A casting confirmation sparks excitement
Meryl Streep has been confirmed to portray legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell in an upcoming biographical film. The news was revealed on February 1, 2026, during a pre-Grammys event, where record executive Clive Davis confirmed the long-standing casting rumors. The project is being directed by Cameron Crowe and has been quietly developing over the span of seven years. It has been stated that the movie will explore Joni Mitchell’s life and career through her own perspective rather than following a traditional biography.
Meryl Streep is confirmed to play Joni Mitchell in an upcoming biopic based on the singer.
(https://t.co/oT7wpMUW95) pic.twitter.com/jBFhuiZABI
— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 7, 2026
The film aims to tell a broader life story
In earlier comments made in 2023, Cameron Crowe explained that the film would not focus on only one short period of Mitchell’s career. Instead, the movie will take from the singer’s personal accounts and experiences across different stages of her life.
“It’s Joni’s life, not [seen] through anybody else’s prism,” he shared. “It’s through her prism. It’s the characters who impacted her life that you know and a lot that you don’t know. And the music is so cinematic.”
In addition, the director previously expressed hope that the film would be released before 2026, though no official release date has yet been revealed.
Meryl Streep brings experience playing real musicians on screen
Joni Mitchell’s no.1 fan (Meryl Streep) has been CONFIRMED to play Joni Mitchell in the upcoming biopic — yay! 😍 pic.twitter.com/uJoi1JXmgD
— maddie ✧.* (@merylsglasses) February 1, 2026
This will not be Meryl Streep’s first rodeo playing a real musician. She scored Academy Award nominations for her roles as the violinist Roberta Guaspari in 1999’s Music of the Heart and the titular character in Florence Foster Jenkins, about the life of the amateur singer, in 2016. In addition, she played Donna Sheridan in 2008’s Mamma Mia!, a jukebox musical made with ABBA songs. Her background in music-focused roles is seen as a strong fit for the Mitchell project, which is expected to blend storytelling, performance, and personal history.
