Dreamgirls, A Discussion

So, after falling into an Amber Rilely YouTube void, and having seen J-Hud play the role, and the original Ms. Holiday: This seems to be the only show I know that will garner an award no matter what. I mean, sure, the singing is impressive, but none of these women have proven themselves as great actresses. Granted, I'm judging Riley off of some YouTube clips, but she's not a great actress. Her vocals, of course, are amazing. But I don't think she's quite selling the character. Same with J-Hud. Same with Holiday.

Ripped Man, if you had seen Jennifer Holliday instead of Judy Holiday in the original, you might have like her better.

Seriously, though, you seem unhappy with everyone who has played the role. Despite the truckload of awards won by the three ladies you mention. What are you looking for?

Having never seen it (unless you count YouTube), I can't speak to Ms. Holliday's performance, but I kind of see your point with Jennifer Hudson. I think Hudson's acting skills are serviceable at best. However, I fully believe she earned and deserved her Oscar because her singing was unbelievable and in those singing moments is where her acting was elevated to a higher level; that's when you were able to see the potential and even flashes of brilliance in her acting. The problem was when she stopped singing; she became stiff as a board. Until she can harness the same energy she puts into her singing for her acting, she'll never win an award for straight plays or movies. As for Amber Riley, I think she is a good actress. She's no Meryl or Viola (but, who is?) but she's as good as any other actor on TV right now.

I think the character of Effie is such a meaty role that it will always be an award magnet, but point blank, any actor who takes it on has to be able to SING it above anything else. That's a tall order and half the battle. So when it comes to casting the role, I think producers are willing to take an less accomplished actor as long as they can blow the roof off the building.

MrsSallyAdams said: "Related tangent here.

I have always felt the role of Effie is weakened by the poorly written role of Curtis. The "best man she'll ever know" is portrayed as a mustache twirling villain. His motivations are as hidden as those of Skeletor. I've seen some actors attempt to shade the role while others, like Jamie Foxx, seem ready to tie Deena to the train tracks by Act II.

"And I Am Telling You" is a wonderful song but it's about a relationship we never see. I have greater emotional investment in "It's All Over" as it is a breakup between the better developed characters of the Dreams.



Fro me, And I am telling you is more about the group and her status a singer than a love song for Curtis, though it seems to be that way...it has more layers than a simple love song...

FlySkyHigh said: "Having never seen it (unless you count YouTube), I can't speak to Ms. Holliday's performance, but I kind of see your point with Jennifer Hudson. I think Hudson's acting skills are serviceable at best. However, I fully believe she earned and deserved her Oscar because her singing was unbelievable and in those singing moments is where her acting was elevated to a higher level; that's when you were able to see the potential and even flashes of brilliance in her acting. The problem was when she stopped singing; she became stiff as a board.

I don't know, I feel like the entire performance should be weighed and judged, not just the good parts. And, as you said, her non-singing acting (i.e. most of her performance) just wasn't very good. So no, I don't think she deserved an acting Oscar for singing well.

I actually feel that Amber Riley is the first Effie that I have seen that makes her a real nuanced person of flesh and blood. There is something very engaging in her acting, I think she woud have been perfect for a film version.

Holliday is great but very theatrical and acts in a way that is almost like a caricarture and mostly outside and it almost feels like she is miming expressions to me. Hudson is only good in 1 expression, the roll-eye. The rest of the time she is just standing there and wailing very loud (with a dry sound).

I would say that out of the 3, Riley is the best actress. Maybe the best singer too. The screaming is not even 10% of the role for me. It's the wonderful gentle nuances in both acting and (soft) singing that Riley displays (and that were not present with Hudson at all) that makes the role come alive.

Updated On: 5/7/17 at 01:22 PM