Official! Lauren Ambrose to Star in FUNNY GIRL! — Page 4

I'm with you, rwlevin. My first thought when I saw the casting announcement was, "Huh?" I adored her in EXIT THE KING and I know that acting-wise, she'll knock this role out of the park, too. But she is physically not right for it.

It's not even so much that Fanny's Jewish, it's that she LOOKS Jewish. I don't recall her religion ever really being an issue in the musical (admittedly, I've only seen the movie, but still). But she looked Jewish, which made her feel unattractive (a feeling that was echoed and exacerbated by her time), and that feeling of unattractiveness informs her entire character.

So even if you don't consider Lea Michele Jewish because it's only on her father's side (which is ridiculous and offensive for reasons I'll get to later), she LOOKS Jewish, which is more appropriate to play Fanny than her religion. I don't mind if they cast someone who isn't even half-Jewish, as long as she has the right ethnic look required for the character.

Moving on: there are millions of Jews around the world who are not religious -- even atheist -- but identify as Jewish because of their heritage, even if they inherited from their father, myself included. It is absolutely an ethnicity (I don't like to say "race" because it implies skin color) as well as a religion. If the Israeli government agrees that one Jewish father (in fact, one Jewish GRANDfather) makes you Jewish, then I don't understand how you can tell me I am not Jewish.

---

Interesting, given the weight that this board is putting on ethnicity, to note that of the five other actresses considered by Sher, only one (Leslie Kritzer) is Jewish.

---

Leslie Kritzer was my choice from the first time I heard about a revival.

So I guess if Lauren Ambrose had a schnoz and a lazy eye regardless of her background she would be just fine to play Fanny Brice.

Well, yeah. As I said, it's the fact that the character does not look classically pretty that is important. In her case, her looks came from her Jewish heritage, but it's thr "not beautiful" part that's important.

---

I imagine Block and Kritzer both auditioned, I doubt Benanti (who has a show coming out in the Fall), Michele or O'Hara actually went in. I'm not surprised Block wasn't cast, but I am very surprised about Kritzer and what it is about Ambrose (clearly it wasn't a celebrity-casting thing) that made her the winner in this bunch. Something tells me that she must have been quite special in the audition room.
Is it February yet? I can't wait to see how this whole thing plays off.

---

For the purposes of spirited, intellectual debate, I'm going to answer Michael Bennett's question, because I think it's an interesting question worth asking.

Personally, I would rather they just hire an actress who actually looks the part instead of hire a pretty actress and use makeup to drastically alter her appearance. I don't know if I'd call it offensive, though. Just disappointing. I'm more offended that Sher seems to be completely disregarding her appearance as an integral part of her story, so if they attempt to "ugly her up," at least they're trying to stay somewhat true to the character.

There's a much bigger issue on both sides, though. On one side: Shouldn't any talented actor be able to portray any demanding role? Why discriminate on either side, especially if there are makeup techniques that can make anybody the right "type"?

On the other side: Does that mean it's okay for a white man to play Othello as long as you paint him dark? Or it's okay to cast Jonathan Pryce and tape his eyes? Historically, minority actors have often been excluded from many roles, so is it right to give the few roles that were written specifically for them to white actors?

These are extremes, I know, but it's a very short logical jump from what we are discussing with Fanny. I can see both sides of the argument and I honestly don't know what the answer is.

---

Updated On: 8/3/11 at 05:30 PM

Every production of Funny Girl I have seen focuses more on Fanny's idea of what she looks like more than how she actually looks. As Smaxie's photo shows, she wasn't terrible looking, a little plain maybe, but I think she could be quite pretty.

She exaggerated her looks to play the "ethnic roles" she's most known for from the follies, and it is a shame that that is how she is now seen by many.

---

Smaxie -- we have to caveat that picture by saying that it is also a front angle shot clearly meant to soften her features. Brice was very self conscious of the size of her nose and there are almost no photos of her in profile pre-1923 when she famously received a high profile rhinoplasty to greatly reduce it.

Brice was also famous for her fingernails, btw.

Updated On: 8/3/11 at 05:53 PM

Regardless or not, let's not lie like we're not all going to get tickets and see the show.

I'm more annoyed by the fact that they were touting going for an "unknown" and then they go with a star.

There's no reason to beat around a burning bush, as Fanny herself might have said: The woman had a nose. A healthy nose.



But, oy! Such dainty fingernails!

---

She is gorgeous in the most conventional christian-american way possible. I smell a prosthetic nose.

I can NOT wait for the movie re-make starring Lea Michelle, directed by Barbara.

Updated On: 8/3/11 at 06:46 PM

I'm more annoyed by the fact that they were touting going for an "unknown" and then they go with a star.

She's not an unknown, but she's by no means a star.

---