Hugh Laurie for Higgins?- Page 2

[Dre2387]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 8:29am

Hugh Laurie is perfect for the role.

Keira Knightly is not.

and did anyone read the end of the article where it says that there will be a Nanny McPhee 2?

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 9:17am

I just don't think Knightley is a particularly good actress. Plus, she's just generally kind of whiny and pouty, which grates on my nerves to no end.

Who else? I don't know, Anne Hathaway? How about anyone else!

[Magdalene]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 11:13am

I would watch Hugh Laurie in ANYTHING!!! Been a fan for years and years (Bit of Fry and Laurie, Jeeves and Wooster, Blackadder to name some of the more recognizable titles to Americans) I love watching this man's performances!!!

[sanda]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 11:26am

This new movie sounds better and better. First Knightly, now Laurie. I have to admit he never came into my mind as Higgins unlike Knightly who is my first choice since the movie was announced but now I think he would be perfect.

[Plum]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 12:13pm

As for Laurie...as soon as he became successful here he was international. He'd been a domestic star for years in the UK for YEARS before hitting America in House.

I meant the fact that House and Laurie seem to be absurdly popular in places outside the English-speaking world. International box office matters.

That said, again, I doubt that'll make enough of a difference if what the producers want is the biggest name possible in every role. The fact that Higgins doesn't require a good singer only opens up the field more.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 12:20pm

Keira's "acting" is basically pouting and simpering, yeah.

I've heard her singing. She's okay, but Eliza needs to have soprano chops and Keira does not have them.

I'm not sure whom I would suggest. Good sopranos who are also famous Hollywood actresses are few and far between. Frankly, I wouldn't mind if they dubbed the singing.

[CurtisTaylorJr2]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 12:34pm

He would be a good choice.

[dg22894]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 12:36pm

I would love that

[Plum]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 12:55pm

I just did my highly thorough YouTube research and found clips from The Edge of Love. So I can say that yes, Knightley is a soprano rather than an alto, which is a good start. (I mean, the fact that Johnny Depp is a tenor and not a baritone didn't stop Sweeney Todd.) But she sounds twelve. I'm really hoping that's just a result of that particular film's sound and character choices, because otherwise her singing is going to require a Higgins in his early thirties so the whole thing doesn't look completely freaking creepy.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 12:55pm

I would kill to see him play this role. I really hope this actually happens.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 1:02pm

Even if she's naturally a soprano and has a high voice she still doesn't have the training. Her upper register will likely still be weak and her high notes unsupported. There's a huge difference between a trained and untrained soprano.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 5:50pm

I'm still hoping that High Grant plays Higgins.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 5:57pm

Well, Keira Knightley isn't a black prostitute, so Hugh Grant wouldn't be good.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 6:16pm

I am hoping they will dub Knightley. Who, besides for not knowing her vocal ability, sounds like a perfect choice.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 6:23pm

I'm actually a fan of Knightley as an actress. I loved her in Pride and Prejudice. She does do a lot of pouting, but what a beautiful pout it is. I do not think, however, that she is a perfect choice for Eliza. That said, I can't think of a single actress in Hollywood who just screams "Perfect Eliza!". The best choice I can think of is Rachel McAdams, and she would definitely need to be dubbed. I was originally resenting this remake, however the involvement of Thompson and (possibly) Laurie really intrigues me.

[rose_pearl]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 6:32pm

Team Laurie over here.

[commasplice]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 7:00pm

Hugh Laurie is basically the only thing that could get me to watch My Fair Lady again. (Keira Knightley, notsomuch.)

[karen24]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 9:58pm

I love the idea of Hugh Laurie as Higgins, but not with Knightley as Eliza. She's what, 23? And he'll be 50 next year? Even though he looks great, I still think that's too much of an age difference. And I agree with those who have said that she is not at the same acting level as Laurie. Maybe if she had about 25 more years of experience!
I think Anne Hathaway is an intriguing idea. In fact, I thought I had heard that she was up for the role. Guess that didn't work out?
(Of course, I realize that she is only 3 years older than Knightley. But somehow she seems much more mature.)

Updated On: 12/19/08 at 09:58 PM

[Plum]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 10:06pm

The reason I find the age difference a bit less awful than I normally would is because Thompson has said she'll be going back to Shaw's afterword for Pygmalion for inspiration. Which means less traditional romance for Higgins and Eliza, and that in the end, she'd choose Freddy.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 10:40pm

I'll be upset if Eliza and Henry don't end up together in this version. :/

The problem with Anne Hathaway is that she isn't British. I really think that you need actual English actors in My Fair Lady because it's so much about accents and speaking.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 10:41pm

So American actors can't play British now?

[Plum]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 10:46pm

PiraguaGuy, Americans have a very hard time getting any sort of English accent right, and the person playing Eliza would have to get two - the Cockney, which is incredibly difficult to do without sounding like a prat, and then the "proper" posh RP. Yes, Americans can play English, in a few instances even convincingly, but I'd far rather have someone who's actually English in the role and not risk it. Even a lot of British actors screw up Cockney and Mockney accents. (Just ask Billie Piper and marble-mouthed David Tennant. Oy.)


I'll be upset if Eliza and Henry don't end up together in this version.
Shaw disagrees, at length.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 10:48pm

I know that he feels that way, but I think that if you're doing My Fair Lady you should just go all the way. If you don't want them together, make a movie of Pygmalion.

[Plum]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 10:56pm

I love Eliza for escaping Higgins and always get disappointed when she comes back with his slippers, so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. :)

[madbrian]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 10:57pm

I think Hathaway could pull it off, but I have a very high opinion of her. And she does come across as much more mature than Knightly, so she'd be more believable with Laurie. And based on the little that's available of both actresses singing, Hathaway is much better.

All the accolades Hathaway is earning from Rachel Getting Married should make her much more attractive to the producers, especially if she picks up some of the major awards.