Baron Cohen To Rap the Role of Pirelli in Sweeney Film

[SayitSomehow]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 11:49am

"In the film Sacha plays the role of Signor Adolfo Pirelli, Sweeney’s hairdressing rival, but Sacha cannot sing, so is having to use his voice to his best ability in the musical.

A source told the Sun: “Pirelli is a notoriously demanding role with some difficult songs.

“Any professional singer would struggle. So Sacha has been told to go for a rap style. It will be a bit like Jim Broadbent’s performance in ‘Moulin Rouge’. That won him a Bafta.

“He is going to do a fantastic job. But he couldn’t cut it with the singing. His voice was too low.”

This film will be one of the best of 2007; Johnny Depp is playing the murderous barber Sweeny Toss while Helena Bonham Carter is playing Mrs Lovett, the baker."

Sacha Baron Cohen Banned From Singing In Sweeney Todd

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 11:52am

Oy.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 11:53am

WTF? Sondheim is going to allow that?


How the f*ck do you rap over a operatic/classical Sondheim score like Sweeney?

[StephenSondheimWHOO]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 11:53am

You've got to be sh!ting me

[myManCape]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 11:58am

And just when you thought this movie couldnt get any worse.

Just wait till they announce he will be doing the movie as Borat.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:00pm

I would much rather have them cut THE CONTEST all together, than to have him rap it.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:02pm

Please. God.... No.

[chicolini]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:06pm

It's just a ploy to make the Sweeney character more likable. If Pirelli raps, the audience will be thrilled when he gets killed off.

Simple focus group stuff... how else will you be able to sell all those Sweeney action figues?

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:08pm

The studio's denying it though, aren't they?

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:09pm

I dont imagine it really like rapping, but more like talk-singing

I'm not exactly pleased with this, but I still think he will be good

[Katurian2]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:09pm

Oh.My.God.No.Just-No.

Updated On: 12/17/06 at 12:09 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:11pm

“Any professional singer would struggle."

Who is this "source"? Ali G?

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:13pm

....This is a joke....right?

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:15pm

I don't plan on seeing this movie.

Sweeney is my favorite Sondheim piece and I won't support something ruining it.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 12:37pm

Stop whining, you old queens.

You all know you're seeing it anyway.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 1:17pm

WTF?

[catharsis]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 1:21pm

I'm still definitely going to see the movie, but that is just wrong. I can't imagine Sondheim allowing any part of the movie to be "rapped."

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 1:33pm

It's not rapping like 50 Cent. Rapping like:

"It will be a bit like Jim Broadbent’s performance in ‘Moulin Rouge’."

CHILL.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 1:34pm

They could cut the whole "Contest," and I wouldn't shed a tear.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 1:38pm

Same here.

Sondheim must approve everything. Please save the "Oh.God.No.Please.Dont's" for when you've actually seen the movie.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 1:41pm

How would you cut the contest? It's a major plot point that propells the story forward. Anyway, I'm not even mad, I just find the idea hilarious. Why not dub him?

[StephenSondheimWHOO]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 1:43pm

Sondheim just isn't gonna let this fly

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 1:44pm

This makes me mad that Sondheim's brilliant music is going to be rapped.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 1:45pm

Only dramatic necessity of the Contest is for Pirelli to recognize Todd's razors. The rest of it is padding, with not a huge comic payoff.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 12/17/06 at 1:48pm

What about the Beadle discovering that there is an awesome new barber in town?