The Hollywood Reporter
Mick Jagger is best known for his musical pursuits, of course — his accomplishments as frontman of the Rolling Stones need no introduction.
But lately, the singer is turning his attention to a new medium: TV and film. And rather than split time between his pursuits, Jagger is devoting the brunt of his time to the visual side of entertainment, rather than the musical.
In a new cover story with The Hollywood Reporter, Jagger dishes on his work on James Brown biopic “Get On Up,” as well as some of his other future projects — all the while shying away from questions about his music and, interesting, memoirs.
“I think the rock ‘n’ roll memoir is a glutted market,” Jagger said. “I’d rather be doing something new. I’d rather be making new films, making new music, be touring. If someone wants to know what I did in 1965, they can look it up on Wikipedia without even spending any money.”
Gallery: Mick Jagger Goes Hollywood
Jagger was referring to a query about the recent market for rock star memoirs, including Stones bandmate Keith Richard’s 2010 book “Life.” The memoir included some less-than-stellar observations about the frontman.
He’s currently producing “Get On Up,” a Brown biopic under his production company Jagged Films that is set for an Aug. 1 release. Jagger has encountered his share of criticism about helming the project — particularly given that, though the actors in the film are predominantly black, much of the driving force behind the scenes is not.
“By that logic, only English people can play English people, only Americans can play Americans,” he countered. “I mean, come on. Look at [Cate Blanchett’s] ‘Elizabeth.’ That was a really great movie directed by an Indian [Shekhar Kapur]. I don’t care if you come from Timbuktu or Tonkin or, you know, London. It doesn’t matter.”
His foray into producing TV and film is certainly paying off thus far, with a score of big names in Hollywood singing his praises — including Martin Scorsese, with whom Jagger is working on an HBO rock ‘n’ roll series.
“Mick is absolutely alone in a very important sense — he’s a consummate artist, performer and businessman,” Scorsese says. “I have a feeling that nothing escapes his notice. No detail is too small. So, here’s a guy who has been at the center of the music industry for many years, on multiple levels, and he has what appears to be a perfect memory as well as a rich sense of character and of drama, of cinema. … Who could be a better artistic collaborator?”
For the full Mick cover story, visit THR.com. For even more, including a jail-house interview with boy-band svengali Lou Pearlman, buy the issue.