Samantha Barks to Play Eponine in LES MIS Film- Page 3

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 9:37pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo-Flash-Frances-Ruffelle-Samantha-Barks-Dual-Eponines-20120131

How cute

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo-Flash-Meet-Eponine-Samantha-Barks-Through-the-Years-20120201

Updated On: 2/1/12 at 09:37 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 9:40pm

It's great to see how supportive Frances Ruffelle is being about the film, it's nice not to see her get all Jennifer Holiday on Samantha Barks or the movie in general. I'm excited to see her cameo in the movie, I hope it makes it to the final cut!

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 9:46pm

Cosette may not be the largest part, but IMO it needs to be played by a trained soprano. And Amanda will stick out even more now since Samantha Barks will sing circles around her.

Then again, she'll also sing circles around Anne Hathaway during the "Finale" so I guess you'll have that.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 9:52pm

I'm going to guess that with such a delay in casting this role, and with Evan Rachel Wood turning it down first, and then all the paparazzi photos of Swift going into MacIintosh's office, they just couldn't work out a deal. It's probably either her schedule or her recording label that caused a roadblock. Don't forget, someone like Swift is under an exclusive recording contract. They may have wanted a cut of the soundtrack sales, etc. You never know. Regardless of the reason, they ended up casting a virtual unknown stage performer in the part. She still had to beat out quite a few hopefuls (perhaps hundreds, in the end) to get it, and she obviously impressed them greatly.

Hopefully, she'll do the same for all of us when the film comes out.

[kec]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 9:57pm

"Wasn't Samantha Barks a contestant on that British show whereby the public picked final winner, who was then cast in a then-current London show? I saw several episodes in which a number of women contestants vied for the role of Nancy in the London production of Oliver. I think I'm remembering correctly that Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh disagreed on the final choice and on the larger question of whether a cast member should be chosen in this way. "

Yes, Samantha was one of the final three in the search for Nancy show. In fact, she recently went on tour with the new production of OLIVER playing Nancy.

[Owen22]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 9:59pm

Yes, Samantha was discovered on Lloyd-Webber's BBC casting show "I'll Do Anything" the search for Nancy in "Oliver". Samantha was a standout, and a finalist, but lost the role to a more traditional, zaftig actress (who was pretty wonderful in her own right, and just took over a lead in "One Man Two Guvnors" in the West End). Sam was gorgeous and talented on the show, but obviously very green (I think she was 18 or 19 years old at the time) and her talent hadn't jelled yet. But seeing her in the 02 "Les Miz" concert two years later, she had definitely come into her own.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 9:59pm

I'm very interested to see/hear what Seyfried does with Cosette, and I, for one, am glad it's not going to be approached traditionally with a generically legit soprano. Her fast/thin vibrato might work well on these "French" songs, giving them a more European cabaret "Piaf" flavor. That intrigues me. It may not work at all, but I'm already interested to find out.

I'm less concerned about Seyfried making Cosette interesting than I am about Barks making Eponine interesting. Her concert performance is good but generic and forgettable. Can Barks sing better than Seyfried? Arguably, sure.. But is she as interesting to watch on screen or to listen to? From everything I've seen so far, no.

Hopefully, they'll both be great. We shall see.

[Fan2]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 10:01pm

Remember this from Jan. 18 in the Russell Crowe singing lessons news? Some speculated it may have been about Swift:

>>>It is true that the cast will be singing live while the cameras roll. But she told me that one aspect of the film that has been widely reported very recently is in fact not true! Stay tuned to your favorite media outlets for future developments.<<<
Was it about Swift?

[Miranda3]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 10:21pm

Thanks, kec and Owen. Good to know Samantha got the role in the new production. The third finalist was a young red-haired Irish girl named Jessie, who I thought was fabulous. I think she was Mackintosh's preference too, but the audience voted otherwise. I remember Jessie also got a role in another Mackintosh production soon thereafter. So that show was good for all three of the finalists--no losers, for sure.

