Miss Saigon on Track for Film Treatment- Page 5

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 12:04am

It's either a televised interview or in one of her blogs where she spoke about it. Go to Lea's multiply.com site or wherever she keeps her blogs. In one of her entries, she even stated that for a New Year's resolution, she'd try to improve her written and spoken Tagalog.

[Dshar]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 12:04am

That's because not everybody can afford to go to O.B. Montessori. The ones who go there are Sons and Daughter of diplomats, and the Elite Political Families of the Philippines. She is the Grand Daughter of Jovito Salonga former Senate President of the Philippines.

Or did she not mention that in her autobiography?

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 12:12am

I don't know where you're getting your info, but not all Salongas in the world are related to Jovito Salonga: Feliciano Salonga is not related to JS at all.

That's a huge misconception about Lea: she has no blood ties to Sen. Salonga whatsoever.
Updated On: 10/29/09 at 12:12 AM

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 12:24am

Thanks for finding the info, new2broadway02! Much appreciated.

[new2broadway02]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 12:28am

Your welcome. I knew she mentioned it in one of her articles. I didn't go searching thru every one. I was just lucky to find it quick.

[Dshar]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 12:49am

Ok i read that part in her blog...She is extremely fluent in English.

1. She went to O.B Montesorri _ like I said only Foreign diplomats sons and daughter or Extremely elite Families can afford to go.

2. From that Blog she confuses 2 tagalog words namin and natin which isnt bad considering its almost the same meaning. UNLESS she knew Ilongo first before Tagalog and FILIPINOS from Manila are notorious in Laughing at thier peers for gramatical errors in both English and Tagalog

3. And Salonga isnt like Smith. Now you qouted the misconceptions from wiki would 90 Million make a mistake about her relationship to Jovito Salonga wherein she was a regular staple of Philippine Entertainment since the Marcos Era? It is common knowledge even for me who have been in the US since 12 years old. That was like 25 years ago.


Anyways we are getting further from the topic so i bid you guys adieu. Updated On: 10/29/09 at 12:49 AM

[maila]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 1:13am

i dont know why kim has to have an american accent. you probably meant no accent at all. and good diction. i dont think charice has an accent at all and she has good diction when she's singing. besides, miss saigon is almost "sung-thru".

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 1:34am

It's not necessarily an American accent: I'm assuming that if the film were to follow the stage version, then if it will be done in English, then the singers have to sing English with a certain clarity that American, Australian and British singers have when singing in English. For instance, it could be jarring if someone like Kaho Shimada, who sang Eponine in the LES MIZ Symphonic Recording sang the role of Kim because there, the accent stuck out. And for those used to the OLC and Symphonic of SAIGON, that's not the case with the Kims in those recordings. Joanna Ampil has a slight Filipino accent in the Symphonic SAIGON whereas Salonga does not in the OLC. But both sang clearly understandable English. I think that's the goal for the Kim in the film version.

[Dshar]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 2:04pm

Jake G is a good actor but I'm afraid he is a little too old for whoever will be playing Kim.

And as far as Accents go! Even American Accent differs from region to region. new England accent is way different from Georgian accent, New Orleans, New Mexico and Ebonics. Does that mean they aren't American too? So what is the proper American accent I wonder?

And about the streotyping of Asians...That's sooo 1960's we have progressed as a society to a point that you see Asian Americans in Entertainment nowadays that "doesn't play any of the old Stereotypes."

Now off course its only valid if the person who said about the accent anyways is on a cocoon and never watches any curent Television and is stucked in the 1960's and 1970's world. Updated On: 10/29/09 at 02:04 PM

[Colle]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 3:35pm

Cat and Sarah both sound good and might be good choices for Kim.

Another possiblity for Kim assuming she can sing well , I can think of, is Michelle Ang. She is a New Zealand actress of Malayian decent. I am fimiliar with her work on the TV series "The Tribe" and I thought she was pretty good in that show. Apparently, she did sing on the show's soundtrack, though I am not sure if she had any solos and I couldn't find any clips. That is why I am not sure about her voice. I think she probably still looks young enough to pull off Kim.

Daniel Dae Kim would be a good Thuy if he was younger. It is implied that Thuy and Kim are around the same age.

An idea I had for one of the bar girls would be Katee Sheen. She came in third place on "So You Think You Could Dance" a couple of seasons ago. Also, I believe I heard she is a Vietnamese-American. If she has a good voice, maybe she would make a good Gigi.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 5:57pm

Jake's 28 IIRC so he'd technically be the right age for Chris, but you're right in that it could be creepy if Kim is played by a young-looking girl.

