Vera Farmiga, one of the best and most underrated actresses in Hollywood, might finally get some traction with audiences when she plays Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie in the Dennis Wilson biopic "The Drummer," which is slated to begin shooting June 15. She'll star opposite Aaron Eckhart in the title role, and while he's not exactly known for being passion's plaything on camera, if anyone can ignite a spark in him, it's Farmiga.
Curiosity about what might have gone on between the Fleetwood Mac singer/songwriter and the darkest of Beach Boys should pack audiences into the theater. Wilson and McVie had a relationship described as passionate and tumultuous, in which they both inspired and outraged each other, from 1979 to 1981. McVie is reported to have ended the relationship because of her difficulty in dealing with Wilson's substance abuse.
Farmiga should actually have an easier go of it than Eckhart. She's a classically trained pianist who is quite comfortable singing and playing. Eckhart, on the other hand, is in the process of learning to play drums and piano, and also undergoing intense voice coaching. No word yet on surfing lessons, which might be necessary since Dennis Wilson was the only Beach Boy who actually took to the waves.
While Farmiga was nominated for an Oscar for her supporting role opposite George Clooney in "Up in the Air," more substantial performances in intense independent dramas like "Down to the Bone" and "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" have gone largely unrecognized by the general public. Moviegoers may or may not remember her from big studio films like "The Manchurian Candidate," Martin Scorsese's "The Departed," and "Source Code." She recently directed and starred in "Higher Ground," which was a Sundance hit in 2011 and received a limited release later that year from Sony Pictures Classics.
It's likely that "The Drummer" will be Farmiga's most high-profile role yet, and could well win her an Oscar nod. Within the last several years, two actresses won best performance Oscars for playing real life songstresses: Reese Witherspoon for her overrated portrayal of June Carter Cash in "Walk the Line," and Marion Cotillard for her amazing turn as Edith Piaf in "La Vie En Rose." Still, Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning went practically unnoticed for outstanding performances as Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, respectively, in "The Runaways" -- perhaps because both actresses were getting so much more press for their work in the "Twilight" series, and "The Runaways" didn't have major studio backing.
Neither does "The Drummer" -- yet. Produced by Randall Miller and Jody Savin, who also worked together on the indie hit "Bottle Shock," there's a good chance the film will be picked up for distribution by a studio such as Fox Searchlight, which is famous for Oscar favorites like "Slumdog Millionaire," "Little Miss Sunshine," "Juno," "Black Swan," and "The Descendants." Cross your fingers if you're a Farmiga fan.
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