From Sophie Zawitowski and Miranda Priestley to Julia Child and Margaret Thatcher, it’s no secret that iconic actress Meryl Streep has incredible acting range and versatility as evidenced by her 19 Academy award nominations and numerous honors. Once again, the Oscar winner is showing how much she can stretch in her latest movie “Ricki and the Flash.” Broadway icon and six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald is one of several stars who join Streep in this tale of a musician who gave up everything for her dream of rock-and-roll stardom returns home, looking to make things right with her family.
McDonald fans are accustomed to seeing her sharing her incredible talent on the stage (A Raisin in the Sun, Lady Day at Emerson Bar and Grill) and on television (“Private Practice). But she is no stranger to the big screen. She’s appeared in “Seven Servants,” “The Object of My Affection,” “Cradle Will Rock,” “It Runs in the Family,” “Rampart,” and “The Best Thief in the World.” McDonald will also provide the voice of “Garderobe” in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” slated for release in 2017.
As rock musician “Ricki Rendazzo,” Streep is a one-time wife and mother of three who left her family behind to follow her dreams of rock ‘n’ roll stardom in California. Now, the singer and guitarist must face the music when she returns home to Indiana to reconnect with her ex-husband “Pete,” troubled daughter “Julie,” engaged son “Josh” and younger son “Adam.” Filled with regret, Ricki hopes to find redemption for all of the bad choices that she made in the past.
In addition to Streep and McDonald, who plays “Pete’s” new wife “Maureen,” the cast includes stellar actors and musicians, including Kevin Kline as “Pete,” Mamie Gummar (Streep’s real-life daughter) as Julie and Rick Springfield as “Greg,” Ricki’s lead guitarist and sometime lover.
Since everyone knows McDonald can sing and act, wouldn’t it be fun to see a film in which the roles were reversed and she was the rock star musician? Hmmm, let’s keep our fingers crossed.