I was wondering about Coco Lee for Gigi, haha. Too old? I always thought Gigi was older, but maybe not.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 6:12pm

"Daniel Dae Kim would be a good Thuy if he was younger. It is implied that Thuy and Kim are around the same age. "

No, it's not. We only know that they are cousins. His high-ranking military position would make him (most likely) older than Kim. I would hazard a guess he's around Chris' or John's age.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 6:13pm

Just do not let Rob Marshall anywhere near it.

I wonder where it will be filmed.

[Dshar]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 6:17pm

Ok i know i said about Filipino artist but i can't get over these 3 former idol contestants.

These are Filipino-Americans artist that needs a break

Ramielle Malubay (Finalist top 9)

Jasmine Trias (Finalist Top 3)

Camielle Velasco (Finalist Top 10)

Coco Lee is a bit on the older side.. There is a current rising star in Asia who is Chinese-American who won Hawaii's statewide singing contest can't pin her name though.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 6:18pm

Kim says "We were promised at 13," implying both were 13.

I was actually thinking of Jasmine Trias! When I saw her back on AI I thought she'd make a good Kim.

[Dshar]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 6:21pm

I'm hoping in authentic location...in Saigon Vietnam.

Vietnam is a more open country nowadays even if its still communist its not the same vietnam of 1975-1995.

Most Vietnam Era films were filmed in either Philippines or Thailand, that's only because of the situation of the government with the Communist regine in Vietnam.

[Dshar]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 6:40pm

"Daniel Dae Kim would be a good Thuy if he was younger. It is implied that Thuy and Kim are around the same age. "

No, it's not. We only know that they are cousins. His high-ranking military position would make him (most likely) older than Kim. I would hazard a guess he's around Chris' or John's age.


Yah i have to agree with Fosse on this one.

Usually the girl is younger than the boy in arrange marriages.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 6:43pm

Again, Kim has lines that imply they are the same age.

[new2broadway02]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 8:14pm

Sorry malia, I guess I did mean no accent. It's true Charice doesn't have much of an accent when she sings, but it's very obvious when she talks. And I didn't expect the Miss Saigon movie to be sung thru, making it exactly like the musical. I imagined it as mostly dialogue with some songs included.

Dshar, I didn't want to get into an argument again. But film and television still has Asian sterotypes. Most Asian men aren't stars of a movie unless they are martial artists - Jet Li and Jackie Chan. And there's my "favorite" example of a goofy Asian, Long Duk Dong in 16 Candles (1984). I don't watch Heroes, but I know that Asian guy in the show speaks much better English in real life. I remember more bit parts in other movies of an Asian speaking broken English as comic relief. The order taker in Dude, Where's My Car (2000), a man screaming on a pay phone in Cellular, and another screaming Asian guy in a Six Flags commercial (More flags! More fun!!!). I dunno why I remember these things. Maybe because I was so embarrassed when I saw it, and it has just stuck with me.

Haha, I don't know why I'm so caught up on accents.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 9:43pm

it'd be so weird if this movie wasn't sung through... i don't know... i would just have to get used to it...

[maila]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 9:51pm

ms saigon and les miz, those two shows i cant imagine not sung through.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 10:03pm

It would be error to film MISS SAIGON and not preserve the sung through score, IMHO.

[chino]

Posted: 10/29/09 at 10:42pm

Dshar, I'm not saying that other Asian Americans can't play the role. Of course they can. Am just saying there's a possibility that they will head to the Philippines and scout talents.

[Dshar]

Posted: 10/30/09 at 2:01am

Yah i don't know but I believe your in denial. Charice's accent as you said is nowhere near those stereotypes that your alluding. Its a very clear English and most Amazing of all it comes from an Asian that isnt even born or have lived in the USA.

I lost my accent within 3 weeks of arriving in the USA myself and they can't believe that i came to the USA not even a month when I enrolled in Junior High.

That's how good is the education in the Phillippines when it comes to English language instruction. Its no wonder too that Korea, Japan, China and Brazil sends students in the PI to learn the language besides being a cheaper and easier transit point than the USA, Australia and UK

BTW im still waiting for your answer as to what is the proper American Accent? As I said different regions in the USA themselves have different and distinct accent.

Updated On: 10/30/09 at 02:01 AM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/30/09 at 11:32am

"Kim says "We were promised at 13," implying both were 13."

While that may true, it still doesn't make much sense, as far as Thuy's storyline goes (a Commissar at 20?). She could simply be referring to her age...but you are right,it does imply they are both the same age.