Check out Melissa Rivers playing late mum Joan on screen in new film

PinkNews logo on a pink background surrounded by illustrated line drawings of a rainbow, pride flag, unicorn and more.

Melissa Rivers is honouring the memory of her late mother Joan on screen – and looks the spitting image of her.

The late comedian’s daughter Melissa plays her in a new film drama ‘Joy’, which stars Jennifer Lawrence.

Melissa

Photos of Melissa playing her mum were shared by People magazine.

The film also stars Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro and is directed by David O Russell.

Lawrence plays entrepreneur and inventor Joy Mangano.

The film shows Joan Rivers during her time at shopping channel QVC. Melissa Rivers says she was shocked when she first saw herself made up to look like her mum.

“I think I was more freaked out in the hair and makeup tests than I was once I got on set,” Rivers said.

“It was bizarre. I stopped looking in a mirror.”

Melissa Rivers said it was Russell’s idea to cast her in as her mother in the film. She previously took over as a Fashion Police host on E!, a position also held by her mother.

Joan Rivers died in September 2014, aged 81. Following an inquest, her cause of death was determined as “anoxic encephalopathy due to hypoxic arrest.”

Melissa 2

‘Joy’ will begin in cinemas on 25 December.

Check out the trailer below: