Jack O’Connell to play Happy Mondays’ Shaun Ryder in new ‘Twisting My Melon’ biopic

The film is based on the singer's 2011 autobiography of the same name

Jack O’Connell is set to play Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder in a new biopic.

The film, which is set to start production in January 2020, is based on the singer’s 2011 autobiography of the same name.

O’Connell, who made his name starring in cult TV show Skins, will take the lead role in the film, which tracks the life of the star from childhood to his career with the Mondays.

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Others reportedly set for roles in the film include Jason Isaacs, who is in talks to play Ryder’s father, while Maxine Peake looks set to play his mother.

The film will also mark the directorial debut of Matt Greenhalgh, screenwriter for previous musical biopics including Control, based on the life of Joy Division‘s Ian Curtis, and John Lennon flick Nowhere Boy.

Shaun Ryder live
Shaun Ryder live

“Shaun Ryder is the son of John Lennon, Johnny Rotten with a few kilos of John Belushi stamped in,” the director said of the film.

“He’s risen from the dead more times than anyone can remember, and his poetry will last forever. Shaun, and the last true working-class band – the Happy Mondays – mainlined into my musical DNA when I was 16 years old. Thanks to AGC, I feel honoured to be able to author the only rock’n’roll movie I want to see.”

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Shaun Ryder recently took NME‘s Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?! challenge, quizzed by Gary Ryan on his life and career.

Speaking of his frequent appearances on reality TV shows, he said: “We’re a bunch of old fuckers almost hitting 60. If you want the band known to younger generations, that’s what you’ve got to do now. Believe it or not, me and Bez choose the reality TV we do wisely. If we’re playing a festival, we look out into the audience and the ages range from eight to fuckin’ 80.”

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