Debbie Harry says she would “be in heaven” if Florence Pugh played her in a planned Blondie biopic, adding that Pugh “could do anything.” The comment, made in a recent interview with The Times, comes as Harry advances two projects about her life and band—a feature biopic and a documentary—both in development with filmmaker Charlotte Wells. No casting is set and no deal with Pugh has been announced, but Harry’s endorsement aligns with longstanding fan speculation and Pugh’s rise as a lead who can carry musically driven roles.
The projects arrive at a transitional moment for Blondie’s legacy. This year marked the death of drummer Clem Burke at 70, an event the group and peers memorialized by calling him the band’s “heartbeat.” Harry has continued to participate in tributes and archival efforts while weighing how the group performs going forward without two of its most defining onstage presences.
Harry’s remarks also follow fresh activity around the catalog. She has discussed new reissues and the band’s next studio plans, and she has framed the film efforts as part of documenting a career that spanned New York’s downtown clubs, mainstream pop radio, and an enduring second life across festivals and retrospectives. The Times noted ongoing work tied to a reissue of the 1999 comeback album and an album-in-progress featuring outside collaborators.
Industry attention has focused on Wells, whose first feature drew acclaim for its intimate storytelling. Harry’s confirmation that Wells is developing both the biopic and the documentary suggests a unified approach to tone and perspective, with the scripted film expected to trace the emergence of Blondie and Harry’s evolution as a frontwoman and actor. As enthusiasm builds around the casting question, the next concrete steps—screenplay, financing, and star commitments—will determine whether the biopic moves from development to production.
