Stardust: David before Bowie

David Bowie is one of the most seminal legends in music history; but who was the man behind the many faces?

In 1971, a 24-year-old fledgling David Bowie (Johnny Flynn) is sent to America to promote his newest record, The Man Who Sold the World. Leaving behind his pregnant wife Angie (Jena Malone), Bowie and his band embark on a makeshift coast-to-coast promotional tour with struggling Mercury Records publicist Rob Oberman (Marc Maron).

Stateside, Bowie is quickly met with an audience that’s not yet ready for him. During the tumultuous journey, Bowie slowly begins to realise a need to reinvent himself in order to truly become himself; it’s with that realisation that his iconic, celestial alter-ego Ziggy Stardust is born.

Anchored by two stellar performances from Flynn and Maron, Stardust offers an intimate glimpse into the moments that inspired the creation of Bowie’s first and most memorable alter-ego, illuminating the turning point that cemented his legacy as one of the world’s greatest cultural icons.