Lets Put This Whole Dreamgirls Business To Rest — Page 5

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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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.

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.

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

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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.

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

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.

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