Now that I think about it, I think I remember him singing "Ben" over the end credits of that brilliant, underrated remake of Willard a few years back. He's amazing in that movie.
Of Michael Bennett's list of Burton types, I'd put Helena Bonham Carter as the Beggar Woman, Emily Watson as Johanna and Tracey Ullman as Mrs. Lovett. Although Johanna would really need to be younger...
Part of me wants to say Johnny Depp's too young for Sweeney, but then the rest of me remembers he's full-on over 40. XD
Since Helena Bonham Carter is Burtons' wife and has been in all of his films since they married, she will most certainly be apart of it, probably as Beggar Woman.
I could deffinetly see Emily Watson as Johanna. That's PERFECT. However, isn't she a little old to play Depp's daughter? How about Emmy Rossum for Johanna?
For Lovett... I dont' like Tracey Ullman. It just doesn't feel like a right fit to me.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Emmy Rossum just doesn't have the vibrancy in her upper range (at least in Phantom) to sing songs like "Green Finch And Linnet Bird". I hope they don't cast her.
I know Depp is a triple threat, he supposedly can sing and dance, altough he was dubbed in Cry Baby, but that could be because it wasn't his style or perhaps to high. I think acting wise he will have no problem pulling it off, he is prety versatile, so I look forward to it. I do think Meryl Streep would be an interesting choice, she is indeed older than Depp, but that could add something for the characters, this slightly older woman trying with all her might to get the slightly youger guy who has gone off his rocker. I do think that Kate Winslet would also be a fun choice for this role, and she does have a very nice voice, look for her singing the song "What If". If I remeber right, Carter isn't much of a singer, I think i heard her "sing" in another movie, but not being a good singer could have been part of the character. For Toby I would shoot some where between 10 and 17 years old.
personally, i think burton should get manoel felciano for tobias. He completely embodied the pasrt, and already has that creepy-edge that burton is all about. not to mention the kid can sing like an angel.
'Acting provides the fulfillment of never being fulfilled. You're never as good as you'd like to be. So there's always something to hope for.'
-- Washington Irving
That's true they aren't married, but have children together and live together, and frequently work together. I have to say If I were directing, I'd be afraid to cast my significant other, but more power to him. Updated On: 6/13/06 at 12:51 PM
Cyndi Lauper as Lovett Kelsey Grammer as Turpin Please find some role for Alan Cumming in this film, I need to see the Burton/Depp/Cumming colab. Even if he plays Fogg. But Fogg will probably go to Christopher Lee. NPH could still play Tobias. Ewan would be an excellent Anthony
Helena Bonaham will be in it if she and Burton are still together when it's filmed, she could easily pull off the beggar woman.
I got rid of my teeth at a young age because... I'm straight. Teeth are for gay people. That's why fairies come and get them
Oh, lord, there go the "Cast Mano" cries. Seriously, just don't expect more than one or two bona-fide Broadway folks as anything other than ringers in select roles. Frankly, if Tobias is a child in this, Freddie Highmore will be wonderful. I think Depp will be fine, although he'll certainly be a turn towards a sexy Sweeney. If I'm not mistaken, he has to be around the same age as Cerveris, too, so he's not too young for the part and certainly, in that day and age, old enough to have an 18 year old daughter.
It is a lot of conjecture, but Cyndi Lauper probably would be a great Lovett. However, given Burton's past track record, I'm going to go with Ullman.
Hey now, I would gladly listen to Mano or NPH sing the phone book, and they were both excellent Tobys, but they need someone young for this movie. I think Freddie would be great, as long as he can sing.
Since race matters more on screen than it does on stage I don't think Audra would make a very good begger woman, eventhough she did it wonderfuly in the NY concert. I think film audiences would be rather confused a bout a white man being married to a black woman with a blonde daughter in the 1800s. On stage, I'm all for it, on screen, not so much.
If he can sing, Freddy Highmore would make a pretty good Toby, and he's one of Burton's friends. I still want Mano though...
If Percy Blakeney were in Les Mis....
Percy: Sink me! If it isn't Javvurt!
Javert: Zsah-vair, it's pronounced Zsah-vair.
Pecry: But it's spelled J-A-V-E-R-T Javvurt.
Javert: Repeat after me Zsah...Zsah....
Percy: Oh! Zsa-Zsa! Like the Gabor sister! Well I personally have always prefered Eva.
Javert: (Looks for gun)