Dreamgirls, A Discussion
Dreamgirls, A Discussion
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#1Dreamgirls, A Discussion
Posted: 5/7/17 at 12:56am
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.
SkylarElizabeth
Understudy Joined: 3/12/17
#2Dreamgirls, A Discussion
Posted: 5/7/17 at 1:13am
I don't mean this to be disrespectful at all, but if she really isn't that great of an actress, why would she be cast in such an iconic role, AND win an Olivier award for it? Furthermore, why would she have been cast on Glee for the entire show? This just shows that you really shouldn't judge someone by a few mere Youtube clips. Maybe go watch a few episodes of Glee (I'm assuming that you haven't since you are making these comments) and hopefully that will change your mind. Again, I'm not meaning to be rude at all, as I know many people on this site can be very disrespectful. I'm just trying to prove a point defending Amber Riley who I think is a great actress. As for Jennifer Hudson, again, why would she be cast? As we know, there have been many people in the history of musical theater who are simply not right for the stage, but she has been in other things (The Color Purple) and I honestly don't think that her as well as Amber Riley would be cast if they weren't great, no matter how famous they are.
Updated On: 5/7/17 at 01:13 AM
#3Dreamgirls, A Discussion
Posted: 5/7/17 at 2:55am
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?
#4Dreamgirls, A Discussion
Posted: 5/7/17 at 3:57am
GavestonPS said: "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?
Is that some sort of typo or joke GavestonPS, lol? JUDY Holliday would never play Effie White in Dreamgirls in a million years.
FlySkyHigh
Understudy Joined: 4/17/16
#5Dreamgirls, A Discussion
Posted: 5/7/17 at 8:26am
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
Broadway Star Joined: 11/12/13
#6Dreamgirls, A Discussion
Posted: 5/7/17 at 8:32am
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.
threepanelmusicals.blogspot.com
kofler22
Featured Actor Joined: 9/1/14
#7Dreamgirls, A Discussion
Posted: 5/7/17 at 10:48am
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...
ArtMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/10/08
#8Dreamgirls, A Discussion
Posted: 5/7/17 at 10:57am
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...
"
I originally always thought the song was about her not leaving the group. Once I saw the movie and then another touring production, I felt it was about her relationship with Curtis. But I saw another production recently and I agree it has layers of both.
#9Dreamgirls, A Discussion
Posted: 5/7/17 at 12:01pm
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.
FlySkyHigh
Understudy Joined: 4/17/16
#10Dreamgirls, A Discussion
Posted: 5/7/17 at 12:15pm
hork said: "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.
"
Fair. I guess I gave her a pass because those singing moments were so moving; it was a good outweighed the not so good situation for me.
#11Dreamgirls, A Discussion
Posted: 5/7/17 at 1:22pm
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.
MadsonMelo
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/24/14
#12Dreamgirls, A Discussion
Posted: 5/7/17 at 4:50pm
I won't talk about Holliday, but Hudson was not great in the role. Her acting was good, serviceable, but not great, it's clear to me that the range of the vocalist in this role can cause a great impression in people and that's what makes Hudson so talked back in 2006, any scene without singing it was clear that she was not giving a great acting performance, but acting in a musical is not only acting, the voice counts and I get why she got that award. Specially when her co-stars were Foxx and Beyoncé, two ok-ish actors.
At first I thought Riley was gonna be the same, but what I saw on that stage was a very controlled, understanding and nuanced performance of someone capable to not only belting the house down, but give you the minimal details of a woman that goes through A LOT. Riley was, indeed, great, for my surprise.
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