Tom Hooper directing 'Les Miserables' film- Page 6

[sueb1863]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 7:00pm

I think Matt Lucas is the front runner for Thenardier, but Spall would be a good choice, too!

I think they need someone more imposing for Madame Thenardier, Helena Bonham Carter is too pretty and petite. Maybe Kathy Bates?

[Fan2]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 8:05pm

Interesting stuff in this article.

>On song for big screen Les Mis

Hugh Jackman met Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper for what was meant to be a two-hour dinner to discuss the film version of Les Miserables — and ended up staying for four.

A similar thing happened when Hooper met actor Paul Bettany, who showcased his prowess as a singer.

Now both men are front-runners to play Jean Valjean and his obsessive tormentor Inspector Javert in the long-awaited screen adaptation of the musical Les Miserables, which was created for the stage more than a quarter of a century ago by Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schonberg and Herbert Kretzmer, and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.

The producer Cameron Mackintosh had more than a little to do with Les Mis remaining a powerhouse of the London stage.

A new cast, led by Alfie Boe, will perform at the Queen's Theatre from next Thursday. Boe had been thought of as a potential lead for the movie, but Universal and Working Title are demanding stars.

No deal is done yet with Jackman, who is a song and dance man to his very core. The actor wants to do it — and Hooper wants him to do it — but there are issues of money and dates to be thrashed out.

'It's always money and time issues,' confided one executive close to the negotiations.

And few know that Hooper had initially wanted Bettany for the role of 'Bertie' in The King's Speech, but for various reasons he was unable to do it.

Executives are wrestling with the decision to cast him because they have to be sure of his vocal range and there are plans to meet other actors, although Hooper is pushing for him.

The director is insistent that he lock down the casting of the two major roles for Les Miserables before he moves on to casting the principal female parts of Madame Thenardier, Cosette, Fantine and Eponine.

Helena Bonham Carter has already been mentioned as someone who could play Madame Thenardier, the frightful inn-keeper's wife (and, of course, she and Hooper are well acquainted, after her role as Queen Elizabeth in The King's Speech).

Working Title and Cameron Mackintosh are the lead producers on the film, which will begin shooting early next year.<<

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2004473/Idina-Menzel-Bless-sole-Ive-chucked-Jimmy-Choos.html?ITO=1490

[JP2]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 9:25pm

Paul Bettany is just so... eh.

[kec]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 9:37pm

Universal is insisting on "stars"? Les Mis didn't get where it is today by casting "names" in the theatre world to play the major roles. Considering that Alfie Boe's current record label is Decca, a Universal company, I'm surprised they aren't willing to take a chance with one of their "own" so to speak.

[JP2]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 9:49pm

It's like clockwork.

[bwayrose7]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 12:19am

I'd rather see Alfie Boe as Valjean, perhaps with Jackman then as Javert. If Jackman is Valjean, what about Ewan McGregor as Javert? I'm just not that thrilled by Paul Bettany.
As far as the other roles go, I'm all for Marion as Fantine and Helena for Mme Thernadier. I know Lea Michele isn't that popular around here, but I thought she was lovely as Eponine at the Hollywood Bowl and could be very good. From a commercial standpoint, these ladies would be good choices, as well as musically. The young men are hard: Marius and Enjolras need to be strong singers and actors, but handsome young revolutionaries will help the film at the box office for sure. I would say they could get away with an "unknown"- to the non-theater crowd- for Enjolras, namely Ramin Karimloo. For Marius, perhaps Jon Groff or Darren Criss? I know since they're Glee guys people might not take them seriously but both are quite talented and well liked prior to Glee. But their Glee popularity would make them fairly reliable draws.
Just my two cents.
Updated On: 6/17/11 at 12:19 AM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 12:34am

Lea Michele isn't very good at acting on screen when she sings IMO.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 1:07am

Lea Michelle isn't very good at acting and singing in general IMO.

[jam_man]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 3:51am

I haven't posted here on BWW for a few years, but I feel so strongly about one casting choice I had to chime in: Michael Keaton as Thenardier! Ever since I saw Much Ado, that's been my personal dream film casting.

As for the rest, Hugh Jackman is perfect...for Javert, although I really can't think of any better/more likely Valjeans. And I'm holding out hope for a Colm cameo as the bishop!

[Fan2]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 8:55pm

On "Theater Talk" yesterday, Jackman said rehearsals start at the end of January and filming starts in March. He also said he will have to do a physical transformation because the character goes through an 18-year period starting in a prison camp where there isn't much food, and then eventually he needs to be "massive like an ox" so that should be interesting to see how that's accomplished.

[jo]

Posted: 12/25/11 at 7:07am

I guess the rehearsals schedule for Les Mis has had something to do with the non-extension of Hugh's current one-man show ( it was rumored for some time). Ironic that the weight he was reported to have lost due to the dancing requirements in his show may have unwittingly led to a lean-and-hungry look of the early Valjean. And beefing up later -- he has been doing it for Wolverine movies, so maybe he is already primed on how to handle that later on. Also, it will work fine for the requirements for his next Wolverine movie, which is due to start filming after he completes Les Mis filming.

But it looks like the movie project is soon off to its actual filming! At last - after a very long wait over the years!

[Fan2]

Posted: 12/25/11 at 7:35am

Riedel asked him about an extension and when he said no, he was asked why and responded "family and Les Mis rehearsals."

[maila]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 5:34pm

video of theater talk with hugh jackman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JeYtWEeF68

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 6:53pm

I'm hoping that they will announce the casting of Eponine and Cosette soon since rehearsals are about to begin. Plus, I also hope that we will get official confirmation on Boneham-Carter and Baron Cohen.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 6:53pm

I'm hoping that they will announce the casting of Eponine and Cosette soon since rehearsals are about to begin. Plus, I also hope that we will get official confirmation on Boneham-Carter and Baron Cohen.

