Posted: 12/7/23 at 5:33pm
She will be able to sing the title song OK, remember this is not live theater. I am excited regardless there are other stars in the movie or not, I just hope it happens!
Posted: 12/7/23 at 5:42pm
verywellthensigh said: "If JLo has the breath capacity to do the title song, I'll play Maria Stuarda at the Met.
"
It's a movie; she only has to do it once, she gets as many takes as is necessary to do it, and they can cut together multiple takes. I don't suspect it will be a problem.
I'll see you at the Met.
Posted: 12/7/23 at 5:51pm
berniesb!tch said: "Impeach2017 said: "Besides JLo, they're talking about casting unknowns, not a good sign."
Why do you say that? Also do we even know that for sure?"
The Variety story that scooped this news claimed they are looking for a newcomer for Molina. Which is fine. Name value is a relative thing in Hollywood. You could cast Josh Lucas or you could cast any person off the street and the difference in box office gross would be negligible (to cite an example of a person who's completely wrong for this film). There aren't many (any?) legitimate stars who could play that role well, so they might as well create a star.
Like I said above, JLO and Condon should be enough to get it sold to a distributor. It will take a lot of press and advertising to position it to audiences, whether it's streaming or theatrical.
Updated On: 12/7/23 at 05:51 PM
Posted: 12/7/23 at 6:29pm
I think a few "names" could play Molina, but regardless, I don't mind either a newcomer or a star like it could be Jim Parsons, Matthew Cavanaugh, Andrew Rennels, Colin Holbrook, Jesse Ferguson and many more.
Posted: 12/7/23 at 7:56pm
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: There aren't many (any?) legitimate stars who could play that role well
I feel like Andrew Garfield would kill it. Maybe win an Oscar.
But, perhaps he’s uncastable, since he’s not Latino (…I think). Hmmmm. You know, with the stage version’s relative vagueness about setting, and given America’s slide toward autocracy – I might prefer a diverse, multicultural cast anyway, in a setting a bit closer to home than Latin America.
I’m thinking J Lo, Garfield, Leslie Odom, Jr. as Valentin. Maybe Michelle Yeoh as Molina’s Mother (since Lea Salonga is still too young and not a film star). For film, I guess this would be high-concept, but I’d sure be there for it.
Updated On: 12/7/23 at 07:56 PM
Posted: 12/7/23 at 8:01pm
*cough Autotune*cough
Posted: 12/8/23 at 12:02am
Andrew Garfield is a great pick too. I want a gay guy to play it preferably for some reason, but I know how it works. Gay actors don't get as much work because they are too gay to play str8 and then they always hire st8 actors to play the gay characters in film. Thankfully Broadway is more open when it comes to that.
Posted: 12/8/23 at 8:32am
I was heartened to hear they weren't planning to cast a star as Molina, as I think that gives them the chance to hire likely a Latiné performer, who I'm guessing will also be queer or trans femme presenting. It's crucial for the success of this story in 2024+.
And that afford them greater latitude to cast a star as Valentin.
Posted: 12/8/23 at 9:07am
Impeach2017 said: "Besides JLo, they're talking about casting unknowns, not a good sign."
That is a great sign. They need people who raise the quality.
Posted: 12/8/23 at 9:28am
Seb28 said: "Impeach2017 said: "Besides JLo, they're talking about casting unknowns, not a good sign."
That is a great sign. They need people who raise the quality."
Raise the quality of what? Are you talking about the quality of the material, such as the story or the score? What quality are you hoping casting an unknown will raise?
Posted: 12/8/23 at 12:39pm
I know most people are excited by this but I can't help but feel some kind of way about it. We're currently in an age where casting theater-trained performers in prominent roles in prominent projects is in vogue. We've been waiting a long time for "Spider Woman" to make it to the big screen and now we're back to star casting, and with someone it feels they'll have to change A LOT to accommodate.
Posted: 12/8/23 at 3:11pm
Well, maybe don't feel any way until it's officially wrapped up. I am happy with anyone at this point. I'd like to see the film getting made.
Posted: 12/8/23 at 4:28pm
Nell3 said: "I know most people are excited by this but I can't help but feel some kind of way about it. We're currently in an age where casting theater-trained performers in prominent roles in prominent projects is in vogue. We've been waiting a long time for "Spider Woman" to make it to the big screen and now we're back to star casting, and with someone it feels they'll have to change A LOT to accommodate."
What exactly are these "changes" you speak of? Can Ms. Lopez not sing, dance and/or act?
