"Les Mis" Movie - Where is Eponine (Samantha Barks)?

[wskrs4]

Posted: 12/5/12 at 5:02pm

Obviously we don't know how trimmed down her part will be yet, but in all promotional material, it's like the character doesn't exist. I don't know if it's her songs or just the idea of the character, but she has always seemed to me to be one of the main characters of the show - at least on par with the Thenardiers. Even though Valjean's redemption sort of centers around Cosette, Eponine always seemed like a bigger character than Cosette herself.
Now I know that Samantha Barks isn't a Hollywood star and this is her first big international thing aside from her stage work, but if not for herself, I'd expect her character to get a little more "buzz" than she's gotten. I'm not an Eponine fan-girl, but I'm beginning to scratch my head at the absence of a very well known character. At first I chalked the absence of the character in most promotional material as Samantha not being known as an actor, but can it just be that? Or did they cut the part down to almost nothing? She isn't anywhere on the movie posters, and in at least the first trailer, Samantha Barks' name wasn't even listed. I realize that Aaron Tveit hasn't gotten much press either, but Eponine is a much larger character than Enjolras, isn't she? Even in the pictures from the premiere that this site just released has one picture of Samantha - from the back. I watched the streaming coverage of the premiere's red carpet and she was the second person to come out - after young Cosette but before even the kid who played Gavroche. The order in which they came out seemed to escalate according to "importance" but I could be reading too much into this one.

Any ideas?

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 12/5/12 at 5:23pm

The general movie going public have no idea or care about characters, so the posters are used to sell the films stars (which,as much as i love her samantha barks isnt). only fans know the characters and they will see it anyway

ive never understood the whole eponine is a big deal thing, she really isnt in it that much, and doesnt really serve any major role in the main plot aside from being messenger for marius. her unrequited love story could be cut and it wouldnt change the main plot. the big song is the main reason she is noticed more and why you care and people want to play her

[JP2]

Posted: 12/5/12 at 5:31pm

Eponine was completely left out of the Liam Neeson/Claire Danes movie. And that's because, as Princeton Returns said, she figures so little to the plot.

But that's actually beside the point. At the end of the day (pun intended) Barks is not a star. No one knows who she is.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 12/5/12 at 5:33pm

I think you've answered your own question, but here goes. Eponine is a small but celebrated role. More celebrated than Cosette perhaps but Seyfried is a famous actress. I would also add that the producers would not be doing Barks any favors by overexposing her before the film opens. It is more likely better for the film and for her for her to make a surprise impression on the audience than for the audience to have big expectations of her performance, especially since the part is rather small.

I can't see the role being cut very much (if at all) in the film, and the released script shows that the role is more or less in tact.

Having said that, there have been posters on bww who have seen the movie that have mentioned that the absence of an intermission and some changes in the order of scenes may make her part appear to be somewhat diminished.

[E.Davis]

Posted: 12/5/12 at 5:38pm

[lotiloti]

Posted: 12/5/12 at 7:40pm

Stop worrying. Just home from the Premiere & Eponine is as she should be. Barks is perfect.

[PattyO'Furniture]

Posted: 12/5/12 at 7:47pm

Is it just me, or in the new BWW pictures of her, does her waist look terribly, painfully narrow?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 12/5/12 at 7:51pm

People have been saying that for months; those photos aren't exclusive to BWW.

[thebeautyis3]

Posted: 12/5/12 at 8:10pm

Echoing everyone's sentiments about why there is so little Eponine. Her significance in the book was not as great as it is in the musical, and I know Hooper has said he went back to the book, and Barks is not a big star. I also heard a rumor that the producers have purposely been limiting the advertisements involving Barks (lack of her in the trailers, no Eponine poster, etc.) because they are pushing Anne Hathaway for the Supporting Actress Oscar. They know that the actress playing Eponine would be the biggest threat to her, so they don't want to draw as much attention to her or spend as much time campaigning for her. In fact, many are guessing this could be part of the reason Barks was cast in the first place. They did not want a big name or anyone that would draw attention away from Hathaway's performance. But this is all just speculation.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 12/5/12 at 9:54pm

At around 3:36 of this video, Barks says that there are lots of scenes where she was not in filming wise.

http://watch.accesshollywood.com/video/samantha-barks-blown-away-by-director-tom-hoopers-interpretation-of-les-miserables/2013991568001

Updated On: 12/5/12 at 09:54 PM

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 12/7/12 at 6:06pm

she does have her own poster, all characters do. its used at the premiere and sam put a photo up on her instagram. they wont use it in the main though because she wont sell tickets. i do hope this is a break out role for her, and she would be a perfect movie elphaba if they hurry up and make it

[kec]

Posted: 12/8/12 at 5:54am

" i do hope this is a break out role for her, and she would be a perfect movie elphaba if they hurry up and make it "

I agree Princeton Returns. I saw Sam live in the 25th Anniversary concert performance and she really impressed me.

[mb87]

Posted: 12/9/12 at 4:51am

Her role consists of stating she's in love with marius, showing him where cosette lives, taking the letter cosette leaves for marius, she sings on my own, she bandages her breasts during 'One Day More/Do You Hear The People Sing." After that she briefly appears in the background of the barricade, dies, sings heart full of rain. Then there is a good length of the movie left without her.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 12/9/12 at 11:33am

^and hasn't that always been the case? What's the net difference in the movie?

[steven22]

Posted: 12/9/12 at 11:37am

She would make an incredible Elphaba!

[mb87]

Posted: 12/9/12 at 2:42pm

for some reason I thought she was in the show more than the movie. Guess not.

[ReggieonBway]

Posted: 12/9/12 at 3:48pm

As much as I adore Samantha, I think she would make a better Nessa than Elphie.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 12/9/12 at 4:38pm

Well, she shows up at Valjean's deathbed as a ghost; maybe that's left out of the movie; which would certainly be an improvement.

[Hex3]

Posted: 12/9/12 at 4:54pm

I cannot remember where I read this but some where on this vast internet I heard that at Valjean's deathbed, where we usually see the ghosts of Fantine and Eponine on stage,is now the ghosts of Fantine and the Bishop with Eponine's spirit nowhere to be found. Can anyone shed light on this?

[philly03]

Posted: 12/9/12 at 5:08pm

Just curious, has anyone seen her character-poster art? I haven't been able to find it.

[DivaBrigader]

Posted: 12/9/12 at 5:18pm

Correct about the ghosts at the end. There is a close-up of Eponine when there is a crowd shot of all the ghosts of the rebellion but she is not at Valjean's bed side.

[mb87]

Posted: 12/9/12 at 7:06pm

Fantine shows up to Valjean's side, and the bishop basically greets him to heaven's doors - then comes the scene of everyone dead singing on the barricades.

[michellek45]

Posted: 12/9/12 at 9:45pm

Most important thing about the ghosts, DivaBrigadier- is the harmony between Fantine and Eponine kept intact at all?

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 12/9/12 at 11:46pm

Fantine and the Bishop make a lot more sense at Valjean's death. Valjean and Eponine hardly knew each other.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 12/9/12 at 11:52pm

I hope they don't do the asshattery they did in the 25th ann. tour, where they literally had the Bishop appear and do a "Hello!" wave at the audience, like saying "hey! remember me? I"M IMPORTANT. =)