Chrissie Hynde at 75: The Pretenders Documentary Reveals the Story Behind the Rock Icon
Chrissie Hynde is 75, still performing with the same unmistakable attitude that helped make the Pretenders one of rock’s defining bands.
Now a new documentary gives audiences a closer look at the woman behind that image.
Joss Crowley’s Pretenders, which premiered at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, traces Hynde’s journey from Akron, Ohio, to London and the formation of the band in 1978. It also examines the success, drug use and devastating deaths that changed the group’s original lineup.
Pretenders Documentary at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Film | Pretenders |
| Director | Joss Crowley |
| Subject | Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders |
| World premiere | Toronto International Film Festival 2026 |
| Hynde’s age | 75 |
| Band formed | 1978 |
| Original members | Chrissie Hynde, Pete Farndon, James Honeyman Scott, Martin Chambers |
| Notable songs | “Brass in Pocket,” “Precious,” “Kid,” “Back on the Chain Gang,” “I’ll Stand by You” |
| Documentary material | Archival footage and interviews |
| Current Pretenders drummer | Martin Chambers |
Why the Pretenders Story Matters
The Pretenders arrived in London at the point where punk was giving way to new wave.
Hynde brought something different to that scene. Her attitude was unmistakably punk, but her songwriting was often more melodic and emotionally expansive.
That combination became central to the band’s identity.
The documentary uses archival footage and an extended interview with Hynde, alongside conversations with people connected to her career. Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Viv Albertine, Nick Lowe and Johnny Marr are among the figures associated with the film.
Chrissie Hynde Before the Pretenders
Hynde was born in 1951 and grew up in Akron, Ohio.
She attended Kent State University and was close to one of the four students killed by the National Guard during the May 4, 1970, shootings.
She moved to London in the early 1970s and entered the emerging punk scene.
Hynde worked as a music critic for New Musical Express and became known for sharp opinions about other artists. She also tried to join several bands before deciding to build one of her own.
Her attempts included working with Mick Jones before he formed the Clash and trying to join the Damned.
She eventually recorded early versions of her own songs, including a 1976 demo of “Precious.”
How the Pretenders Were Formed
Hynde formed the Pretenders with bassist Pete Farndon.
She brought in guitarist James Honeyman Scott and drummer Martin Chambers, creating the original quartet.
Honeyman Scott was only 22 when he joined, but his guitar style quickly became an important part of the band’s sound.
The group released “Stop Your Sobbing,” a Kinks cover produced by Nick Lowe, as its first single.
Hynde had not initially settled on a band name. The name Pretenders came from the Platters song “The Great Pretender.”
“Brass in Pocket” Changed Everything
The Pretenders were not simply another punk band.
Hynde’s songs could be aggressive, vulnerable, romantic and melodic at the same time.
“Brass in Pocket” became the clearest example.
Hynde reportedly did not initially want the song released as a single. It nevertheless became a major hit and reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom.
Other songs such as “Precious” and “Kid” showed the range of the band, moving between punk energy and more emotionally complex songwriting.
The Tragedy That Changed the Band
The success came with a darker side.
Pete Farndon developed a heroin addiction and was dismissed from the Pretenders on June 14, 1982.
Two days later, James Honeyman Scott died in his sleep at 25 after years of heavy partying and a period of cocaine use.
His death transformed the band almost overnight.
The documentary spends significant time on that period because the original Pretenders lineup never recovered from those losses.
Chrissie Hynde Never Wanted the Typical Rock Star Label
Hynde became one of the most recognizable women in rock without embracing the usual descriptions attached to female musicians.
She has resisted being labeled a feminist icon or a groundbreaking role model.
Her attitude toward performance has also remained unusual.
Despite becoming one of rock’s most distinctive frontwomen, Hynde has said she never took particular pride in her performances. Her approach was closer to simply getting on stage and doing the job.
That guarded personality is part of what makes the documentary unusual.
Hynde agreed to participate, but she has also been famously uncomfortable with seeing herself on camera.
Hynde’s Punk Image Still Looks the Same at 75
Hynde brought that attitude to the Toronto premiere.
At 75, she appeared on the TIFF red carpet wearing a black leather jacket with her naturally graying hair visible.
The appearance quickly became part of the conversation around the film, with coverage focusing on how little her rock star image has changed over the decades.
The Pretenders’ frontwoman also celebrated her 75th birthday on September 7, just days before the TIFF premiere.
Chrissie Hynde and Friends
One of the more unexpected chapters of Hynde’s career came in 1995, when she appeared on Friends.
She played Stephanie Schiffer and performed “Angel of the Morning” and “Smelly Cat” alongside Lisa Kudrow’s Phoebe Buffay.
Hynde later said she had barely known what the show was when she accepted the role.
The experience changed her level of public recognition. She recalled that before appearing on Friends, she could take her children to school without being recognized. Afterward, children at school knew her as the mother who had appeared on television.
The Pretenders Legacy
The band continued through multiple lineup changes after the deaths of Farndon and Honeyman Scott.
Hynde has remained the central figure throughout the group’s history.
Martin Chambers is also still associated with the band and, alongside Hynde, is one of the surviving members of the original lineup.
The Pretenders have released 12 studio albums, with Relentless arriving in 2023.
The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.
Hynde also developed a solo career, beginning with Stockholm in 2014. She has since released additional solo material and worked with other major artists.
What the Documentary Captures
The strength of Pretenders is not simply that it documents a famous band.
It shows the contradiction at the center of Hynde’s career.
She emerged from punk with an abrasive image, but wrote songs that could be deeply melodic and romantic.
She became a major female figure in rock without wanting to become a symbol.
And the band she built produced some of its most enduring music before losing two important members to addiction and death.
Crowley’s documentary brings those sides together through archival footage and Hynde’s own reflections.
At 75, she remains the one constant presence at the center of the Pretenders story.