[maila]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 10:26pm

cameron surprising samantha on the stage of oliver with the news that she got the role of eponine

[HBP]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 11:20pm

it was also good for rachel tucker, who came in fourth and is has been playing elphaba in wicked for the last two years in london.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 11:20pm

Yes, Samantha Barks's voice is generic but she is still a much better choice than Taylor effin' Swift. I really wish the film would jettison Amanda Seyfried. I'm still irritated that she's going to play Cosette.

[BroadwayFan12]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 11:29pm

I'd rather see someone "safe" than someone who can't sing on key.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 11:33pm

I don't understand.

Samantha Barks to Play Eponine

That's all she had to do for her audition? BARK?

And they're letting her play Eponine?

She didn't even have to sing?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 11:43pm

Wow. I love that pic. Thanks, maila!

[ACL2006]

Posted: 2/1/12 at 12:13am

The musical theater Gods have spoken!!! Thanks for making sure Swift wasn't anywhere near this movie!!!

[TheLadyoftheWood]

Posted: 2/1/12 at 12:20am

Praise the theater gods for this!

That is all.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 2/1/12 at 12:45am

Swift will be touring Australasia from March 2-18.

http://www.taylorswift.com/events

If the producers want to get filming underway for a December 2012 release, they probably could not work out a deal with her to start shooting her scenes after her tour.



Updated On: 2/1/12 at 12:45 AM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 2/1/12 at 12:59am

"She's too safe of a choice acting and singing wise because she's already payed this role before. Jackman, Crowe, Hathaway, Seyfired, and Tveit have never been in this musical."

Beautywickedlover, do you also have complaints about the following "safe" movie performances: Yul Brynner in The King and I? Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady? Bea Arthur and Jane Connell in Mame? Topol in Fiddler on the Roof? Joel Grey in Cabaret? George Chakiris in West Side Story? Shirley Booth in Come Back Little Sheba? Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter and Karl Malden in A Streetcar Named Desire? Rosalind Russell and Peggy Cass in Auntie Mame?

Updated On: 2/1/12 at 12:59 AM

[JP2]

Posted: 2/1/12 at 1:13am

You forgot Ellen Greene in Little Shop!

[BroadwayFan12]

Posted: 2/1/12 at 1:30am

We mustn't forget Robert Preston in The Music Man!

[masterwolfie]

Posted: 2/1/12 at 1:58am

There are 9 roles that are considered the leads in Les Mis, and out of the movie cast, one out of the nine leads has played their character before. We'll have the pleasure of seeing 8 of those 9 characters presented in a way we've never seen before, which should be more than enough, and is hardly "safe"

Personally, I thought Samantha Barks' acting was beautiful in the 25th anniversary concert and I find her voice to be a good midpoint on the Ruffelle ---> Salonga spectrum. Thank you, Cam Mack!

Seyfried has a lovely tone and can obviously sing in tune. I still think that she just hasn't really had a chance to sing opera: think Nicole Scherzinger and Phantom!

[allofmylife]

Posted: 2/1/12 at 4:05am

She's what, 21; sings well and has eyes the cameraman could fall into. Think Keira Knightly with a real voice. From a Hollywood perspective, she's a big discovery.

[ttalovebug]

Posted: 2/1/12 at 4:22am

I cannot even attempt to convey the joy this news has brought me. The idea of Swift playing Eponine was enough to make me lose faith in this movie entirely- not just because the part requires skills she doesn't have, but becasue her casting meant box office was the number one priority to the filmakers. The fact that they chose an actress unknown to Hollywood over so many big names means they care about making a truly great film out of Les Mis, not just a bankable one. I don't think this choice is safe or predictable in the least. After all, when in recent movie musical history have they cast stage actors over names? It's a bold move if anything!

I wouldn't hold her concert or even West End performance as an example of what her movie performance will look like. She hasn't played Eponine in a while, and has probably matured a bit. A director with a specific vision will undoubtedly be able to pull a fresh performance out of her. What matters is she can sing, and while some find her O2 performance wooden, her acting is clearly miles above Taylor's.

[ttalovebug]

Posted: 2/1/12 at 4:23am

*sorry, double post.

Updated On: 2/1/12 at 04:23 AM