‘Upper Cut’: Atmosphere Entertainment To Develop Film Based On Memoir By Hollywood Hairdresser Carrie White; Susan McMartin Adapting Script For Julia Fox Pic

Mark and Dorothy Canton’s Atmosphere Entertainment has acquired the rights to Upper Cut: Highlights of My Hollywood Life, an internationally bestselling memoir by Carrie White, which it is developing for film.

Upper Cut is an unflinching portrayal of addiction and recovery as told through the eyes of White, who’s otherwise known as the “First Lady of Hairdressing.” White was behind the scenes of every Hollywood photo shoot, TV appearance, and party in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, collaborating with Richard Avedon on shoots for Vogue, partying with Jim Morrison, giving Nurse Ratchett her signature style, getting high with Jimi Hendrix, and touching the heads of Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis Presley, Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, and Goldie Hawn, to name only a few. But behind the glamorous facade, Carrie’s world was in perpetual disarray. She fueled the frenetic pace of her professional life with a steady diet of champagne and vodka, pills, cocaine, and heroin until she lost everything.

Julia Fox (Uncut Gems, No Sudden Move) is set to play the author in the film adapted by screenwriter Susan McMartin (Mom, Mr. Church), which Mark Canton (300, Power franchise, The Freak Brothers) will exec produce with Dorothy Canton (Arthur the King, Power, The Freak Brothers). A director has not yet been attached.

“Carrie White is a legend, and her book is full of incredible Hollywood stories spanning the decades,” said Dorothy Canton. “Most of all, her story is one of redemption and hope that reminds us that we can overcome our darkest demons.”

“Upper Cut is a fantastic page-turner filled with tales of old school Hollywood and the biggest stars of all time,” said Mark Canton. “It’s an intense, dramatic story that will make you laugh until you cry.”

“I’m truly honored to adapt Carrie’s incredible story of sex, drugs, rock n roll and HAIR for the screen,” commented McMartin. “Having grown up in Los Angeles myself, as well as having faced my own demons with addiction, Carrie’s book resonated with me on a very personal level. Her writing is honest, raw, hilarious, heartbreaking and takes you on a journey that at times feels unbelievable — but it’s all true! I’m equally thrilled that the beautiful, smart, talented, badass Julia Fox will be playing the role of Carrie. Julia and I have worked together on a couple of projects, and she is a force to be reckoned with.”

“Carrie’s life story is made for the big screen,” remarked Fox, “and I hope it will inspire women to change their lives, reinvent themselves no matter what age they are, and to follow their dreams no matter how wild and outlandish they might seem!”

Added White, “Dedicated and talented, Dorothy and Mark Canton are my trusted stewards. Experienced, brilliant, Susan McMartin grasps all I wanted to communicate in Upper Cut. Julia Fox possesses the grit and glamour to step into my shoes of survival, becoming the First Lady of Hairdressing, the rise and fall and recovery!”

Atmosphere Entertainment exec produces the series in Starz’s Power universe, including the spin-offs Ghost, Raising Kanan and the soon-to-be-released Force. The company has also produced the blockbusters 300 and 300: Rise of an Empire; the films Den of Thieves (and its upcoming sequel), Immortals and The Spiderwick Chronicles; the upcoming Mark Wahlberg pic, Arthur the King; and the animated series The Freak Brothers, which recently premiered as the most watched show in the history of the streaming service, Tubi. Atmosphere exec produced the latter alongside Courtney Solomon.

Mark Canton is represented by Gersh; McMartin by UTA, LINK Entertainment, and Morris Yorn; Fox by WME and Framework Entertainment.