Transparent star Hari Nef is set to lead a new biopic about trans icon and Andy Warhol muse Candy Darling, Deadline reports. The as-yet-untitled biopic will be written by the writer of Transparent, Stephanie Kornick.
Darling was a trans actress from New York who got her start after being discovered by Warhol in a Jackie Curtis play called Glamour, Glory and Gold. After seeing her play Nona Noonan, Warhol cast her in his 1968 stage comedy Flesh as well as Women In Revolt. Darling would go on to star in indie films like Silent Night, Bloody Night, although her efforts to break into mainstream movies left her feeling frustrated by constant rejections. However, what she missed out on in mainstream media, she would make up for by having a tremendous impact on stage and in the music scene, as she was referenced in songs by The Velvet Underground and Lou Reed as well as inspiring St. Vincent’s image for her album, “Daddy’s Home”.
Nef’s big break came when she was cast as Gittel in Transparent, which lead to her SAG Award nomination in 2016. She has gone on to model and write about her experience as a trans woman, and is also credited as the first trans model signed to IMG Models and the first trans woman to premiere on the cover of a British magazine. She also writes as an advocate for trans rights.
In a statement to Deadline, Nef discussed her upcoming role and the impact of Darling on pop culture, stating:
The dream was always to play Candy, and it is the honor of my life to get the chance to do it. Candy bridged the gap between her dreams and a reality stacked so consummately against her—a transsexual glamour girl and indie icon reigning over Warhol’s Manhattan and Nixon’s America. She burned fast, and bright. More than anything, she wanted to be taken seriously as an actress. She taught girls like me how to dream—perhaps even how to be at all. She’s the blueprint.
Nef has gone the extra mile to prepare for the role, having spoken with Darling’s friends and read through her diaries as well as looking through old scripts from theatre archives that Darling has performed on stage.
The biopic will be executive produced by Zackary Drucker (Transparent, Lady and the Dale). Producers include Christian D. Bruun, Louis Spiegler, and Katrina Wolfe. The film is still looking for a director. No other production or casting details are known at this time.
Bruun briefly spoke about Nef’s casting with Deadline, saying:
Having Hari join team Candy is exciting for us in every way imaginable. We all knew that Candy’s story deserved to be told on film, but it’s truly amazing to imagine what Hari will bring to the role and we’re incredibly excited about embarking on this journey with her.
With all the upcoming biopics, such as Blonde a film based on Marilyn Monroe, and the Weird Al Yankovic biopic starring Daniel Radcliffe, causing quite a stir in the industry, it will be interesting to see what new yet classic perspective Darling’s biopic will add to the lineup. And with the thorough deep dive into getting the facts right for Nef’s interpretation, it will surely turn out to be worth the watch.
