway’s Waitress, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) as country icon Loretta Lynn.
The movie, produced by Sony Pictures Television, is executive produced by Neil Meron, in his first solo project since the passing of longtime producing partner Craig Zadan.
Debuting later this year, the movie was filmed on location in Nashville, helmed by award-winning director Callie Khouri (Thelma & Louise, Nashville) from a script by Angelina Burnett (The Americans, Genius) Patsy & Loretta also marks a reunion for Meron and Hilty who worked together on the musical series, Smash.
If anyone can do justice to the Patsy Cline songs, its Megan Hilty….that is great casting! She played Glinda in Wicked and she can belt. Hilty was Kristin Chenoweth’s understudy and took over the role when she left.
(L to R) Jessie Mueller and Megan Hilty star in Patsy & Loretta debuting on Lifetime in October 2019. Photo by Jake Giles Netter. Copyright 2019
Patsy & Loretta is produced by Sony Pictures Television and Zadan/Meron Entertainment for Lifetime. Neil Meron serves as executive producer while Mark Nicholson, who runs development and production for Zadan/Meron Productions serves as co-EP.
Co-producers are Loretta Lynn’s daughter Pasty Lynn Russell and Patsy Cline’s daughter Julie Fudge on behalf of Patsy Cline’s Estate. Oscar-winning writer Callie Khouri who also created the TV series Nashville, will direct from a script by Angelina Burnett.
By Melissa Thompson and Michelle Hannett