If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
#1If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:09amFrom what I've read on here, there were at least two plans to create a Dreamgirls Movies in the past. Who would you have cast in the 90's? From some odd reason. Janet Jackson, really popped into my mind as Deena.
I have NEVER met Cheyenne Jackson. I have never hung out with him in his dressing room, he did not tweet me, he never bought me a beverage, and he mostly certainly didn't tickle me. . .that is all.
#2re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:11amWell, Whitney Huston was attached to it for years into the early '90s, and then Lauryn Hill.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#2re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:38amJennifer Holliday said in an interview that Whitney Houston wanted to sing both Deena's and Effie's songs so obviously that became a problem. I am certainly glad the film happened when it happened as I believe Bill Condon and Jennifer Hudson were worth waiting for.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
Kringas
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/05
#3re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 4:10pmI always thought that if the movie had been made fifteen or so years ago that Vanessa Williams would have made a great Deena.
"How do you like THAT 'misanthropic panache,' Mr. Goldstone?" - PalJoey
Mr. Tuttle
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#4re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 4:16pm
It was originally going to be Whitney (I believe she was on Geffen, who owns the rights). Lauryn Hill was then talked about in the late 1990's when this was brought up again. I don't remember if she was set for the Joel Shumacker version.
It would have been great to see Whitney.
Ignorance is temporary. Stupidity last forever.
Watch out BWW...
HE'S BACK.
FinallyAmember
Understudy Joined: 8/26/06
#5re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 4:23pm
I'm not surprised Whitney's name was tossed around. I am glad that it happened now and this film has given Jennifer Hudson the role of a lifetime. As once said by Quentin Tarrintino on an episode of American Idol when Jennifer Hudson sang "I have Nothing", "Hudson takes on Houston and wins." I think Jennifer did an amazing job and I don't know if Whitney would have embodied effie as well as she did. She would have sung the hell out of it, but Jennifer sang the hell out of it, just as well.
I hope when Jennifer releases her album, it actually showcases her voice. I don't want her to be "pop-ified"
purpleprince101
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#6re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 5:12pm
wasn't whitney supposed to be deanna. OHH, I like venessa williams
Updated On: 12/26/06 at 05:12 PM
#7re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 5:24pm
Schumacher was slated to direct this? Oh, Lordie!
*heaves a sigh of relief*
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia
#8re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 5:29pm
I think we all gave a sigh of relief when Schumacher was no longer attached to the project.
Houston was never slated to play Effie, she was supposed to play Deena BUT demanded that she got to perform both Deena's and Effie's songs.
Vanessa Williams would have made a great Deena indeed, she's the only person mentioned for the role who can actually act (not to turn this into a Beyonce Knowles-bashing thread).
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
LostLeander
Broadway Star Joined: 3/18/05
#9re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 7:45pm
I don't think Williams is necessarily a good actress, but her plain acting style style would have suited Deena well. And her voice is just right for the part.
I would have been most excited to Lauryn Hill in the part though. Just because she's fantastic and would look TERRIFIC in those 60s clothes.
Personally, I think I have too much bloom.
#10re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 8:11pmI honestly never thought about Williams. She would've made a great Deena.
I have NEVER met Cheyenne Jackson. I have never hung out with him in his dressing room, he did not tweet me, he never bought me a beverage, and he mostly certainly didn't tickle me. . .that is all.
Al Dente
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#11re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 8:30pmTuttle, Houston was and is still on ARISTA, not Geffen. I think Williams is a most inspired choice and might have still been able to pull it off even in the early part of this decade. Let's not forget, Rose is nowhere near the age of Lorelle. I don't get the Lauryn Hill idea at all, not for any of the roles. She falls through the cracks of all three in my opinion.
Kringas
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/05
#12re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 8:41pmLauryn Hill is a great musician but comes off so dour and humorless that I can't fathom her Deena doing anything but making me want to claw my eyes out.
"How do you like THAT 'misanthropic panache,' Mr. Goldstone?" - PalJoey
#13re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 9:08pm
I found the Broadway.com interview we are all refering to with Holliday's assesment of the various incarnations of the movie in the 1990's:
From MichaelGoldberg:
I heard that Dreamgirls was supposed to become a movie. Whatever happened with that?
