Breaking News: Lilla Crawford Joins INTO THE WOODS Film as 'Little Red'; Stephen Sondheim Pens New Song- Page 2

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/16/13 at 4:55pm

Peoples is jus' pokin' some fun at huh what cuz the yakcent from da Annie show was so gawd awaful.

[Will42]

Posted: 9/16/13 at 4:59pm

No offence to Annette Crosbie, who I'm sure will be wonderful, but it's such a missed opportunity not to have Angela Lansbury playing Granny.

[Littleshopofcarrie]

Posted: 9/16/13 at 5:13pm

Crawford tweeted she signed a movie deal a while ago, maybe before or shortly after they started the rehearsals.

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 9/16/13 at 5:46pm

I couldn't find smaller pictures of Abigail from CALLER, but Little Red she ain't. I didn't recognize her at all. She's turned into a beautiful young woman. I don't know if she's Cinderella though.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 9/16/13 at 6:08pm

I wonder if Sophia Grace was ever really cast or if it was just nonsense tweeted by her family.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 9/16/13 at 11:39pm

I wonder if Sophia Grace was ever really cast or if it was just nonsense tweeted by her family.

From SG's father's Twitter:

"@DominicBrownlee

After careful consideration we the parents of Sophia Grace felt that as rehearsals progressed that she was too young for this part.

It was a joint decision between us and the director and producer of "Into the woods" to withdraw Sophia Grace from the film."

So, there we go. Glad the producer and the director FINALLY got their senses back and good for her parents for thinking of their daughter first before $$.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/16/13 at 11:41pm

Well IF that's true ten I hope it means they're not going to tone down the sexuality of it.

And Mama Rose, I mean, Mama Crawford would do ANYTHING to have her daughter be a STAR.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/16/13 at 11:42pm

All you need to know about the situation is summed up from this sentencein the press release:

"Most recently, Lapine directed the Annie revival that Crawford starred in."

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/16/13 at 11:46pm

Is anyone surprised? I think we all saw this coming. Lilla is a safe choice. She'll be fine.

[hyperbole_and_a_half]

Posted: 9/16/13 at 11:59pm

Thank Christ about this. Why didn't the producers just consult us re: Sophia Grace in the first place???

[littlebro2]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 12:29am

Seth Rudetsky tweeted today: "I'm not saying I got @LILLACRAWFORD the "IntoTheWoods" film but I texted Rob Marshall months ago that she's amazing."

This makes it seem that Lilla auditioned for this film months ago and they chose Sophia Grace over her. That's so bizarre to cast a young pop star with no acting credentials and that's the wrong age over a properly trained Broadway actress. I don't think Sophia Grace would be a box office draw or attract the intended target audience.

As well, the tweet Lilla posted about her movie deal was about a film that she filmed in August.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 12:38am

I don't buy the story from Sophia Grace's parents that they pulled her from the movie because they felt uncomfortable with the material for a second. This is a girl who made her "career" performing a vulgar Nicki Minaj song that's a hell of a lot more suggestive than "Hello, Little Girl". She went through an extremely strenuous audition process that lasted several months, so her parents knew exactly what they were getting her involved with from the beginning.

As I said earlier, I'm sure her lack of film (and acting) experience left her sorely unprepared for the demands that come with a project this big, and I'm sure that was painfully evident once formal rehearsals began. It's a sad situation for everyone involved, but she's a talented young girl who has plenty of time to bounce back.

Updated On: 9/17/13 at 12:38 AM

[someone.else's.story2]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 11:28am

I'm just so glad that they replaced Sophia

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 12:20pm

Lansbury would have been great fun, just because she's Sondheim royalty (not to mention she Angela Effin' Lansbury). But Annette Crosbie is a truly wonderful actor. Most of her work has been on TV, so she's never gotten the recognition I thought she should.

[Will42]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 2:04pm

Oh, I'm sure that Annette Crosbie will be just fine. She's a lovely actress, but Angela Lansbury would've been a great choice for many reasons:
1) the role suits her so well.
2) she's not only Sondheim's lifelong collaborator, but also his dearest friend.
3) it's been too long since she has appeared in something interesting on screen.
4) and as you so rightly pointed out, she's Angela Effin' Lansbury.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 2:23pm

I wonder if this will be another Little Night Music or will it be a Sweeny Todd

How much of the score will get **** canned?

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 2:46pm

Most of the score is in tact. Only real major cuts are "Ever After," "So Happy," "Agony reprise," and "No More."
The last being the major cut.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 2:48pm

That's a relief.

[Hex3]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 3:09pm

Don't forget "I Guess This is Goodbye" and "Maybe They're Really Magic". MTRM is thew one cut for me that really hurts.

[thinton]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 3:37pm

And isn't Cinderella at the Grave gone? Is First Midnight still in? It seems like something that could be easily cut.

Regardless, it didn't seem like much is being cut to me, either, until I started adding it up. More than 16 minutes of music is gone, which is nearly 1/4 of the score! We didn't lose this many entire songs for Les Miserables. The cuts for that movie were much more subtle.

[HBP]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 5:51pm

"Maybe They're Really Magic" and the "Lament" are my two favorite moments in the show. But I don't know if anyone could sell MTRM as well as Joanna Gleason did.

Also, has it been confirmed that "Lament" is being replaced?

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 6:01pm

HBP, I'm right there with you re "Maybe They're Really Magic," it's one of my favorite tracks in the cast recording, but I think I'm only so obsessed with it because Joanna Gleason delivers it with perfection; the song is a bit of a throaway in the hands of other actresses I've listened singing it, and no part of me thinks Blunt will be the one to match Gleason's beautiful, outstanding performance of those few bars.
Oh, and is anyone really buying the whole thing from Sophia Grace's parents? I think I'd rather go out with some dignity than provide this feeble, completely unbelievable account that they released. As I said in the other thread, it's understandable that such a young girl would have difficulty acting at her best in front of someone like Johnny Depp in a multi-million dollar film like this.

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 6:24pm

"Lament" is not in the leaked screenplay, but "Stay With Me," including the lead in of "What did I clearly say? Children won't listen ..." is still in there, and I think that's the more key moment to keep. So I'm cool with the cut.

Yes, there is a new song listed for the Witch. I think it literally says "new song for the witch" in the script. No indication of what it will be.

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 6:49pm

Okay, I'm smoking crack and so are others here who have checked out the leaked screenplay. I just looked again ...

"Lament" IS still in the movie. However, it is a truncated version that uses about two-thirds of the song as a lead-in to the new song.

But to say "Lament" is cut, would be incorrect.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/17/13 at 7:04pm

Better than Sophia Grace. Still way too young.