Samantha Barks to Play Eponine in LES MIS Film

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 5:54pm

So much for Taylor Swift.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BREAKING-NEWS-Samantha-Barks-To-Play-Eponine-In-LES-MISERABLES-Movie-20120131

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 5:56pm

You can see her singing "On My Own" here. Pretty fantastic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYWIVmTBECE

[maila]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 5:58pm

whew! the news is also on cameron mackintosh facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/sircameronmackintosh?sk=wall
Updated On: 1/31/12 at 05:58 PM

[RockStarNYC]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 5:59pm

She was an incredible Eponine in the 02 concert. Glad to see an actual musical theater singer is in the role. Sorry, but I dreaded Swift's portrayal of Eponine.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:00pm

If this had anything to with backlash coming from the internet than Hooper and Mackintosh are chickens. They need to grow up and grow backbones! Barks is talented, but this is WAY TOO SAFE of a choice!

Updated On: 1/31/12 at 06:00 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:01pm

World peace at last.

[cordialcherry]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:01pm

Thank the good and merciful Lord above. I must say that Taylor Swift did not raise the bar very high- I'd be happy to hear that nearly anyone else was playing the role.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:03pm

Thank god some real talent is involved in the younger majority of this cast! She's a great singer, I'm excited to see the movie with her! Her Eponine was spot on in the O2 concert

[E.Davis]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:04pm

Damn....I was really wanting to see what Swift did with the role.

[JP2]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:05pm

This feels like a wonderful act of God.

[bobbybaby85]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:05pm

Here's what I want to know... What item in her room did Lea Michele throw against the wall when she found out she didn't get cast over an unknown...

Losing to Taylor Swift is one thing... I mean, huge music star... but this chick... I wonder if she'll "storm the stage".

[kec]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:11pm

Outstanding choice. I saw Samantha at the O2 concert, and she was absolutely wonderful. Very pleased for her.

[E.Davis]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:13pm

Now she could believably be SBC and HBC's daughter.

[Dubliner]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:17pm

Terrific news - now can we have Katie Hall's Cosette as well?

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:22pm

These men





laid these this morning:



Updated On: 2/1/12 at 06:22 PM

[JP2]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:31pm

Taylor Swift can't sing the role, and looked nothing like HBC and SBC. On the other hand Barks can, and does.

[peachesr82]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:39pm

To be fair they never actually confirmed Taylor. Seems to me they had her over, did some work with her and then realised she wasn't up to the job, gelling with Redmayne, whatever, and got rid. I don't doubt for a second that Cameron Mackintosh isn't fully aware of all the interweb backlash either. Does it really matter how they came to the decision, lets just be pleased they did. I'd have actually take Lea Michelle over Swift but great news for Samantha Barks, she's a known quantity for them and I'm sure she'll be fantastic.

[kyl3fong2]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:44pm

THANK GOD.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:44pm

She's a little too squeaky-clean for me in that clip. She sings the song with a really nice voice, but I'm missing that "interesting" quality that Frances Ruffelle had in the original. She was the best thing in the show when I saw the OBC, IMO.

Banks is certainly capable in this concert clip, but I don't see anything unique about it at all. I hope she'll go way beyond this in the film.


Bad-quality clip but great interpretation - Frances Ruffelle

[Wildcard]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:46pm

How can Samantha be considered a "safe" choice? She is unknown in Hollywood. She was cast purely on talent unlike the previously rumored ingenue.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:51pm

"How can Samantha be considered a "safe" choice? She is unknown in Hollywood. She was cast purely on talent unlike the previously rumored ingenue"

She's too safe of a choice acting and singing wise because she's already payed this role before. Jackman, Crowe, Hathaway, Seyfried, and Tveit have never been in this musical. Still no official confirmation on Bonham-Carter and Baren Cohen tough.


"I don't doubt for a second that Cameron Mackintosh isn't fully aware of all the interweb backlash either."

He probably laid more eggs today than Hooper.





Updated On: 2/1/12 at 06:51 PM

[JP2]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:55pm

Stay pressed.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 7:00pm

I'm hoping she'll surprise me under Tom Hooper's direction and give a more "personal" and unique performance. I've no doubt she tested (and tested and tested) for the part before they cast her. She must have blown them away.

But going purely on the concert video of her Eponine "as is," I'd say no thank you. She's got "all the right moves" without going beyond a conventional interpretation.

Still, I can't see calling her a "safe" choice. People will definitely go in with a preconceived notion of what she'll do with the part, though.

Hopefully, in the movie (a new medium, new direction, new approach, etc.), she'll rise to the occasion and give us something more memorable.

Updated On: 1/31/12 at 07:00 PM

[Wildcard]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 7:04pm

Film is the director's medium unlike on stage where the actress can have more control of her interpretation. He can choose the best parts of the different shots and edit them the way wants to. It is also more intimate so I'm hoping Tom Hooper can bring out the subtleties in her performance. At least he will be molding a medium that is good to begin with.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 7:07pm

"But going purely on the concert of her Eponine "as is," I'd say no thank you. She's got "all the right moves" without going beyond a conventional interpretation."

She also played the role in the West End.