Julia Murney as Eva Peron?- Page 3

Posted: 2/11/07 at 4:14pm

I think I'm repeating myself, but I think the real Eva Peron was a lot more conventionally attractive than Julia Murney, and I think most straight men would agree. Julia Murney is never going to touch conventionally attractive, even with stage makeup, while I think Eva Peron (and Patti LuPone, years ago) certainly did. I'm sorry to Ashley, Emcee, softershade, etc., but if you show a straight guy a picture of Julia, he's generally going to find her unattractive - and trust me, I've done it. I can't buy Julia as someone who seduced all these men. For the record, I feel awful saying this, but she just wasn't blessed with any sense of attractiveness beyond what some otherwise straight girls seem to see.

Honestly, though, I do understand that appearance is somewhat subjective. The fact that she looks/reads far older than Eva is at any point in the show, much less when she first appears in the show, would be a problem as well. Julia can't play 15/16; it would be laughable. I don't understand why anyone would want to cast her in the role when there are others who fit the part a lot better.
Updated On: 2/11/07 at 04:14 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 4:16pm

Julia Murney is never going to touch conventionally attractive, even with stage makeup, while I think Eva Peron (and Patti LuPone, years ago)

Patti...?

What kinda convention you at?

Posted: 2/11/07 at 4:18pm

Years and years ago? I think she was definitely pretty - and if not, still a hell of a lot better looking than Julia Murney.

At any rate, like I said, there are shades of grey regarding physical attractiveness. Julia comes across as far too old for the part anyway, so I'm not sure why this is even being debated.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 4:25pm

Oh, I thought someone had said she wasn't "conventionally" beautiful, per se, which is what threw me. I'm not sure I've ever seen a picture. But hey, eye of the beholder. You can only quantify it to a certain point, but I think she can do the seductress thing, even if not everyone is going to find her attractive. That's when you look to things that exist beyond phyiscal beauty, especially because she's not like, awful-looking and ugly. No need to be sorry, though.

Posted: 2/11/07 at 4:31pm

But would you buy her as a fresh-faced girl who essentially slept her way to the top in her late teens/early 20s (or so it is implied)? Maybe you could, but personally speaking, I don't think any amount of acting on Juila's part would be able to convince me of that, unless I was sitting in the last row. It's not just the fact that she isn't considered pretty, but also that I don't see any element of youthfulness about her, in either the way she carries herself or her physical appearance. To me, that's crucial to the character.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 4:34pm

Nah. But Patti LuPone, gorgeous as she was when she did Evita, didn't really look like a teenager or 20something either. Suspension of disbelief. I realize that Julia looks older than she did, though.

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 4:37pm

When I saw a pic of her for the first time, I didn't think she was too attractive. Then I saw the photos of her in Wicked and she seemed a little old for a collge kid. However, when I saw her live, she looked stunning! Maybe it was just the green makeup, but I completely belived her in the Shiz scenes. I'm not sure what it was, but she looked more "beautiful" live than she did in any photo.

[snl89]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 4:49pm

sorry, this is from really far back, but

And whoever said IDINA is triple threat enough to do the role, I hope you're not speaking of Idina MENZEL, because the Idina *I* know has a killer belt, decent acting skills, and an underwhelming dancing ability.

haha yeahhh, Idina's not exactly a triple threat In my opinion, KILLER actress and singer? you bet. But um... she herself has made fun of her own dancing. Granted she did a darn good job in Tango Maureen in the RENT movie for a self-proclaimed non-dancer, but she's def not a triple threat.

and I really dont know enough about Evita to be a great judge, but from the little I do know about the show, I think Eden would be a fantastic Eva. Nooot quite so sure how I'd feel about Julia, even though she IS extremely talented :)

Updated On: 2/11/07 at 04:49 PM

Posted: 2/11/07 at 4:52pm

Why do you always have to turn every thread into a gushing session about Idina Menzel?

[alliez92092]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 4:54pm

I'd kill to see Julia play the part.

[snl89]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 5:12pm

Why do you always have to turn every thread into a gushing session about Idina Menzel?

I'm sorry, I happened to be reading through the thread and noticed that comment. I'm aware that I have a bad habit of turning threads into "idina gushing", but I actually don't think I've done it much for a while now. Besides, I generally try and keep it to threads that are talking about idina anyway- this one happened to be a little more random. But I did try and contribute a little something more too, since I knew that comment wasn't really pertinent to the conversation

aand I'm done now, since I dont know enough to really add more to the discussion

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 5:50pm

"I don't understand why anyone would want to cast her in the role" I just think that she could carry it off. I don't want you to repeat the unattractive argument because I don't think anyone will ever really change your mind or the people that think she is attractive's mind about it, so don't bother with it.

I think she could act the role and that her voice would sound fantastic on the songs. However, I see the argument that she might too old, but you only have so many options. Do you cast a less experienced performer that looks like a teenager at the beginning of the show and hope that she has the chops to carry the role or do you cast someone who might not be the most convincing 16 year old but can most certainly carry off the show? I'd rather see the latter. I know Patti LuPone was young and not that experienced when she did the role, but I believe I've read interviews where she talks about how much "Evita" killed her voice.

My feeling on Eva is that even when she was 16, she wasn't some idiotic girl. She would've carried herself like a woman.

