Madonna
Please don't kill me:
Les miserables the movie
Valjean - Hugh Jackman
Javert - Paul Bettany
Fantine - Kate Winslet or Marion Cotillard or Britney Spears
Cosette - Kiera Knightly
Eponine - Melanie Laurent or Lea Michele
Marius - Zac Efron
Enjolras - Darren Criss
Mme Thenardier - Rosie O'Donnell or Catherine Zeta-Jones or Madonna
Thenardier - Graham Norton or Jeff Bridges or Hugh Laurie
Stand-by Joined: 12/16/10
Keith David as Valjean headlines an all black Les Miserables
I see Keira Knightley more as Fantine than Cosette because she needs to break free from beautiful clean-cut characters. But despite Marion Cotillard's age I could see her as Fantine as well.
Britney Spears as much as I love her I don't think her talent can handle the beast of a musical that is "Les Miserables"
So here are my choices...
Hugh Jackman as Valejean
Paul Bettany as Javert
Marion Cotillard as Fantine
Helena Bohnam Carter as Madame Thenardier
Jeff Bridges as Thenardier
Josh Groban as Enjolras
Bradley James as Marius
Astrid Berges-Frisbey as Eponine
Emmy Rossum as Cosette
I'm just throwing this out there but maybe Emmy's voice has matured since the Phantom movie.
Updated On: 7/2/11 at 07:59 PM
"@VonTussleGirl I for one loved her voice when she sang 'On My Own'"
Okay, and? The character of Eponine is more than just "On My Own." Just because someone sings it well doesn't mean that they are necessarily right for the role. (FYI, I am not saying Lea Michele should or shouldn't play Eponine, just making a general statement.)
I meant I loved her voice in general as Eponine
Tom Hooper just directed Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter in THE KING'S SPEECH. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see the two of them cast opposite each other as the Thenardiers, though Rush's commitment to the Melbourne Theatre Company production of THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST in the fall probably renders him unavailable.
Marion Cotillard would be a stunning Fantine.
thanks, Muhlethaler. I had no idea Winslet had such a nice voice.
Laurent, a great actress, strikes me as more of a Fantine than an Eponine.
Featured Actor Joined: 10/13/06
Updated On: 6/18/20 at 12:12 AM
But Lupone was too old. In fact, Fantine is usually cast with an actress who is too old for the part as she is in the novel and as she would have been given her circumstances in mid-19th century Europe.
Cotillard, however, looks young and could be great. Winslet, also a great star, is now much better at mature roles than younger, less seasoned women. Compare her work in The Reader and Midlred Pierce, both of which she was IMHO ideal, to her work in Revolutionary Road, for which, again IMHO, she was came off too womanly, too worldly-wise for the character.
However, I still want Joss Stone!
Featured Actor Joined: 10/13/06
Updated On: 6/18/20 at 04:14 PM
Featured Actor Joined: 10/13/06
Updated On: 6/18/20 at 04:23 PM
"They both still look young to me and they have the same worldly-wise quality that I think is NEEDED for the character of Fantine. This is a woman who lost her innocence, whose dreams were crushed. She descends to the lowest depths looking much older than her real age and tragically dies after going through much sadness, poverty and disease. I don't see them casting a young actress to convey all these aspects of the character."
I completely disagree. I feel very strongly that Fantine must be mid to late 20s, and I don't think Winslet or Cotillard can pass for that. I'd MUCH rather see a younger actress convey the desperation of Fantine.
@Muhlethaler I agree with you on this one. It dosen't matter how old the actress playing Fantine is. As long as she plays the role pitch-perfect it'll be fine. The same thing can be said with Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer when they played Romeo and Juliet when he was 43 and she was 34 and those two characters were clearly teenagers.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
Even if Emmy Rossum's voice has improved, IMO she has not shown that she can do much with characters who already are at high risk of being bland and personality-less.
And yeah, Fantine can be older onstage, but film isn't as forgiving. And if you can't find a younger actress who can portray her desperation and despair, then they aren't very good actresses. I'm a stickler for as much accuracy to the novel as possible though.
I've actually spoken with someone who says Emmy Rossum could be good as Cosette. Even if the role is basically nothing maybe even worse than nothing. But she makes Marius feel good.
Valjean - Hugh Jackman
Javert - Paul Bettany
Fantine - Marion Cotillard
Cosette - Anne Hathaway
Eponine - Carey Mulligan (no clue if she can sing, but acting wise and physically she would be the ideal choice. )
Marius - Darren Criss
Enjolras -Ramin Karimloo
Mme Thenardier - Helena Bonham Carter
Thenardier - John C. Reily
edit: Aida Man - I think its hilarious how your cast ideas keep changing completely after others make their suggestions or turn down your initial casting choices.
Updated On: 7/4/11 at 06:17 AM
except for the fact that Norma Shearer's Juliet is one of the worst performances ever committed to film.
Also, if we are of the opinion that Winslet and Cotillard aren't too old for the role, why not then cast their great contemporary, who would have been an ideal Fantine years ago:
Toni Collette
Updated On: 7/4/11 at 10:14 AM
Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Fantine?
I would love Carey Mulligan, Melanie Laurent, or even Mary Elizabeth Winstead as either Eponine or Fantine.
I would completely take Carey Mulligan ANY day as Eponine.
How about Jake Gyllenhaal as Enjorlas. I still would love Julie Walter's as Madame Thenardier.
Darren Criss as MArius would be brilliant
Rebecca Black as Eponine
Why not let Tim Burton direct it with the regulars?
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