Vanessa Hudgens is not a movie star. There are plenty of A list film stars who could be ideal as Louise, I can’t imagine they wouldn’t cast one of them. But it’s still all going to hinge on them getting a Rose who could sell it. How well can McCarthy sing? I did think she was brilliant in Can you Ever Forgive Me?
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
Louise and Herbie are easy to cast (especially Herbie). There are TONS of people who could do those roles and help the box office.
Can Tilda Swinton and Frances McDormand sing? I want to see one of them do it. I like the Melissa McCarthy idea, and Nicole Kidman & Emma Thompson could be interesting (though neither is a Merman type).
Toni Collette, Catherine Zeta Jones, and Megan Mullally are not bankable stars.
Someone mentioned Catherine Zeta-Jones and I’d love to see what she could do with it.
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards
This won't happen, and even if it does the press reports read as though it will have a different script, not like the stage show. The Bette Midler GYPSY didn't change a word. The Rosalind Russell movie rewrote the stage script and it stunk. Russell didn't even do her own singing (contrary to what she said in her autobiography). It was Broadway name Lisa Kirk (MACK AND MABEL) that did it all.
Gypsy is an old fashioned book musical, part truth, and the only colour and movement comes when the kids do their bit and that has to look very amateurish. Can't do the clever editing like Chicago--Gypsy is a journey for each character when we meet them.
Be interesting to tell a little back story for Mamma to see her trying and failing. Don't know but was she successful on stage as? and her 2 girls came along and prevented her being a 'big star'?
The rest is pretty drab looking because of the period. 'Gimmick' should stop the film! and so should 'the strip'. Lots of dancing spunks to choose for Tulsa.
Roses' turn is not a Dream Girls with a great build up, more a break down.
The only way money is coming in for a film of this very stage piece would be on the back of a movie star, and even Ms Streep has been in some clunkers.
Other than 'made for television', again, can't think of any movie star that COULD do it.
Wake me up when something actually happens. Six years of Streisand press agent BS wasn't enough for you? Now THIS will go on until suddenly, magically - someone else will announce that THEY'RE doing it.
I'm way more excited about this than I was when way too old Barbra Streisand was attached. I think Amy Sherman-Palladino will do this material justice. I do hope her husband is involved as well because I think his directorial work for Mrs. Maisel has been absolutely wonderful.
I think Hailee Steinfeld would actually be a great choice for Louise. We know she can "dress down" and look like someone who would be passed over as evidence in a few of her film roles like Edge of Seventeen but she also know she can glam it up as in her music videos. As for June, I want someone who we would believe can be a star. I really do trust Sherman-Palladino with this project given her track record and her love of music that comes through in her shows.
Tag said: "It's so insane that Barbra effing Streisand couldn't get this made."
She was also circling The Normal Heart for 25 years, and then Ryan Murphy got it made in 2 years at HBO. Despite directing 3 big hits, Barbra has historically had a tough time getting things made –– the opposite of Spielburg, who can read The Post inFebruary and release it in November. Call it ego, sexism, or a combination of factors.
Niles Silvers said: "It's interesting that the first thing people come up with in relation to female leads is age."
I think we're harping because on stage Rose has always been played by aging battleaxes. But Rose Hovick was a young woman when she began her journey and was not yet 38 years old when June elopes with Tulsa (she actually married Herbie when she was 26). So really Anne Hathaway is much closer to Rose's age than Louise.
Owen, I know people like to point to history when they mention that historically Rose was a young woman. But this really isn’t a history play- it’s a musical fable that was specifically tailored for the musical and dramatic gifts of Ethel Merman. Merman was in her early 50s when the play premiered and I personally think it works best when the part is played by someone in the shade of that age. I think, especially for film, in this day and age it might be difficult for audiences to feel for Rose’s central issue- “if I could have been, I would have been” if Rose were cast with what we consider today to be a relatively young actress. But it’s ceetainly not outside of the realm of possibility. I mean if Barbra could play Dolly at 27...
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
People age out of roles, regardless of their gender identity. It happens. You move on.
Mike Nichols tried to get a Gypsy adaptation off the ground back in the early millennium, after Angels in America. Oddly enough, he was pitching it with Meryl in mind. That floundered, of course. I cannot remember if it was prior to the Nichols/Streep project or after, but Catherine Zeta-Jones was considered by some production team after winning her Oscar for Chicago. Arthur Laurents quickly vetoed the idea, saying Rose cannot be played by a second banana. (He would have said the same thing about Glenn Close, if we're being honest.)