Amy friends ‘disgusted’ as dad lets biopic recreate one of her darkest hours at f lat she loved
FRIENDS of Amy Winehouse have voiced their fury with her father, after he allowed ghoulish scenes of her drugs overdose to be filmed at her old flat.
Marisa Abela, the actress playing the singer in the biopic Back To Black, is seen in our exclusive pictures on a stretcher with an oxygen mask as she leaves the property in North London.
The flat is now owned by Ms Winehouse’s father Mitch, played in the film by Eddie Marsan, who also features in the scene, right, alongside Ms Abela and other actors playing paramedics.
Last night friends of the singer were devastated that Mr Winehouse has given his permission for the flat in Camden to be used to recreate one of his daughter’s darkest moments, which took place in August 2008.
It followed a reported 36-hour marathon drug-taking session, which ended with her checking in to the £10,000-a-week Causeway Retreat rehabilitation centre on Osea Island, Essex.
One told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The fact that Amy’s father has said OK to a scene where she had an overdose in the flat she lived in is disgusting.
‘It was such a personal thing and it’s so upsetting and not needed. It’s like the film is reliving all the darkest moments in her life, when there were so many more amazing moments.
‘All we’re seeing is the depressing stuff, but that’s not who she was. Mitch should be ashamed. His behaviour is shocking. He didn’t know what went on or what she was like with us all during those years. Amy would really hate that they’re focusing on all the dark stuff that she went through.’
Ms Winehouse lived in the property following the release of her Back To Black album and friends say that she enjoyed happy times there. One pal said: ‘There was always music and laughter. That’s who Amy was. She was so loving and was so fun to be around.’
Ms Winehouse lived at the flat until 2010, when she bought a fourstorey house nearby, where she was found dead the following year, aged 27. It was later confirmed she died of alcohol poisoning.
Ms Winehouse allowed a friend to live at the flat after she moved out, but after she died, her father took control of it.
Ms Abela, 26, who starred in the risqué BBC drama, Industry, has been seen filming various scenes for the movie, directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. The actress was seen last week dressed in a white denim mini-skirt and black top standing next to Mr Winehouse’s black taxi.
A source close to Ms Winehouse’s family said: ‘Amy’s life was full of ups as well as downs. Great care will be taken to tell her story honestly and accurately.’