Lets Put This Whole Dreamgirls Business To Rest- Page 5

[silent]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 5:39pm

Effie is still the central character in this story so Jennifer will not have a problem holding her own with Beyonce.

Congrats to Miss Hudson. She was born to play this part. If people can accept Beyonce (with her limited "acting abilities") as Deena, Jenn is more than right for the part of Effie.

[silent]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 6:06pm

And might I add, the only reason people keep saying that Fantasia would've brought something different to the role is because they all know she doesn't have the power in her voice to sing those songs the way they were meant to be sung. She is/was all wrong for the part of Effie Melody White. And she lacks the innocence to play Lorell as well.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 6:21pm

Well whoever plays the role whether it is Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson or Charo is going to have to sing the songs in a very different way then Jennifer Holliday. The way the songs were "meant" to be sung on stage wouldn't work in film. At all.

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 6:22pm

Thetruth--I agree with you completely about personal experience being the key, not the color of an individual's skin.

As far as, "can she hold up against Beyonce," I sure hope so. Jennifer may not have the acting experience, but neither did Diana Ross when she tackled "Lady Sings the Blues," and she turned in an increbile performance by anyone's standards. (Okay, she had some trouble following it up, but no one can take away from her what she did in that film.)

I'm putting my faith in Bill Condon and the producers that they made the right choice. They believed in her and cast her for a reason.

And yeah, it's pretty funny that they did the "nation-wide" talent search and ended up with someone right in front of them. I kinda think (as with the famous search for Scarlett O'Hara) a lot of those stunts are done for the buzz and publicity. They knew they were going with someone "in the biz" all along.

EDIT: MichaelBennett -- You are so right! It's the same reason why they couldn't use Ethel Merman in the movie Gypsy, or Mostel in the film of Fiddler. You put that much theatrical energy on film and it looks like Godzilla devouring Japan.

A film performance is a whole different bag from every perspective.

Updated On: 11/16/05 at 06:22 PM

[pab]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 6:27pm

I'll hold my comments until I see some OFFICIAL casting news. It's just very odd that only one paper is carrying this casting story, so we shall see.

[silent]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 6:32pm

They didn't wait 20 years to make this film for us to get a toned-down version of "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going."

And I seem to recall many of you bemoaning some changes being made to the story.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 6:36pm

Why are we now concerned about Hudson "holding up" against Beyonce as an actress? It's not like Beyonce has an extensive resume.

[ellenoshalom]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 6:51pm

I hate when people bait a comparison between talents. Beyonce is fire and she will give a stella performance in Dreamgirls, no doubt about it. And so will Jennifer. Congratulations to Jennifer, what a blessing for her and her family. O boy o boy DREAMGIRLS is gonna ROCK, baby!!!!!! Now, I can exhale, no Fantasia.
I read a report the other day, that after Tasia's performance at some event she passed out - due to stress. Now it makes sense, she probably found out she didn't get the role. Poor Tasia, her and PR people really wanted her to be in this production. However, the show must go on. PEACE!

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 10:15pm

I was SO excited when I read this. Hudson's "Easy to Be Hard" at the Hair Benefit Concert was the best rendition of any song I've ever heard....ever.

[enjolrasissex]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 10:24pm

Oh boy. I hated Jennifer Hudson on American Idol, so I hope that she can make more of an impression on me during this movie. We shall see.

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 10:30pm

devotional music is very important to me. shirley ceasar is a gospel singer that i enjoy, as well as the winans. bebe has the most beautiful voice ever. i also LOVE mavis staples. they have all the gospel devotion, style and musicianship. they also sing correctly.
but for me, the greatest devotional singer in the world is the late nusrat fateh ali khan. go to amazon and listen to samples. this man had GOD on his tongue and in his throat.

i think jennifer will be excellent. i hope the script lives up to the anticipation.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 11:05pm

this is absolute perfection. i am so excited! i was going to cry if fantasia was cast. jennifer hudson was my number one choice. she will be a goddess in this role.

[Thetruth]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 11:11pm

I wasn't talking about acting either. I was talking about STAR POWER. We all know Beyonce has that. If she outshines Jennifer, that throws the balance off. Obviously, the show is centered around Effie, but a great Deena could steal the show, especially since Hudson will be fighting against the ghost of Jennifer Holiday.

[GhettoBway]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 11:15pm

I know thats right Truth.
Hudson will be forever in Hollidays shadow and she will not get away from the Effie role she will play gay pride events for the rest of her life.

[Thetruth]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 11:18pm

Would you rather have Whitney singin all the songs like she wanted?

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 11:22pm

Ghetto, that's a pretty harsh prediction. Quite a dark crystal ball you have there.

[GhettoBway]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 11:23pm

OK give Beyonce I am Changing & AITY, Deena has no solos well in the show lol

[Thetruth]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 11:27pm

I just hope they get control of Jen Hudson's bug-eye thing she does when singing. And the choreographer will have to whip her into line b/c she doesn't move well. She's got her work cut out for her alongside Beyonce and Anika.

[GhettoBway]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 11:31pm

EFFIE IS BIG HAHA

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 11:48pm

Reposting link from the other thread (mainly because that one's hard to read):

USA Today article, including quotes from Condon:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2005-11-16-hudson-dreamgirls_x.htm

Definitely official.
Updated On: 11/16/05 at 11:48 PM

[GhettoBway]

Posted: 11/16/05 at 11:57pm

CHILD IM OVER THE TOP ALL MY FAV MUSICALS ARE COMING TO THE BIG SCREEN

[silent]

Posted: 11/17/05 at 2:54am

As if Fantasia would've overshadowed Beyonce if she had been cast as Effie instead.

And Beyonce has to contend with the ghost of Miss Sheryl Lee Ralph. She brought depth to that role, something that Miss Knowles does not possess.

You are such a damn hater. The truth is...your dream got shattered with the casting of the other two women and now you'll just have to get over it. I'm sick of you always trashing singers not named Fantasia or Beyonce.

[ellenoshalom]

Posted: 11/17/05 at 3:06am

^^^now now Beyonce is defined. Geesh, give credit where credit is do.

[silent]

Posted: 11/17/05 at 3:11am

I happen to think that Beyonce is talented but I don't think she's perfect, as some seem to think.

Jennifer Hudson said she's ready to take on a challenge and she's going to work her hardest to be brilliant in the role.

Whatever weaknesses she has, she'll work on them, just as I'm sure Beyonce intends to do.

And if Fantasia would've been cast, Bill Condon would have had to fix that ugly scowl on her face or her tendency to spring into a chicken dance. Updated On: 11/17/05 at 03:11 AM

[ellenoshalom]

Posted: 11/17/05 at 3:15am

^^^now thats funny. I am all for Jennifer Hudson. I didn't say anything negative about her.