Besty, I never saw Ruffelle live but I've always loved her version of "On My Own," (and the rest of the stuff she does with the score) she has a raw sensibility to her performance that makes her special. I agree that Barks' version is too squeaky clean and I was hoping Hooper wanted to return to the Ruffelle model. Having said that, Barks does seem to have presence which is always the main worry with stage actors doing film (and vice-versa). I would have loved to see what Evan Rachel Wood would've brought to the part, but it's also a case where we have to trust the director.
I wonder if the non-star casting for Eponine means the screenplay for the film will focus more on the Cosette(sp)/Marius storyline. They have so many stars cast in so many characters, it'll be interesting to see what stories the final cut will focus on.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"