[sueb1863]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 7:16pm

They're probably waiting for the holidays to be over to make any more cast announcements. Nobody's paying attention right now.

It had better not be Taylor Swift who gets Eponine, that's all I'll say...

[maila]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 2:12am

not sure if thesun.com is a reliable source but it says that the cast will be recording their singing live on camera, rather than recording in studio first then miming on film.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/4024044/Baron-Cohen-is-Sacha-good-singer.html

[My Oh My]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 2:40am

They can cast a squirrel as Eponine for all I care, I just hope they don't transfer some of the more mediocre "improvements/updates (more like "distractions") that they put in the current tour.

Fantine's story leading up to her death was good just as it was, before they had her kicked in the vagina by a testy queen and croaking as a result, as opposed to complications of an illness that had already been spreading within her (TB). Bamatabois has always been portrayed as kind of flamboyant, but they turned him into a raging queen with tantrums of a petulant child, where he was mostly this bitter, stuck up dandy before. The changes aren't bad because they're changes--they're bad because they aren't as effective and to think audiences are so stupid, they need the reasons for Fantine's death spelled out in such a cheap manner, is irritating.

For 25 years audiences have read between the lines and--while it's never known what exactly Fantine succumbs to--it has worked just fine. I've always assumed she died of an illness, even when I first saw it on stage at age 11, and I distinctly remember enjoying the air of mystery surrounding the exact cause of death, which also gave her character a martyr-like essence, as opposed to the murder victim of a random angry queen of the present tour. It was frankly very silly. Almost comical.

Whether they cast a hermaphrodite, Ms. Swift, or sock puppet as Eponine or not, whatever, what's important to me is that they don't adopt the idiocy of turning "A Little Fall of Rain" into a gasping death rattle where you can't understand what is being sung. You might as well cut the character as they do in the majority of film adaptations. "A Little Fall of Rain" is obviously an alternate perspective of death set in song, but the new directors thought they should be "honest" and portray death as it is, even if it violently disagrees with the original intent and severely undermines the art form. In the original, we saw her die happy, finally in the arms of the one she loves and she consoles HIM, saying "it's alright, don't worry about me. Besides, look on the bright side, the rain will sprout new life, even if I'm losing mine."

It doesn't necessarily mean she dies without pain. It varied from actress to actress but the scene had always included a fair share of "reality" and every Eponine I've seen balanced that brutal sense of reality with the intent of the song--inviting the audience into her distinct frame of mind.

I can only hope Mr. Hooper gets it that this is a musical. You know, expression of what's usually the not-so-obvious that only song can deliver? This is why we have musicals in the first place--they express what the spoken word can't. So when you take a song obviously doing just that, that uses metaphors in the hopes of seeing the situation through the eyes of a character and getting a sense of her distinct feelings, and put a grim reality of DEATH in its place so that it overshadows everything, you are missing the point and need to stay far, far away from further directing.

What disappoints me most though is a very large number of fellow musical lovers whom you'd think would know better buy into it and think it actually is an improvement because it's "darker" or because it portrays "reality."

I don't know, the reality I get from the art of expression and storytelling through song that is the purpose of musical theatre, is far more real than a mere death rattle reenacted on stage.

Ahhhh, a rant! I did it aaaaaagain!!!!!

[jo]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 3:20am

Live vocals with big screen acting in a dramatic epic!!

WOW - if Hooper and the actors can deliver! It is going to be an exciting movie project but a lot of hard work!!

Of the announced cast, Hugh and Aaron are both musical theatre actors. Hugh has had experience with a sung-through musical ( Sunset Boulevard) and the benefit of his 10-week one-man show, which featured a great deal of singing. Anne was involved in the City Encores staging of Carnival. And wasn't Russell in a production of Blood Brothers...and a staging of The Rocky Horror Show?



Updated On: 12/28/11 at 03:20 AM

[sueb1863]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 6:31am

Live vocals would be interesting, but since the information comes from an unnamed "source" I'll wait to hear it confirmed by someone linked to the production. Live vocals are VERY tricky, I'm not sure they've ever been done in a musical successfully.

And as far as I know Cohen hasn't even been cast yet. Last I heard he was still "in negotiations".

I saw the touring company and I'm pretty sure that while Bamatabois was rough with her, Fantine didn't get kicked in the crotch. Maybe they're only doing that in some productions and not others?

Updated On: 12/28/11 at 06:31 AM

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 6:38am

Didn't Mackintosh confirm Sacha Baron Cohen?

[jdtp12]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 12:45pm

"Live vocals would be interesting, but since the information comes from an unnamed "source" I'll wait to hear it confirmed by someone linked to the production. Live vocals are VERY tricky, I'm not sure they've ever been done in a musical successfully."

Isn't that what Rex Harrison did in My Fair Lady?

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 12:53pm

^ Yes.

So was Madonna's final "death" scene in Evita. So were some of Bette Midler's numbers in the TV "Gypsy." There are other examples as well, but I can't think of an entire film being done that way in a long time (like the early 1930s).

[Brick]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 12:59pm

Kevin Kline's Cole Porter movie musical "Delovely" was entirely sung live. The film was terrible, but I'm not sure the live vocals really were part of that.

[maila]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 2:37pm

anne hathaway sounded pretty good in this clip from the kennedy center honors meryl streep. there is hope for anne as fantine! she starts at 11:38
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnEfIHrGNxg