Amy Winehouse‘s dad is not walking away from his legal battle happy.
The father of the late iconic English singer took up a case in court against her friends over the sale of some of the musician’s property. This comes after he allegedly offered money to them in exchange for the proceeds of the wardrobe auctions, with a promise to put everything on the back burner.
Amy Winehouse’s dad has faced heat following his daughter’s tragic death over his control over her estate, legacy, and his decisions in her 2024 biopic “Back to Black.
Amy Winehouse’s Dad Slammed As Controlling By Judge
The late singer’s father, Mitch Winehouse, tallied up a new loss as the judge did not rule in his favor on Monday, April 20. Mitch was suing his late daughter’s friends, Naomi Parry and Catriona Gourlay, for auctioning off items from Amy’s wardrobe worth over $1 million. In his lawsuit, he claims that the friends of the musician were not allowed to part with the items without his knowledge.
They sold over 100 pieces of clothing from Amy’s stash at auctions in 2021 and 2023. Gourlay and Parry, on the other hand, argued that all the items they sold, including the silk dress the singer wore at her final show in Serbia, were items that belonged to them or were given to them before she died in 2011.
Mitch, who is the administrator of the performer’s estate, maintained that the duo “deliberately concealed” the sales. Judge Sarah Clarke highlighted in her ruling that Amy’s estate was a source of personal wealth for her father, and “he is equally sensitive about ensuring that the family continues to benefit financially.”
As reported by US Weekly, Clarke also pointed out that Mitch participated in the 2021 auction and, instead of letting all the proceeds go to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, he changed his mind after the event. The late singer’s father requested that 30 percent of the proceeds go to the foundation and the remaining 70 percent go to the estate.
Mitch Winehouse Allegedly Tried To Get All The Money From The Auction
“The evidence shows that in addition to Mr. Winehouse’s many good qualities, he likes to dominate people and situations and expects people to do what he wants,” Judge Clarke stated in her ruling and ultimately dismissed the case. Court documents reveal that the performer’s father allegedly offered Parry a whopping sum of $250,000 in exchange for what she had earned from the auction of Amy’s wardrobe items.
He allegedly claimed that if Parry accepted the money, it would “make this all go away.” In response, Parry, who was also the late singer’s creative partner and costume designer, told Mitch off, reportedly stating that she would “rather set the money on fire than give him a penny.”
Parry shared on social media how happy and grateful she was that the case turned out in her favor. She felt hurt that her relationship with the “Valarie” singer, which lasted from 2006 till her tragic death, was unjustly misrepresented. She stated that she was glad that her name was finally cleared after years of “deeply damaging and unfounded allegations brought by Mitch Winehouse.”
The ‘Rehab’ Singer’s Biopic Ignited Online Controversy
Amy’s 2024 biopic “Back to Black” was directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and written by Matt Greenhalgh, but under the control of her father. The film sparked flames online after the casting for the lead role was revealed. English actress Marisa Abela was chosen to play the role of the iconic vocalist, and The Blast reported that all hell broke loose.
Many internet users pointed out the uncanny decision-making, emphasizing no significant resemblance between Abela and Amy, with questions about the actress’s vocal talents. Despite the heavy backlash, Mitch insisted that Abela was right for the role. He explained that his daughter and the actress are two separate people, and Abela does not need to be Amy’s split image to play the part.
Mitch also pointed out that Eddie Marsan, who plays the singer’s father in the film, does not look like him, so it should not matter much. According to Mitch, many actors in Hollywood play real-life characters with whom they have no physical resemblance, like Cary Grant, who played Cole Porter in “Night and Day,” even though they looked nothing like each other.
Does Marisa Abela’s Talent Speak For Her?
While many fans expressed their feelings about the casting for the biopic, some notably gave Abela her flowers while dropping their criticisms. “There is still time to change actresses, as Marisa Abela has no similarities with Amy. If you want veracity and to portray what happened to Amy, hire an actress who looks like AMY!!! I’m not discrediting Marisa’s work; if she got the role, it was on her merits,” a user commented at the time.
Abela has a good standing in the entertainment industry, although being an actress was not her first career choice. As reported by The Blast, she initially planned to pursue History and Law at UCL with aspirations of becoming a human rights lawyer, but she had a change of heart at the last moment and opted to pursue acting instead. Abela has starred in the Sky One action series “Cobra,” where she played the character of Ellie Sutherland. She also played Yasmin Kara-Hanani in the popular series “Industry.”
Amy Winehouse’s Ex Recently Spoke About Her Tragic Death
Amy was married to Blake Fielder-Civil from May 2007 till August 2009. The singer passed away in July 2011 at the tender age of 27 years after experiencing accidental alcohol poisoning. The “Valerie” singer went through a very public battle with addiction, and after her death, some conspiracy theories roped her ex into the picture, casting blame.
Fielder-Civil, who was not present at the singer’s funeral, recently spoke up on a podcast explaining that he is not to blame for her death. The Blast reported that many pushed the narrative that Amy’s death was his responsibility, and he was clearing the air, only 14 years later. “I never shirk from any responsibility. If I’ve done something, I’ll put my hand up to it,” he said, stating that he was not the iconic singer’s drug dealer and did not force her to use hard substances.
Fielder-Civil then admitted that he “had a part to play” in the tragedy because he was the one who introduced her to hardcore drugs such as heroin and crack. However, he reiterated that his ex-wife did what she wanted to and carried on drinking despite the knowledge of the damage it was doing to her.
Will Amy Winehouse’s dad take his legal loss in good faith?