ALMOST FAMOUS, Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical comedy/drama about a teenage journalist writing for Rolling Stone in the early 70s while touring with rock-band Stillwater, is quickly approaching its 20th anniversary. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we've seen numerous celebrities reunite for podcasts, virtual table-reads, and other get-togethers, and it seems that the cast of ALMOST FAMOUS will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the film by reuniting for a five-part podcast next month.
James Andrew Miller will be hosting Origins: Almost Famous Turns Twenty, which will feature Cameron Crowe, as well as members of the cast, reflecting on the cultural impact and legacy of ALMOST FAMOUS. As far as the cast members go, you can expect to hear from Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Jimmy Fallon, Jason Lee, Zooey Deschanel, and others. Additionally, Peter Frampton, the technical consultant, will also appear, as will Nancy Wilson, who co-wrote the songs which Stillwater performs in the film. We'll also hear from casting director Gail Levin, rock n' roll photographer Neal Preston, as well as Pennie Trumbull, the real-life inspiration of Penny Lane, the role played by Hudson. In a statement, Cameron Crowe said:
Between his personable style, and the exhaustive research behind his wonderful questions, Jim Miller managed to summon all the spirit and emotion of Almost Famous with the original cast. It’s a little bit of a magic trick. He put the band back together.
"I’ve loved Almost Famous since day one," James Andrew Miller added. "It’s easy to argue this is one of the greatest films of the past quarter-century, and it was on my Mount Rushmore of movies to share with my daughter. What I wasn’t expecting, however, was that Cameron and the cast would — 20 years after the movie’s release — remember so much and be so keenly affected by the experience of making the film together. Their memories and deeply personal reflections were raw, and fans of the film will hear a great many new revealing anecdotes and candid observations from all of them." Origins: Almost Famous Turns Twenty will debut on July 8, 2020.