Jennifer responds:
"Yes, Dreamgirls was supposed to become a movie twice. The first time Whitney Houston was slated to play Deena. The complication with that version was that Whitney wanted to sing Deena's songs and Effie's songs. Not! Duh! Hello! She wanted to sing "I Am Changing" and "(And) I Am Telling You." You see why it took years to explain to her that couldn't really be a possibility?! So, that was the first version. Then about three years ago, they wanted to do a whole new rendition with Lauryn Hill as Deena and Kelly Price as Effie, but it just never caught fire."
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.
Updated On: 12/26/06 at 09:08 PM
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#14re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 10:05pm
Janet Jackson's name was thrown around for Deena at one point after Whitney didn't work out (and yes, she did want to sing AIATY as well as Deena's songs).
And thank goodness the Schumacher project never got off the ground.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
#15re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:24pm
Interesting longish take on several aspects of the casting, including the color of Deena's skin from Danny Miller on Huffington Post. See link:
Dreamgirls: Crossing Over...Again
#16re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:27pmI've also heard that there was a real buzz to bring it to the screen in '93 with Nancy Wilton as Effie. I forget where I read it though.
"I don't wanna see that!" -Aunt Sassy (as played by Valerie Cherish) on Room & Bored
#17re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/27/06 at 2:05amNancy Wilton was probably the best Effie after Holliday.
"Who says you can't bend over backwards and eat bugs if you want to? I guess the bugs would probably say you can't do that that, but assuming that they are willing and consenting bugs, then there's no problem. Let's wig out eating bugs."
-RuPaul
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#18re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/27/06 at 10:26am
Just out of curiosity, was Nell Carter ever considered for the movie? In 1987, she finished "Gimme A Break" so people would have known her. Or was her personal life too messed up by that time? I guess by that time she was too old to play Effie.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
Updated On: 12/27/06 at 10:26 AM
#19re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/27/06 at 11:00am
Was Aaliyah ever rumored to play Deena or is that a wishful dream I had. Lord, that girl was fiercely talented and the pop/R&B diva scene would be a bit of a different playing field if we had not lost her at such a young age.
Z.
"You're not a kid anymore, Robby. I don't think you'll ever be a kid again, kiddo." - Joanne, Company
#20re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/27/06 at 11:04amOf all the possible Deenas, I'm with the group who thinks Vanessa Williams would have been sublime. From the voice right on down to the looks, she'd have been the film diva they were looking for. As much as I love Whitney, she's a bit too fiery for the role and, if a bit bigger, should have played Effie.
Marlothom
Broadway Star Joined: 4/13/04
#21re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/27/06 at 1:46pm
I don't mean to gush, but did I introduce Nancy Winton to this site? If so, I am so happy that she caught on. I think she may be playing Effie in the revival...of Dreamgirls...in South Amboy, NJ.
Anyway, there was an interview with Ms. Ralph (i think during Millie) where she talks about how Aaliyah would have made a great Deena, and I agree.
"Observe how bravely I conceal this dreadful dreadful shame I feel."
#22re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/27/06 at 2:34pmI know she was a little old in the 90's but did anyone see Phylicia Rashad, as Ralph's understudy?
I have NEVER met Cheyenne Jackson. I have never hung out with him in his dressing room, he did not tweet me, he never bought me a beverage, and he mostly certainly didn't tickle me. . .that is all.
Funny Face
Broadway Star Joined: 7/6/06
#23re: If The Dreamgirls Movie had happened in The 90's?
Posted: 12/27/06 at 3:06pm
If Houston had been willing to pack on some pounds, she would have been a phonomenal Effie. There is a version of "And I Am Telling You" sung by her, and it's awesome. I think she would have had to pull WAY back for Deena.
I always hought Vanessa Williams would have been a perfect Deena in her younger days. The only problem I had with Beyonce as Deena is that she wasn't very convincing as being the least talented of the group. Her voice is too strong, IMO. Williams never had the greatest voice, and her acting is leaps and bounds better than her singing. Not to mention those gorgeous looks. Too bad she never played Deena, because now that I think of it, it seems really tailor-made for her.
Videos