Best Stunt Casting

Best as in good or best as in bad?



Good-Josh in "Comet" in one of the better ones as of late. I'm not sure if it could be considered stunt casting, but Meryl in ITW. Everyone knew she could act the **** out of it, that was never in question, it was her singing. I still like to hear a pleasant voice for Sondheim even if he is more for the actor who sings. I was pleasantly surprised, she had def improved on that since Mamma Mia.



Worst-Honestly the 'worst' are the reason why the term stunt casting exists....almost. The term has become associated with those who were cast merely to make money, not for any "skill" they had that could do the roel at hand. The ones who actually had skill and could do the role, I hesitate to call stunt casting for this reason. Moving on. There's too many of these to even mention. But the ones that I'll never forgive? Jonas, Crowe, and Seyfried in their respective Les Mis's, Carly in Cinderella, almost the entire principal cast of the POTO film (I still can't believe I own it, but it was all I had at the time, until the 25th Anniversary DVD was released and all was well in my world again), among some other that aren't coming to mind. Others, like Emma and Dan, I find forgivable to a degree for certain reasons. But others... I'l never forgive.

Brooke Shields in Wonderful Town. One of the most famous cases of stunt casting leading to critical raves.

Corbin Bleu was also fantastic in Holiday Inn though he may have graduated from stunt to legitimate.

Emma I'm guessing is Emma Stone, but who is Dan? Daniel Radcliffe?

Not Broadway, but Rebel Wilson as Miss Adelaide in the recent West End revival of Guys and Dolls. She was absolutely fantastic

Here's a picture:

Daniel Radcliffe in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

JennH said: "Best as in good or best as in bad?"

I think if Alex was talking bad stunt casting, he'd be asking for the worst.

"Worst-Honestly the 'worst' are the reason why the term stunt casting exists....almost. The term has become associated with those who were cast merely to make money, not for any "skill" they had that could do the role at hand. The ones who actually had skill and could do the role, I hesitate to call stunt casting for this reason. Moving on. There's too many of these to even mention. But the ones that I'll never forgive? Jonas, Crowe, and Seyfried in their respective Les Mis's, Carly in Cinderella, almost the entire principal cast of the POTO film (I still can't believe I own it, but it was all I had at the time, until the 25th Anniversary DVD was released and all was well in my world again), among some other that aren't coming to mind."

First of all, I strongly disagree with the criticisms Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried both received for Les Miserables. Second of all, if you actually do your research, Crowe at the time hadn't been in a hit film since 2001's A Beautiful Mind. Seyfried on the other hand, I wouldn't necessarily call a 'big star'. Third of all, when the film version of Phantom came out in 2004, Gerard Butler wasn't as well known as he is now while Emmy Rossum's two other big movies prior were supporting roles in Mystic River and The Day After Tomorrow.

pupscotch said: "Jake Gyllenhaal in Sunday in the Park with George."



That is not stunt casting. Look at the Weisslers and their shows: Brook Shields, Melanie Griffith, Susan Lucci, Scary Spice, Wendy Williams etc, that's stunt casting.

JennH said: "...the ones that I'll never forgive? ...almost the entire principal cast of the POTO film (I still can't believe I own it, but it was all I had at the time, until the 25th Anniversary DVD was released and all was well in my world again)"

YES! It's pretty to look at, but that's about it. It was indeed something to tide us over until a "real" cast was filmed at the Royal Albert Hall.

I think we need to define the 3 catagories of stunt/star casting.

STAR CASTING:

A Star in an originating a role in an new musical such that the role is built around an actor and hos or her strengths. Examples include Josh Groban in NPATGC1812, Hugh Jackman in The Boy from Oz.

A star vehicle revival, where a revival is built around a specific star in a lead role. Basically this encompasses 80% of play revivals. In terms of musicals examples include Bette Middler in Hello Dolly, Jake Gyllenhal Sunday in the Park with George, Every rivival of Gypsy, Neil Patrick Harris in Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

STUNT CASTING

A transfer production of a revival that is reliant on casting a star to secure both financial backing and ticket sales. Examples include A Little Night Music with Catherine Zeta Jone and Angela Lansbury, Evita with Ricky Martin, and Jennifer Hudson in The Color Purple.

Then there is traditional stunt casting, where a long running production brings in a "star/celebrity" for a limitsd time in hopes of boosting slowing sales. Examples include basically at least One Member of the cast of Chicago at any given time, Reba McIntire in Annie Get Your Gun, Jane Lynch in Annie, Wayne Brady and Toddrick Hall in Kinky Boots, and Fran Dresher, Nene Leaks, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Kekee Palmer in Cinderella.

Daniel Dae Kim had no theater experience prior to TKAI but he was absolutely wonderful.

Ana gastayer and Nicole Parker in wicked