Meryl Streep is set to portray music icon Joni Mitchell in an upcoming biopic, according to legendary record executive Clive Davis.
The Oscar-winning actor has long been rumored to be attached to the project, which is being developed by filmmaker and music journalist-turned-director Cameron Crowe. While no formal casting announcement has been issued, Davis appeared to all but confirm the news during his annual pre-Grammy party in Los Angeles on Saturday night, Feb. 1.
According to Rolling Stone, Davis revealed the casting while addressing the crowd and welcoming Mitchell, publicly stating that Streep would portray her in Crowe’s long-gestating biopic.
Streep has been linked to the role since 2024, though the production has remained officially under wraps. Reports have also suggested that Anya Taylor-Joy may appear in the film as a younger version of Mitchell.
Crowe has been developing the project for several years and recently indicated that the film is expected to enter production in 2026. In a 2025 interview with The New York Times, the director spoke candidly about his close relationship with Mitchell and the depth of research behind the film.
“I am friends with Joni Mitchell. Proudly,” Crowe said, recalling their celebrated 1979 Rolling Stone interview conducted during the release of her Mingus album, which he described as the best interview of his career.
Asked about the biopic, Crowe remained guarded but enthusiastic. He explained that a dream inspired the film’s narrative structure, prompting him to reach out to Mitchell’s inner circle. That conversation eventually led to an extraordinary creative process: weekly Monday night meetings at Mitchell’s home, where she invited Crowe to ask anything and everything.
“That’s what I’ve been doing all this time,” Crowe said. “It’s been incredibly inspiring, the deepest conversations I’ve ever had with any artist. I can’t wait to make the movie.”
If finalized, the project would unite one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed actors with one of the most influential musicians of the past century, under the direction of a filmmaker deeply embedded in Mitchell’s world.
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