Kelly Clarkson in "Funny Girl"- Page 3

[bestcardo]

Posted: 3/2/15 at 1:36am

New rule: Anyone who wants to complain about a non-Jew playing a Jew has to start with whatever Jewish role non-Jew Jason Biggs is doing next (don't worry, I'm sure you won't have to wait too long!).

I am tired of hearing about which good-looking non-Jewish actors couldn't possibly play Jews. I think this theme has been worn out (especially when you accidentally subject actual Jews to this treatment - if they're good-looking, that is - like Jeremy Jordan in the other threads).

For future reference:
Actors of fully Jewish background: -Logan Lerman, Natalie Portman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mila Kunis, Bar Refaeli, James Wolk, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Julian Morris, Adam Brody, Esti Ginzburg, Kat Dennings, Gabriel Macht, Erin Heatherton, Odeya Rush, Anton Yelchin, Paul Rudd, Scott Mechlowicz, Lisa Kudrow, Lizzy Caplan, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Gal Gadot, Debra Messing, Robert Kazinsky, Melanie Laurent, Shiri Appleby, Justin Bartha, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Margarita Levieva, Elizabeth Berkley, Halston Sage, Seth Gabel, Skylar Astin, Mia Kirshner, Alden Ehrenreich, Eric Balfour, Jason Isaacs, Jon Bernthal, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy.

Andrew Garfield is Jewish, too (though I don't know if both of his parents are).

Actors with Jewish mothers and non-Jewish fathers -Jake Gyllenhaal, Dave Franco, James Franco, Scarlett Johansson, Daniel Day-Lewis, Daniel Radcliffe, Alison Brie, Eva Green, Joaquin Phoenix, River Phoenix, Emmy Rossum, Rashida Jones, Jennifer Connelly, Sofia Black D'Elia, Nora Arnezeder, Goldie Hawn, Ginnifer Goodwin, Amanda Peet, Eric Dane, Jeremy Jordan, Joel Kinnaman, Ben Barnes, Patricia Arquette, Kyra Sedgwick, Dave Annable, Ryan Potter.

Actors with Jewish fathers and non-Jewish mothers, who themselves were either raised as Jews and/or identify as Jews: -Ezra Miller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Alexa Davalos, Nat Wolff, Nicola Peltz, James Maslow, Josh Bowman, Winona Ryder, Michael Douglas, Ben Foster, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nikki Reed, Zac Efron, Jonathan Keltz, Paul Newman.

Oh, and Ansel Elgort's father is Jewish, though I don't know how Ansel was raised.

Actors with one Jewish-born parent and one parent who converted to Judaism -Dianna Agron, Sara Paxton (whose father converted, not her mother), Alicia Silverstone, Jamie-Lynn Sigler.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 3/2/15 at 2:36am

^ Wow, you really knuckled down on the research for that smack-down post. Personally I don't care about ethnicity, religion, nationality or the rest if the actor is convincing in the role. And if they're not, then being the correct type doesn't matter either. I thought Tyson was terrific in Bountiful and Jones wonderful in You Can't Take It with You although neither role was "about" a black character, and the Jewish Patinkin did pretty well in Evita as an Argentinian. I have believed the Irish-Catholic Nathan Lane as a Jew in several roles through the years and we've all seen actors who weren't effective in roles even though cast to type. It's along the lines of only gay actors should play gay characters, which I don't buy into. You're either believable in the role or you're not.

[AHLiebross]

Posted: 3/2/15 at 7:26pm

I apologize for the firestorm that I accidentally set off – as I said, I believe that there are many non-Jews (good-looking or otherwise) who can successfully play Jewish roles, and vice versa. As I also pointed out, I do NOT believe that there is a parallel between Jewish roles and other minority roles (I'm specifically referring to characters who are black or Asian), because there is plenty of employment opportunity for Jewish actors, unlike for many other minority actors.

I've often mentioned Nathan Lane (who is not Jewish) as an obvious actor to play Tevye, but I would not advise casting Gwynneth Paltrow as Golda, Tevye's wife or Scarlett Johanssen (sp?) as one of his daughters, even though they're both ethnically Jewish. I also believe that Daniel Craig was perfect for his role as the resistance fighter. I recently saw a local production of "The Chosen" in which an actor whom I doubt is Jewish did a brilliant job in the Chassidic rabbi role. So, no, I do not believe that Jewish ethnicity is necessary to play Jewish roles.

Yet, I believe we disrespect our characters by casting better-looking actors (Jewish or not) to play not-very-good-looking historical figures, without using makeup to make them look like the individual. Something similar happened in, I think 1959, when the Diary of Anne Frank was made into a movie, in which Millie Perkins was cast as Anne Frank.

For those who believe that I am playing into ethnic stereotypes, I'd suggest that you walk into a Chassidic synagogue, where there is far more homogeneity than among the general U.S. Jewish population. Also, few would argue that there are indeed ethnic characteristics statistically present at higher rates in the Jewish population, among them, Tay-Sachs and Gaucher's diseases.

