The story of Neil Bogart’s journey through the music industry is finally coming to the big screen. Spinning Gold had been being developed by Neil’s son, Timothy Scott Bogart, for over a decade, as the project was first announced back in September 2011 with Justin Timberlake slotted in the leading role. The biopic was put on pause for an extended period of time but got up and moving once more in June 2019, now featuring Broadway star Jeremy Jordan as Neil with Golden Globe nominees Jason Isaacs and Michelle Monaghan as well as music stars Wiz Khalifa and Jason Derulo rounding out the ensemble.
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Speaking to ComicBook.com, Spinning Gold director Timothy Scott Bogart revealed that the moment he was introduced to Jordan’s performances on YouTube was the moment he knew that he was perfect to portray his father.
“I had been struggling trying to figure out how to cast my father. That’s a tough one. I had been casting all the other roles. I was struggling to find someone who had that just extraordinary power of performance,” Timothy explained. “I was actually talking to a producing partner, Laurence Mark, and asked him, ‘Who’s the greatest showman currently on Broadway? That’s what we need, someone who’s just going to eat up that entire theater.’ He just said, ‘Jeremy Jordan.’ I went on YouTube and started [searching him]. The moment I saw this guy on stage, I was just completely immersed in that same kind of energy.”
Jordan himself added that once Timothy discovered what he was capable of on stage, his involvement in Spinning Gold was non-negotiable.
“He dragged me to it. He wouldn’t have let me say no (laughs),” Jordan added. “I did try to say no, not for any lack of enjoying or liking the film, it was just timing. We’ve ultimately made it work. It was really bizarre for me to be approached in that manner that it was just like, ‘It’s you and that’s it, so let’s figure this out.’ Tim has the thing that Neil has, which is that he will not stop. And he will use every tool in his toolbox to make his vision and his dream come to reality. I couldn’t help but hop on board with that energy. You just can’t help but be drawn to it and want to be a part of it.”
Spinning Gold hits theaters this Friday, March 31st.
