It’s all happening! Fans of Cameron Crow’s semi-autobiographical 2000 film
Almost Famous are about to get the cover story exclusive to the iconic and endearing rock ‘n roll coming-of-age film. To celebrate the film’s 20
th anniversary, the cast, along with Crowe and the real-life inspirations for the characters, are reuniting for an honest and unmerciful five-part podcast from Cadence13 that will debut on July 8. That you can print.The series will be hosted by James Andrew Miller, the one guy you’re not supposed to tell your secrets to. The episodes will feature Crowe talking about his real-life experiences as a teenage reporter for Rolling Stone, which became the inspiration for
Almost Famous. The film’s stars, including Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand, Billy Crudup, Zooey Deschanel, Jimmy Fallon, Patrick Fugit, Jason Lee and more, will also appear.Musicians Peter Frampton, who acted as the technical consultant, and Heart singer Nancy Wilson, who along with Crowe co-wrote the original songs for the fictional band Stillwater, will also share their memories of the film (Wilson and Crowe were married at the time of filming). Casting director Gail Levin, rock photographer Neal Preston, and Pennie Trumbull, a consultant on the film and the real-life inspiration for Hudson’s character Penny Lane, will also make
appearances on the podcast.
Almost Famous starred Patrick Fugit as William Miller, an aspiring 15-year-old music writer based on Crowe. William is still in high school when he lands his first job at
Rolling Stone covering up-and-coming fictional band Stillwater. William receives guidance throughout the film from real-life
Rolling Stone and
Creem music writer Lester Bangs, played brilliantly by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.While following Stillwater across the US, Miller falls in love with ‘Band-aid’ Penny Lane, who is having an affair with Stillwater frontman Russell Hammond, played by Billy Crudup. Frances McDormand plays Williams’ protective mother Elaine, Zooey Deschanel plays his rebellious older sister Anita who introduces him to rock music, and Jimmy Fallon appears as the band’s manager.
Anna Paquin, Fairuza Balk and Bijou Phillips also star as Penny Lane’s fellow Band-aids. Jason Lee plays Stillwater frontman Jeff Bebe, Terry Chen acts as Rolling Stone’s famous editor
Ben Fong-Torres, and Jay Baruchel appears as one of William’s only friends and fellow music fan.
The Office’s Rainn Wilson and
Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet both make brief appearances in
Almost Famous, and actor Michael Angarano plays a younger version of William.Several of the film’s actors can be heard in the trailer for the upcoming podcast series, including Frances McDormand, who jokes that she is much less reserved in real life than her character, who was based on Crowe’s mother. “In my heart, I’m rock and roll,” says McDormand.The trailer also includes Hudson revealing that many actors dropped out of the project early on and says that she told Crowe she wasn’t going anywhere. “This doesn’t come around very often, and I want to be in this movie,” said Hudson. “It became our life for six months and we really went there with each other.”
Following its debut at TIFF in 2000,
Almost Famous went on to receive four Academy Award nominations and won Best Original Screenplay. The film also won two Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Supporting Actress for Hudson. Packed with original tracks and classic rock songs from the 1970s,
Almost Famous took home a Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.In 2019, a stage adaption of
Almost Famous opened in San Diego to positive reviews. The musical was set to move to
Broadway starting in October of this year but will likely be delayed because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.[video_embed id='1978519']Before you go: 'Breaking Beauty' is the beauty podcast you should be listening to[/video_embed]