Getting back to theatre, I find it interesting how vociferously many people argue that ethnicity doesn't count, while, on other threads the same people may well be arguing that it is insensitive to cast white people as black or Asian people. I agree that there is a difference in the scenarios, but the line is fuzzy.

Finally, I'm not strictly talking body shape and facial appearance when I talk about ethnicity – I'm also including speech and body language. I don't see how it plays into prejudiced peoples' stereotypes to admit that more ethnic Jews than ethnic Celtic people have dark, frizzy hair and say, "From your lips to God's ears."

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 3/2/15 at 11:50pm

If we return to the show in question, we may recall that the point here is that most of Act I concerns Fanny Brice's struggle to make it in an industry that favors a certain stereotypical WASP beauty. So even if Brook Shields had the best voice on the planet, she wouldn't make any sense as the Fanny Brice of FUNNY GIRL.

Mimi Hines isn't Jewish, but she was sufficiently odd-looking to be believable as a girl who had to be funny because she wasn't pretty according to the standards of the day.

(I know nothing about Miss Shields' religion or background and couldn't care less.)

To my eye, Kelly Clarkson doesn't look right for the part. (Not even if she could shake the Southern accent, which I've never heard her do completely.)

[Demitri2]

Posted: 3/3/15 at 8:43am

Kelly would be great in FUNNY BLIMP. And I can't wait to hear, "If A Girl Isn't Skinny".

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 3/3/15 at 9:59pm

To my eye, Miss Clarkson looks like an average, American woman. Good for her!

I don't think calling her names is necessary.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/4/15 at 7:27am

Name-calling aside, she is physically wrong for the role in all respects other than her gender.

I don't think it's remotely wrong to point that out, either.

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 3/4/15 at 8:31am

Did some producer actually say they will cast Kelly Clarkson in Funny Girl or did Kelly aclarkson just say she was interested in the role?! I think there is quite a difference in these two scenarios to cause quite a stir in this thread!!

[pippin423]

Posted: 3/4/15 at 11:16am

Just to clarify on the usage:
Non Jewish Woman-Shiksa
Non Jewish Man- Shaygitz

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 3/4/15 at 4:49pm

I think every woman who can carry a tune would like to play Fanny Brice. It's an iconic vehicle role.

As others have pointed out, Clarkson saying she would like to play the part doesn't even prove SHE thinks she is right for it.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/4/15 at 11:26pm

"I know nothing about Ms. Shields' background or religion and couldn't care less."

That's unfortunate, Gaveston, because she bas a fascinating family history.

from Wikipedia: Brooke Christa Shields was born in New York City[2] to Frank (1941-2003) and Teri (née Schmon; 1933-2012) Shields. Through her father's side, she has Italian, French, Irish, and English roots, along with high social position and relations to nobility.[4] According to research by William Addams Reitwiesner published in 1995, Brooke Shields has ancestral links with a number of noble families from Italy, in particular from Genoa and Rome.[5] These are namely (in chronological order of descent from 1355 to 1965) the Gattilusi-Palaiologos-Savoy; Grimaldi; Imperiali; Carafa; Doria; Doria-Pamphili-Landi; Chigi-Albani; and Torlonia dynasties.[5] Her paternal grandmother was the Italian princess Donna Marina Torlonia (Donna Marina was the daughter of an Italian nobleman and an American socialite).[5] Shields' mother was of German, English, Scots-Irish, and Welsh descent.[6][7] Shields was raised in the Roman Catholic faith.[8]

Like her distant cousins Princess Diana (and Princes William, Harry and George), Cosimo and Marie de Medici, Louis XIV of France, Maria Teresa of Austria, And Charles II of England, Brooke is also a direct descendant of the notorious Caterina Sforza, the Beast of Forli, who was played so memorably by Gina McKee in The Borgias.

But, bringing the subject full circle, one might - idiotically - take exception to all the Jews who have played European royalty, starting with Claire Bloom, Dame Janet Suzman, Natalie Portman and Helena Bonham-Carter.... not to mention Rachel Weisz as Isabella of Castille (how's that for karma!)

But as you've said, that has nothing to do with whether any particular actor - regardless of religion and or ethnicity - is right for Fanny Brice.

If I was casting Fanny Brice based on looks and persona, I'd cast Miranda July, who is not only funny, but looks almost exactly like Brice. (Not that it matters but Ms. July is imho very attractive and half Jewish).

However, I have no idea if the talented Ms. July can sing.






Updated On: 3/4/15 at 11:26 PM

[AHLiebross]

Posted: 3/4/15 at 11:57pm

If I were casting the role based on looks and the ability to be funny, I'd cast Maya Rudolph, who is a terrific comic actor and who, in my opinion, looks a bit like Fanny Brice. I assume she can sing (her mom was the late Minnie Riperton), but I've never heard her sing.

Picture of Maya Rudolph:

Picture of Fanny Brice:

Updated On: 3/5/15 at 11:57 PM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/5/15 at 1:08am

Rudolf absolutely can sing.

[followspot]

Posted: 3/5/15 at 3:28pm

More from Clarkson on her Broadway aspirations:
Kelly Clarkson