But, I see your point, siamese dream. Above is mine.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 5:54pm

Patti LuPone was 29 years old when she played EVITA. She had been on Broadway in several productions and had already received a Tony nomination for THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM...

Elaine Paige was 30 in the original London production. Elena Roger is also 30.

If Julia Murney can play Elphaba - I'd imagine looks wise she wouldn't be too old to play EVITA. The question is whether she would be right playing the role in this particular production.

[pants2]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 6:34pm

well her headshot is decent so they could just tape that on her and we'd have no problem, you know, if they take out all the parts she sings.

Posted: 2/11/07 at 6:51pm

I don't want you to repeat the unattractive argument because I don't think anyone will ever really change your mind or the people that think she is attractive's mind about it, so don't bother with it.

Well, we're certainly getting a bit touchy. I absolutely love when people try to tell others what they can or cannot post on message boards. Short of being profane or obscene, I have the right to say that she's unattractive when discussing her as a potential candidate for a role, just as you - or anyone - has the right to say that they feel she's beautiful. And please don't take my quotes out of context; if I remember correctly, I said I don't understand why anyone would want to cast her in the role when there are performers out there who would be better fits than Julia for Eva Peron, not that I didn't understand why anyone would even consider her in the role.

Nowhere did I say I wanted an inexperienced performer who looked like a teenager in the role. I think the role should be played by someone who could conceivably pull off late teens/early 20s during the course of the show, and I can't imagine that Julia can. It's a combination of her apparent physical age combined with the way she carries herself, the way she sounds when singing, etc.

MB, I think Patti LuPone during her Evita days looked considerably younger than Julia Murney does now. Elena Roger looks quite a bit more fresh-faced than Julia does, too. I'd imagine that Julia is in her upper-30s; there's a large difference between 29 (in LuPone's case) and 37/38ish. I see your point about Julia in Wicked, but I imagine her coming off as far too old and mature for the role of Elphaba as well. I haven't seen her beyond some video clips, though, so I'll refrain from judgement. I do think there's an element of mysticism present in Wicked (that isn't in Evita) that might distract you from the apparent age of a performer, though. Updated On: 2/11/07 at 06:51 PM

[MovieGuy1031]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 7:18pm

I'd much rather see Eden before Julia, but I think both of them would absolutely blow the roof off of the theater in the role of Eva.

[catstagestud]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 7:29pm

I'd like to see Julia in the role, though my preference would be Alice Ripley. She's a killer singer and a wonderful actress...I'm not sure if she could dance it the way the new staging is, but if so I think she'd be absolutely wonderful.

Cheers,

Christopher

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 9:09pm

YES...bring on Julia as Eva!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 9:11pm

Alice would have been a fabulous Eva - but she's in her 40s now - that's really too old to play the role...

[Midoria]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 3:03pm

This thread is old, but "Evita" was on TV a few days ago and it got me thinking about a revival, which I'd LOVE to see!!!

I just wanted to put my two cents in about Argentineans. They ARE Caucasian. When I was younger I worked in an area with a large South American population and that always fascinated me. As cultured as I like to think I was at 18, I found it amusing to watch people with natural blue eyes (a few with natural red or blonde hair) speaking in rapid-fire, fluent Spanish.

To be fair, I believe most of their European blood is from Italy and Spain, so they still tend be on the darker side of Whiteness, and thusly can be played by either a White person or a lighter-skinned Latina. But their origins are indeed European.

Oh, and as far as charm and seduction go: I do find it somewhat amusing that some people think that only women who fit certain standards of beauty can seduce their way to the top. Seduction is more than just looking pretty. Seduction as much a mental game as it is a physical one, if not more. It doesn't take much to get a man into bed. But it takes a women with a decent amount of cleverness and manipulative skills to turn a sexual escapade into something as binding and important as marriage. Even more so if the man in question is in the world of politics I'm from DC. Do NOT get me started on politicians and/or their wives!

IMO, Eva Peron was a 5 or 6 in the looks department. Someone said that she looks good because she is well kept, and I believe that to be true. Not saying that she was an ugly woman, but nothing about her features really stand out. Eva fashioned a glamourous image for herself, and we know that glamour can work wonders on someone who wouldn't get a second look otherwise. But I do think the problem is that is died when she was in her early 30's and for some actresses, that would be hard to pull off considering she is a teen when the whole thing starts. Whiteness and looks are secondary.

Ciao!

[TapTapTapioca]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 3:14pm

Leslie Kritzer please.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 3:17pm

Too butch

EDIT: Murney is too butch

Kritzer would kick ass in this role. Updated On: 8/2/07 at 03:17 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 3:17pm

I concur with Leslie Kritzer. Eden and Idina are terrible singers in my eyes (they don't belt, they yell) and I don't know how they are at dancing. Julia Murney, I think is too old. And Sutton's not a good enough actress.

Updated On: 8/2/07 at 03:17 PM

[Midoria]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 3:25pm

Are we talking about the same Julia Murney? BUTCH??

Honey, you may want to rethink your idea of "Butch". I have some friends I can introduce to you... =)

[Midoria]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 3:25pm

Double Post!

Updated On: 8/2/07 at 03:25 PM