Hairspray Film's Link Larkin Has Been Cast

[Effie Im TIRED]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 2:48pm

Zac Efron, the lead in High School Musical, has been cast in the film version of Hairspray.

[Parks]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 2:49pm

Was posted a few days ago.

Was it confirmed?

[Effie Im TIRED]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 2:51pm

Why am I always late? lol

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 2:53pm

No official source has confirmed this yet.

[So what...I sing]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 2:55pm

If it is true this could help bring in the younger 'pre-teen' audience to the film.

[Parks]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 2:56pm

I hope it's not true. I guess they're just trying to get a star from every crowd--teens, adults...and Disney Chanel watchers. Well, I guess it's not such a bad idea..

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 2:57pm

Adam Shankman confirms it here: (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13531836/site/newsweek/)

Hollywood: Hello to 'Hairspray'
Newsweek

July 3-10, 2006 issue - Zac Efron is going from basic cable to the big screen. Efron, who plays basketball-star-cum-crooner Troy Bolton in the Disney Channel megahit "High School Musical," tells NEWSWEEK he's landed the role of Link Larkin, the lead character in New Line Cinema's new version of the Broadway musical "Hairspray" (originally a John Waters film). Tween America's reigning heartthrob beat out as many as 200 other contenders to costar with John Travolta (doing his first musical since "Saturday Night Fever") and Queen Latifah, among others. "I'm pretty stoked," says Efron, 18.

At first, director Adam Shankman worried that Efron's clean-cut, teen-idol look was "very Disney, very Mouseketeery." But in the auditions, Efron showed he could muster the "little bit more edge" required for the role of Link. "He's a really special kid and is arguably the biggest teen star in America right now," says Shankman.

"Hairspray" will stretch the actor musically, too, say Efron and Shankman. It will feature him—and only him—singing all of his songs. In "High School Musical," Efron admits, it's not all him doing the singing: his baritone was "blended" with the tenor of a 24-year-old actor who tried out for the production but didn't get cast. "I'm going for authenticity," Shankman says. "Hairspray," Efron adds, will allow him to "regain some of my vocal dignity."

[mateo]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:02pm

its in the other thread... I dont know why I or anyone bothers to put new information to long threads, people only read new ones.

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:18pm

NO! NO! NO!!!!

Why Zac Efron!? WHY?! Now all the stupid kids who got addicted to High School Musical are going to be addicted to Hairspray!

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:20pm

Are they dumb? Zac Efron had someone SING FOR HIM in High School Musical, why do they need this in HAIRSPRAY?

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:21pm

RIDICULOUS...Just ridiculous....


worst thing I've heard all month....

[mateo]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:22pm

did you read the article? If Elaine Overholt can get Renee Zellwegger to sing she can certainly get Zac Efron to.

Its not like he is singing "the impossible dream."

[otis33]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:24pm

Ridiculous, maybe. But maybe it'll bring a new audience to musicals. God forbid it get tweens addicted to "Hairspray." As much as I didn't like the Leo DiCaprio/Claire Danes "Romeo and Juliet" it introduced a new generation to Shakespeare.

[Marguerite Chauvelin]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:35pm

Blehhh... I still have to see that stupid High School Musical movie...

At least the roles were cast age-appropriately.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:38pm

mateo- If he couldn't sing "Getcha Head In The Game" then how is he going to sing "Without Love"?

Plus Renee could sing from before.

[mateo]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:48pm

Well first off that was awhile ago now and the song was I guess too high for him to sing at the time, so they brought someone else in with a polished sound.

He's probably had much training since then. He also has the backing of the director and marc shaiman.

Renee was dubbed in her psuedo movie musical Shake Rattle and Roll.. she sung "Sugar High" in Empire Records which is a far cry from Chicago.

I dont know why people arent willing to give these actors a chance.

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:50pm

I am not looking forward to the movie, but I will see it regardless. I hope he does a good job.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:51pm

I hardly call what Renee does in Chicago "singing"...there is a reason why on all the special features with Catherine singing live in the studio they always have the clips of Renee dubbed with the soundtrack.


and I don't want a new audience for musicals...then we get all these dumb bandwagon kids who only know the film versions of Rent and Hairspray, and the cd of Wicked, and don't know crap about all the amazing musical theatre that's out there (like Sondheim)...and they never see a show live, they just sit at home with their cans of sugary soda and watch their dvds.

rant over.

[Weez]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:53pm

Mateo: Because they're elitist? ^_^

If people care to hunt down the other thread on this subject, my views are summed up somewhere towards the end. But if you'd rather moan and whine than do some reading, I'll recapitulate:

1) You can't fairly judge him until you've seen him in the role.
2) Just because his singing voice in 2005 wasn't suitable for 'High School Musical' doesn't mean his singing voice in 2006 will be unsuitable for 'Hairspray'.
3) Marc Shaiman - who quite probably knows more about and is more attached to 'Hairspray' than anyone here - himself said that Zac did a fine audition and they'd be lucky to have him in the film.

Now give the poor guy a chance, and stop bleating the same old "woe, woe, I hate High School Musical, and I can confidently say that this guy I know nothing about is rubbish!" nonsense. You're making us all look bad. ^_^

Updated On: 6/25/06 at 03:53 PM

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:57pm

So, who's dubbing his voice this time? Seeing as how a composer from 'High School Musical' dubbed him, will March Shaiman be dubbing him for Hairspray?
Updated On: 6/25/06 at 03:57 PM

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:57pm

Weez--if that was to me:

I have never even seen High School Musical, or heard it...I just think he's ugly, and would have liked to see them cast someone with broadaway credits. It kinda annoys me that they try to pull in "names" to make these movies, when they should cast people who would be best for the role. But that's show biz....

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:58pm

Some people act as if tweens wouldn't be obsessed with Hairspray if he hadn't been cast. Hairspray itself practically cries out "tween obsession!"

[otis33]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 4:00pm

"...and don't know crap about all the amazing musical theatre that's out there (like Sondheim)"


I think ANY support for musicals - live or on screen - should be welcomed. Some of these RENT movie lovers just might get the urge to go see live theatre. And then amazing musical theatre pieces by Sondheim - like the Tony winning revival of ASSASSINS might have longer lives, and SWEENEY TODD might be selling out.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 4:03pm

Remember REMEMBER DAMNIT!!!! This is a movie. They have TWO YEARS to work on it. This isn't live theater. This is Hollywood, where they made America believe a man can fly and Audrey Hepburn can sing. Even as we speak, teams of engineers and audio technicians are working on devices to let Marnie Nixon dub Zac's role. They will succeed, THEY HAVE TO, damnit!

All joking aside, since he doesn't have to walk out on stage and sing live, we all know the technicians have many many ways to buff up his voice.

And casting Zac was such a clever ploy. As I have said before, this casting is a work of marketing genius. One from evey food group, except, sadly enough, nobody out and proudly gay. With Harvey, they show had a wonderful subversive menace to it that Travolta won't bring to the part (although I'll bet the guys at South Park will have a field day with him in a dress).

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 4:04pm

Dirty Rotten Scoundrel- Why would David Yazbek dub him in Hairspray?