British comedy sensation Daisy May Cooper is reportedly in talks to take on a dramatic new role, playing the mother of legendary DJ Fat Tony in a forthcoming biopic adaptation of his harrowing memoir.
From Comedy to Hard-Hitting Drama
The film will adapt DJ Fat Tony's 2022 memoir I Don't Take Requests, which details his extraordinary journey from being one of London's most sought-after DJs to battling a life-threatening addiction that left him homeless and near death. According to sources speaking to The Sun, Cooper, 39, has been lined up to portray Tony's mother Dawn Marnoch in what promises to be a powerful cinematic portrayal.
"Tony is really proud of his memoir and now he's in the process of turning it into a film," revealed an insider. "He's been telling everyone that Daisy was going to be playing his mum in the film. Daisy is a sensational actress and Tony had a real coup getting her on board."
A Life of Extremes: From Club Royalty to Rock Bottom
The memoir tells the astonishing story of Tony Marnoch, known professionally as DJ Fat Tony, who grew up on a Battersea estate and was given his first line of cocaine by Freddie Mercury at just 15 years old. He rose through the ranks of London's nightlife scene, first as a drag artist in the 1980s before becoming a celebrated DJ in the 1990s.
His career saw him become the "first port of call" for parties hosted by the Beckhams and counted celebrities including Kate Moss, Boy George, Madonna, and Tracey Emin among his inner circle. Kelly Osbourne describes him as "one of the most beautiful examples of humanity I have ever witnessed."
However, behind the glittering facade lay a devastating drug addiction that nearly cost him everything. At the age of 39, Tony embarked on a five-day bender involving "eight-balls of coke" and prescription drugs that left him emaciated and with only one tooth remaining. "I was so emaciated that you could close your hands around my entire waist," he wrote in his memoir.
The Road to Recovery and Sobriety
The turning point came when his former partner found him as a "zombie" in the back room of a London club, rocking back and forth and chewing his gums. This rock bottom moment began his journey to 15 years of sobriety that continues today.
His addiction had such a powerful grip that he lived with an undiagnosed HIV infection for up to 15 years, eventually leaving him in a coma for four months because the condition went untreated for so long. "My addiction was far greater than I was at that point in time," Tony reflected. "I got to the very last moments before death, all I thought about on a daily basis was dying."
He credits his ex-partner Johnny with helping him achieve sobriety, stating that "the love of one person changed that." The recovery process required him to leave London for six months to escape the environment that facilitated his addiction.
Today, Tony compartmentalises his career into "before" and "after" recovery and enjoys a thriving career that sees him regularly flown around the world to play for elite clients. "I was DJ-ing with Joan Collins last night for a tea party," he shared. "I'm going to do Donatella Versace's party in Lake Como in a couple of weeks and I have to pinch myself that it's real. 15 years ago, I was homeless on the streets."
The film adaptation promises to explore these dramatic contrasts, from wild anecdotes about Kate Moss needing naps during parties to the profound personal transformation that saved his life. With Daisy May Cooper reportedly attached to play his mother Dawn, audiences can anticipate a compelling portrayal of the family dynamics behind this remarkable redemption story.
