CAST Into the Woods Movie — Page 8

Another reason (aside from the fact that it's all through the play) for casting at least Little Red around 13-15 and Jack around 17 is that you'll be inviting a different movie audience in to see the film. Cast an adult as Little Red, and you'll never draw in a younger crowd the way you will if she's 13-15. Especially if it's someone they've seen in a movie before. But you will instantly give them a "kid's perspective" on what's happening. You're far more likely to hold their interest.

In other words, it's also good business, not just a good creative decision for the material.

---

I need to find the words in the script, Phyllis, but I think you're onto something.

The point is that she was cursed because of her vanity. It's sort of a "wicked queen in Snow White" kind of thing. She's the fairest!

But just because she THINKS she's the most beautiful doesn't mean she is. And yes, youth is part of that beauty.

Also ... when she puts the potion together at the end of Act I and drinks it, she becomes her "true beautiful self" again, but loses her powers as a result.

I'm not sure how important it is that she actually is the "fairest in the land" or merely that she THINKS she's the fairest in the land. That's a big distinction. I'd have to read that part of her backstory again.

---

Updated On: 1/13/12 at 02:23 PM

Also, for that last scene in the trees, waiting for the Giant's Wife (No One Is Alone), has Cinderella and the Baker taking on the parental roles for the younger Jack and Little Red, who now assume the child roles. They're each missing the other's piece in their lives.

It would look really weird (and actually does in the stage show already) with them being too old at that point. They should be the "children who will listen."

It's actually VERY important to the story that they're not much more than kids themselves, the more I think about it.

Forget the stage show. It's a new medium now. And aside from kids, you can bet the wolf won't be an actor in a costume either. He'll be CGI all the way.

---

I think that Red's age is pretty well defined by her story. I think the humor of her character comes from our expectation of what she'll be at her age vs what she really is...we expect that, at her age, she will be sweet and innocent. Then she opens her mouth and we get sarcastic, disdainful, rebellious and self-centered. She wants to stray from the path, is slightly sexually curious...but not much (I think if the sexual aspect of the song where not intended, the wolf would not have been given exposed genitalia. To what purpose, otherwise?) She insists she doesn't need help. Later, we see her child-like vulnerabilities.

These are all very typical traits of a 13 to 16 year old girl...rebelling, pushing for independence, yet not quite understanding consequences yet. The lesson being that things are not as simple and safe as she'd thought they'd be back when she started. And that you really don't need to go it alone.

---

Why don't they just cast Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber as Red and Jack and get this movie some real butts in the seats. Tweens would flock to this thing like flies to ****. Then add some adults to the casting who are big names for the older crowd and you've got another Valentine's Day on your hands. Hey maybe the caveman formerly known as Ashton Kutcher will play one of the princes!

Now we're talking like some money making pack rats!

I'd love to hear some other non-white casting ideas!

As for Disney tween casting ... these guys are all under contracts, right? (Even Bieber, or am I wrong?) I wouldn't be surprised if Disney called in a few favors for being in this (now) Disney project. It's a win-win situation. Except for maybe the audience, if they suck.

I really don't want to see a Disney Channel approach to this material, so if they are cast and, you know, actually ACT, rather than twitch and roll their eyes, then okay.

Otherwise ... keep 'em the hell out.

It's good to ADD IN the tweener crowd for this movie, but not at the expense of the older audiences at the same time. Thats the trick. Appeal to everyone, not just one demographic while excluding another.

So NO Disney Channel acting allowed. Period.

---

Yes MB, and the likelihood that the producers are having considerable disagreement on those questions, and are likely to push the artistic team in different directions are reasons I am a bit tepid in my enthusiasm for this project. And reasons I still believe it is far from a done deal to get made at all.

---

Well it does seem likely these are among the questions that probably put the project into turnaround 15 years ago...

I'd rather have Jack and Little Red played by actors who read younger rather actors who actually are young.

---

I know i've said it before but after hearing this, i'm pretty confident she could sing it and in the orginal keys.

Sorry phyllis meant to post a link but it don't come through. I mean Charlize Theron.
Charlize Theron

If only she sounded like that in person ljay, if only if only. In reality she dosn't she sounds like she is singing from the very back of her throat. Plus that was after strenous musical theatre traning, with time theron could produce similair or better results. Plus three musicals really?

Updated On: 1/13/12 at 06:13 PM

Taylor Swift, Amanda Seyfried, and any other Hollywood actor that cannot sing and cannot act but has a recognizable name...because that is how directors in Hollywood seem to be doing it these days.