Scarlett Johansson's Demands Too Much For Andrew Lloyd Webber

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 2:13pm

From IMDB:

Hollywood beauty Scarlett Johansson turned down the lead role in a forthcoming Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber stage production of The Sound Of Music - after auditioning for the part and gushing it was her dream role. The Lost In Translation star was approached by the musical mogul about starring as Maria in the singing nun story and immediately agreed. She even gave an impromptu rendition of songs from the hit movie in front of a restaurant full of people to prove her singing credentials and obsession with the musical. However, the 21-year-old later snubbed the project and Lloyd Webber blames greedy managers for the sudden U-turn. He says, "We had a hysterical lunch which ended in the early hours of the morning. We were at the top of the Peninsula Hotel and she sang in front of everyone, which was fantastic. She can really sing. I said to her, 'Do you want to do Sound of Music?' She said 'yes'. We started planning things." But he adds, "Her people were not pro the idea. It became clear that it wasn't going to work because the demands became so ridiculous." Lloyd Webber claims managers and publicists for the starlet were dismayed by her low fees in comparison to lucrative movie work, and demanded she be accompanied by two minders backstage at all times. A spokesman for Johansson denies the demands, insisting, "(They) are extremely exaggerated. Her management team was simply asking for terms that an actress of her stature would ask for. The real reason why the negotiations stopped was the run of the play interfered with the production of one of the films she was slated to accomplish." The search for Maria has now turned into a UK reality TV hunt, with unknown actresses vying for role.

[GuyfromGermany]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 2:17pm

Thank god!

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 2:22pm

Wait, what does Andrew Loyd Webber have to do with The Sound Of Music?

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 2:24pm

I take it that he's producing a revival.

[GuyfromGermany]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 2:25pm

Yes, he is:
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/72327.html

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 2:27pm

Um, the first line of the article:

Hollywood beauty Scarlett Johansson turned down the lead role in a forthcoming Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber stage production of The Sound Of Music

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 2:50pm

He needs another hit, so why not grab one of R&H's? It beats waiting tables at his stage in life.

Incidentally, Rodgers & Hammerstein produced the original "Annie Get Your Gun" without writing any of it. They hired Irving Berlin to do the score instead.

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 3:17pm

He needs a hit like I need a hole in my head, B12B.
Phantom alone makes up for any other conceivable flop he could foster out there and then you add Cats to the mix and there you go.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 3:51pm

He needs absolutely nothing. He's got more money than God.

[fflagg]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 4:59pm

Scarlett should do the film of Promises, Promises with Adrien Brody, Ralph Fiennes, and Christine Baranski.

Updated On: 7/27/06 at 04:59 PM

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 5:19pm

it's actually quite gentlemanly of him (given the supposed history with La LuPone and Diva Dunaway), to lay the "demands" on her "people" instead of the lady herself.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 5:25pm

I bet he's trying to get her on a Marie Osmond/Debby Boone salary.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 5:27pm

Well, ALW deserves all the money and success he's had. This girl did a "Lost in Translation" that was successful and in my point of view Ana Farris stole the movie with her supporting role and suddenly she is a huge star at the age of 18yo. I don't think she is that talented or better than many of the actresses of her generation.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 5:31pm

Um, after the way ALW kept 'borrowing' from Puccini?

[fflagg]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 5:33pm

Sorry, honey, but she is very talented even though I hated "Lost in Translation." She has charisma and is compelling on screen in "Match Point," "Ghost World," and the underrated "Girl with a Pearl Earring."

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 5:36pm

She is good, I liked both "Lost" and "Girl with..." but i just don't think she deserves the superstar status she already achieved and all the film offers she gets, yet. My opinion, I don't expect people to agree with me. I think she is just an "ok" actress, nothing else.

Updated On: 7/27/06 at 05:36 PM

[fflagg]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 5:39pm

I agree re 'status'; on the other hand this is the culture in which we live.

She is young, pretty, and hot. Will she remain hot in 5 minutes?

BTW one of the underappreciated, unsung perfs of the summer is the actress who plays the 'senior' assistant in 'Prada'. SHE is a girl to watch.

[Jane2]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 6:04pm

I agree, Muscle. I loved her in Translation, loved her in Ghost World, but the love ends there and it turns to like. She does have charsima, which is mostly the reason I like to watch her, but great actress? Nope.

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 6:20pm

I'm personally looking forward to SCOOP, her next Woody Allen film, opposite Hugh Jackman (or Woody himself, but not in that romantic kind of way). She was charming on Letterman last night.

And the woman playing Emily in DEVIL/PRADA was terrific, and to my recollection somewhat of a star in England already.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 10:17pm

Not to mention her role in The Black Dahlia. What isn't she in this year?

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/theblackdahliaqt1.html

[Fan2]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 6:55am

Yes, she has a few movies coming out this year. So does Hugh - he has five between now and November:

Scoop - today
The Prestige - Oct. 20
Flushed Away - Nov. 3 (animated)
Happy Feet - Nov. 17 (animated - he sings!)
The Fountain - Nov. 22

Also, this is from Contact Music, who's always taking things out of context - the headline says "secret meetings" (I guess because they were in the trailer they were "secret") where all Hugh said was "hopefully one day".

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/jackman%20+%20johansson%20plan%20a%20movie%20musical_1003806

>> "She's particularly amazing for a young girl, loves the old standards - RODGERS and HAMMERSTEIN, RODGERS and HART, ELLA FITZGERALD, (FRANK) SINATRA; that kind of era. "She knows every lyric of every Rodgers and Hammerstein song ever written. I mean it's kind of extraordinary. So we used to do a few duets in the make-up trailer. "We also talked about doing a movie musical together. So hopefully that'll happen one day."

[WOSQ]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 2:06pm

Its a lousy show with good songs. The book of The Sound of Music is so syrupy sticky sweet as to upset one's stomach and Maria has more spunk than a sitcom heroine and is half as interesting.

If you want to make a highly visible musical theatre debut, skip The Sound of Music and go into another show from the canon. One with a strong book, a strong character and good songs. Do Miss Adelaide, Molly Brown (granted that book isn't all that good either) or even Nellie Forbush.

Lloyd Webber does need a hit to remind people he's a player. Phantom, the last hit, was nearly 20 years ago. Yes, he's a billionaire, but as the saying goes, "You're as good as your last show."

How anyone can get excited about The Sound of Music is beyond me.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 3:09pm

never seen the show, but I love the movie!