Jessica Gunning, known for her role in 'Baby Reindeer,' has been cast to portray singer Cass Elliot in the upcoming biopic 'My Mama Cass.' The film, adapted from Elliot's daughter Owen Elliot-Kugell's memoir, focuses on the life and legacy of the Mamas & the Papas member.
Jessica Gunning will star as Cass Elliot in 'My Mama Cass,' a biographical drama centered on the influential artist's life, legacy, and music. The project is based on the memoir of the same name by Elliot's only child, Owen Elliot-Kugell. According to a press release, the film is not a biopic of the Mamas & the Papas but rather highlights Elliot's individual story. Emma Forrest is writing the screenplay, with no director attached yet. Veritas Entertainment, which produced the Bob Dylan biopic 'A Complete Unknown,' is handling production.
Cass Elliot was the strongest singer in the 1960s folk group the Mamas & the Papas. She played a key role in the Los Angeles music scene, with her Laurel Canyon home serving as a hub for figures like Joni Mitchell, David Crosby, and Eric Clapton. In 1967, the group closed the Monterey Pop Festival, which launched careers including those of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. After the band's 1968 breakup, Elliot pursued a solo career with hits such as 'Make Your Own Kind of Music' and 'Dream a Little Dream of Me.' She hosted her own variety show, 'The Mama Cass Television Program,' in 1969.
The film will address the rumor that Elliot died at age 32 from choking on a ham sandwich, clarifying that her official cause of death was a heart attack. Gunning rose to prominence as Martha Scott in the Netflix series 'Baby Reindeer,' earning Emmy, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and Critics' Choice awards for her portrayal of a stalker. She has since appeared in Steven Soderbergh's 'The Christophers' and joined the casts of 'The Magic Faraway Tree' and 'Anxious People.'
The project confirms an earlier report and is being shopped to buyers and financiers.
