Fantasia as Effie, I THINK NOT

1. Either it should be Jennifer Hudson
2. or some unknown singer/actor to the 'pop' culture.

Fantasia is an okay singer, and I like her but she is no Effie.

?...what do you mean?

Who is that person in your avatar?

Fantasia as Effie, I THINK NOT

Agreed, a thousand times over!

What if Jennifer Hudson can't act? Should she still play the role then? What if Fantasia really gave the best audition?

I personally detest threads like this because it's all based on asumption. Unless you've seen Fantasia's infamous "screen test" and seen what she is capable of doing with the role, you can't really say with any conviction whether she can pull it off or not.

That said, almost everyone in the industry expects an announcement that Fantasia will indeed be playing the role any day now, so you might as well get used to it, or stay home. Resigning yourself to hate something that hasn't even happened yet is a total waste of energy.

Definitly not Fantasia. If they are willing to go for a slimmer singer tho, what about Ramona Keller? She would kick ass.

Slimmer singer???? Ms. Keller would make Beyonce look like an Effie.

Fact is, no one is taking into account that the role, in some ways, needs to be reconceived. Film is a VERY different medium than the stage. The kind of performance that plays to the back of the Minskoff (the kind of performance Ms. Holliday gave, I would imagine) would simply overhwhelm the screen. Choosing a different vocal style than Ms. Holliday, but one that is still distincly 'black', is a wise choice. Remember, as has been discussed here many, many times, this show is not about weight. It's about selling out. Denying your race to make it in a white business. And from all reports, Fantasia's screen test was spectacular.

I remember when everyone was gnashing their teeth over Renee Zellweger, CZJ and the Gerbil Boy were cast in CHICAGO. What a disaster THAT turned out to be.

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Well obviously Effie's music is very different then Deena's. And that's how the writers of the piece differentiate the "skills" of the characters. Obviously in the many years the show ran in NYC and on the road, there were plenty of Deenas who sang as well if not better then the women playing Effie.

Robbie is dead on. What works on stage isn't the same as what works on film. If you had taken that Jennifer Holliday performance she gives on the Tonys and tried to put that on film, audiences would have laughed. As it is, even realizing that its a stage performance, she looks like she's going to eat Curtis's head.

Jennifer Holliday's perforrmance is legendary. Whoever plays the role on film is going to have to live in her shadow, and Condon is wise to try to go in a completely different direction.

Updated On: 11/1/05 at 11:16 AM

I have a feeling that Jennifer Hudson can't act, just based on the way she held herself during Idol. She's a great performer, but something tells me she doesn't have the acting chops to pull off Effie. If I remember correctly, she had issues with those little tv spots they made them do.

Frenchie Davis, who is a fine singer, cannot act to save her life either.

I may be in the minority, but I think Fantasia is a very honest performer who has been through enough crap in her life to give an honest performance as Effie White.

And then there's the simple fact that no matter what we say or how much we protest, the studio is going to do whatever the hell they want.

Updated On: 11/1/05 at 12:07 PM

If kid does have insider info...I think he is hinting that EFFIE is not the role someone from American Idol will be playing. As was mentioned in the earlier gossip post...probably Lorell.

Updated On: 11/1/05 at 12:26 PM

Anyone else think Team Fantasia is acting awfully obnoxious? It's like they're getting paid to go to every relevant message board and assure everyone she has the role while knocking any other suggestion. Heeeeyyyyy, I could use some extra cash for the holidays, maybe... They've been talking of an "announcement any day now" that Fantasia (who favorite musical is the movie version of The Wiz. Oy!) has the role for months. Newsflash: if Effie auditions are still going on (and they ARE) TPTB at DreamWorks can't be that impressed with Fantasia. Why hasn't TheTruth been made aware of this thread yet so he or she can assure us that Fantasia has the role in the bag and no else can do the role justice?

Updated On: 11/1/05 at 01:40 PM

I don't know... this "Dream" trio really works for me.

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I'm all for Fantasia!

^^^lovely picture of Beyonce...but no to Fantasia...they need someone a little more jolly (not a hard knots life young lady)....