Inez in Hairspray

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 9:00pm

When did the character become an adult? I noticed that it's no longer listed as "Little Inez" and the actress playing her certainly isn't 10....

Posted: 7/24/06 at 9:03pm

Its cheaper to have an adult than a child and a wrangler.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 9:05pm

It's ridiculous and dissapointing that they changed this.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 9:07pm

Yeah, but when did they change it?

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 9:14pm

I believe in 2004 they started doing it. The original tour girl left (who was wonderful, I spoke with her after the show and told her how incredible she was, she was so gracious, so it made me happy to see someone so young in such a powerfouse role).

In 2004, she left, and the role was taken over by Shannon Antalan.

Updated On: 7/25/06 at 09:14 PM

[ILoveMyDictionary]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 9:20pm

I saw it with the adult actor and it didn't bother me. I thought she was a 10 year old girl until I looked at my playbill.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 9:21pm

I saw the show in the fall of 05. And it was definitely a young girl. She was called Lil' Inez in the show. And she came out of the stage door with binders and what looked like school work.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 9:22pm

Was this on Broadway, ljay? I'm just wondering because I believe they started casting adults some time after the tour did.

[SNLMedia]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 9:24pm

The last child to play Inez on Broadway was Chloe Smith. She was 11. Her last show was in early April of this year. She was replaced by Naturi Naughton, from 3LW, who is 22.

[curly120]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 9:25pm

I saw it a few times last month, and I'm pretty sure she's an adult. She looks 10 and plays the part really well, but I think I remember a cast member at the stagedoor saying she was in her early 20s.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 9:27pm

That's interesting Naturi from 3LW is playing it now.

I knew I saw a kid, and it was I'm pretty sure it was Chloe.

And yes it was Broadway.

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 11:49pm

You're thinking of Shannon Antalan, not Anika.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 12:48am

I saw Naturi Naughton as Inez on tour, and from what I remember, she was still refered to then as Lil' Inez. She certainly looked ten, although, since I remembered her from 3LW, I knew she wasn't.

[MissNY]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 10:19am

I dont know why Inez has to be such a young child to begin with. It actually makes more sense if she's close in age to her brother. If all the council members are 16, why would a 10 year old be auditioning. And why is a 10 year old at the hair hop. Her character would make more sense as as a 15 years old. But they need to change her lines

[Fosse76]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 11:19am

"I dont know why Inez has to be such a young child to begin with. It actually makes more sense if she's close in age to her brother. If all the council members are 16, why would a 10 year old be auditioning. And why is a 10 year old at the hair hop. Her character would make more sense as as a 15 years old. But they need to change her lines"

Because she's 10 in the movie, that's why, and most of the dialogue isn't appropriate for anyone over the age of 12. ("Seaweed's gotta girlfriend!", "Why do we always have to dance in the back?"). As far as I know, there is no stated age limitations to audition for the Corny Collins show, and it's apparent she likes to dance, so why wouldn't she go? Other than the fact she would only be present in three scenes, that is.

[wyou17]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 12:03pm

"Because she's 10 in the movie"

She is, but the character comes off younger in the film than in the stage show, even when younger actresses were playing the part.

The film's Inez doesn't have much to do. I watched the film a lot as a child, and the only impression I was ever left with was her line about being in awe of Tracy, her "favorite dancer on Corny Collins" in the record shop.

In the show, she auditions, has a rather articulate and mauture sounding solo in RUN AND TELL THAT, and attends the Hair Hop. She's used to much better effect on stage, where as on film she always felt like a plot device (to allow for the Mother-Daughter Day protest)

I don't feel that "most of the dialogue isn't appropriate for anyone over the age of 12." It sounds like typical sibling banter, and sounds fine for a 10 year or 14 year old "little sister." That, and the fact that children acted more like children for a longer period of time in the past. Not all 13 year olds in the 60's were as maturely written for as Dakota Fanning and today's miniature adults.

Naturi Naughton was FANTASTIC when I saw her. Having previously seen two other younger actresses in the part, the youngest gave some of the weakest line deliveries. Besides the fact that she is youthful enough that I didn't question she was a child, since I've already suspended belief enough to assume that the lead "kids" are no where near high school aged.

PS- Has anyone EVER seen anyone in the part who could deliver the line "No, she'll kill HIM," in the scene before I KNOW WHERE I'VE BEEN? That always falls flat whenever I hear it, regardless of how great the performance is otherwise.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 12:47pm

The Inez understudy has always been a member of the Dynamites, even when Inez was still 10. I once saw Shayna Steele go on as Inez. The references were changed from "Little Inez" to just "Inez" and it worked just fine.

It doesn't seem like a huge deal to me.