DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING WITH THE HELP OF AUTOTUNE? After much jockeying, the
final two big parts in Les Miserables have apparently been cast. Amanda Seyfried (who warbled credibly in
Mamma Mia!) has been offered Cosette, and Taylor Swift has been offered Eponnine. Not sure what this means for the film's artistic prospects (beyond being a sure bet for a mess of Golden Globe nominations), but certainly would not seem to hurt the commercial prospects. Cast already includes Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, and Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter (as the Thernadiers).
I was kinda looking forward to Geoffrey Rush as Messr. Thernadier.
ReplyDeleteBoth these choices make me much less inclined to see the film (although I'm sure I'll see it.) Swift is the biggest disappointment to me...I'm not a fan of her voice in general and really don't think she has the chops to belt the way Eponine should, plus, you know, no acting ability. Seyfried is fine, but I've just personally never found her that great. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteTo me, Taylor Swift and Amanda Seyfried are both Cosettes, not Eponines.
ReplyDeleteI agree -- but I do think that Amanda Seyfried is a good enough actress that she could pull off Eponine better than Swift. Good grief.
ReplyDeleteThere's a question of just how much of her "aw, shucks" public persona is an act, but Swift has acquitted herself decently in the acting she's done on SNL and in Valentine's Day, which were pretty far distant from her persona, and very broad/comic. Even on albums (and let's not talk about live), she's not a belter, though, and "On My Own" is a belter song.
ReplyDeleteI'm more than willing to do the voiceover work for Taylor Swift.
ReplyDeleteI think Swift's "Aw Shucks" (whether great acting or not) is why I agree with Maret and can only see her as a Cosette.
ReplyDeleteI have faith in both Taylor Swift and in the autotune people who will help her. I actually think she's a TOTAL Eponine - half her album songs are basically "On My Own" (the half that aren't "I'm happy because you're my boyfriend").
ReplyDeleteMy kiddo (a Taylor Swift fan) agrees with you that she is used to playing the lovelorn heartsick girl. She was very funny on SNL and impressed me quite a lot, though I haven't seen anything that shows me she's got chops for tragedy or to give the character more depth (though her songwriting is actually quite good and the lyrics show some insight).
ReplyDeleteI like her voice, but can't picture her singing On My Own.
Lea Michele must be broken hearted.
ReplyDeleteAw, darn.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest issue with Swift as Eponine is... does she know Eponine doesn't wear false eyelashes or a princess dress?
ReplyDelete