Posted: 12/8/23 at 5:10pm
jimmycurry01 said: "verywellthensigh said: "If JLo has the breath capacity to do the title song, I'll play Maria Stuarda at the Met."
It's a movie; she only has to do it once, she gets as many takes as is necessary to do it, and they can cut together multiple takes. I don't suspect it will be a problem. I'll see you at the Met."
Uhm, JLo cannot sing, BUT she's an absolute star and phenomenal dancer. She proved that in the Selena movie, where she lip synced all the singing and showcased her charisma/star power. As long as she stays away from live singing, she should be good.
Posted: 12/8/23 at 7:02pm
Don't really know how that will sound or who will be doing the singing, but I'm somewhat intrigued!
Posted: 12/8/23 at 7:35pm
She really does have star-power and her performance in Hustlers showed she can carry a fun performance while staying grounded. Excited! Just autotune the f*ck outta her!
Posted: 12/9/23 at 12:31am
JSquared2 said: "Nell3 said: "I know most people are excited by this but I can't help but feel some kind of way about it. We're currently in an age where casting theater-trained performers in prominent roles in prominent projects is in vogue. We've been waiting a long time for "Spider Woman" to make it to the big screen and now we're back to star casting, and with someone it feels they'll have to change A LOT to accommodate."
What exactly are these "changes" you speak of? Can Ms. Lopez not sing, dance and/or act?
"
Yeah, exactly. That comment didn't make sense. The only area where she'll need some work is by delivering a fuller/chestier sound with her singing voice. I don't think It would be much a problem in a recording studio.
Posted: 12/9/23 at 3:49pm
In case anyone wants to see LIZA sing a song from Kiss of the Spider Woman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzlJJ47CMs8&t=620s
Posted: 12/12/23 at 9:02pm
Sara Ramirez for Molina.
Posted: 12/12/23 at 11:13pm
I say this as someone who will be front row on release night, as someone whose fascination with JLo is so known that several people immediately sent me this news, and as someone who loves pop music.... you guys are underestimating how bad of a singer she is. All of these things you're talking about, like autotune? They exist in the studio and yet if you listen to any of her albums, she doesn't exactly sound great. Because autotune and pitch correction can only make you a slightly better singer than you are.
Posted: 12/13/23 at 12:03am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QEGv7REuXw
I think she'll be fine in the studio. It also helps she's developed a vibrato over the years.
Look how they made Meryl Streep sound in ITW and The Prom. There is no way Streep could sing like that live.
Posted: 12/13/23 at 2:55pm
I dearly love this show--seeing the Chita tour when I was 14 or so was just a major part of my theatre going life (I was going to say life changing but that seems over the top--but maybe it was.) That said, I can't imagine it ever working as well as it did in that Hal Prince staging.
I hate to say this, but I hope they don't cast Molina "on the trans spectrum." I know that's a controversial statement and I can see the desire to cast the role that way right now. And I believe William Hurt recently said the only way he could play Molina in the movie was "as a woman" (but I really dislike his performance in the film--Oscar or not.) AND yes, there's even the song "She's a Woman" Molina sings. The role is obviously very effeminate, but, and I remember the novel gets into this more (partly with its prolonged arguments about how radical it is to be a revolutionary v. the radicalism of being a homosexual--something the musical mostly cuts), I think it's important that it's still a gay man--it changes a lot of the dynamics otherwise and even some of the themes of masculinity (also, depending if they're going to be more definite about where and when this is set, it plays a part there too.)
Updated On: 12/13/23 at 02:55 PM
Posted: 12/13/23 at 3:05pm
Eric, do you think that a man that feminine wouldn't have survived a jail in Argentina?
Your comment may be controversial, but we all have the right to express our opinions, free speech on BWW! Haha.
Posted: 12/13/23 at 3:25pm
John Hurt NEVER played Molina. William Hurt played Molina in the 1985 film adaptation and won a Best Actor Oscar for it.
Posted: 12/13/23 at 4:01pm
The stage musical was a little less specific with time period, but I suspect the film will honor the novel's original setting of 1975. I don't think it would work to have a trans man play the role of Molina, because there is simply no way a trans man would be in a male prison in 1975 in South America.
In terms of casting the character - in the book, Molina is described as a homosexual male, in prison for soliciting sex from minors. I suppose if we look at the character's gender through the lens of today, perhaps he might be nonbinary, but if set period, I don't know the character would fully identify in that way at that time.
Spectulatively, the role that I think could potentially work well cast with a trans actor is Aurora -- since she exists as a played-out fantasty in Molina's head. If Molina has non binary inclination, I could see them being expressed in this way.
Updated On: 12/13/23 at 04:01 PM
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