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February 20, 2006
'Hairspray' Movie Musical Wants Unknown to Make Big, Big Time
Today in Cindy Adams's column, the producers of the long-delayed Hairspray movie musical adaptation offer the latest--and perhaps the best--of their quarterly updates. Now that all the director hubbub has died down, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron tell Post readers that they are preparing to cast a verrrrrrrrrry wide net in search of their next Tracy Turnblad:
"We're investigating everywhere for a really overweight triple-threat young girl who sings, dances and acts. We're checking high-school students, drama classes, Weight Watchers groups, fat camps, those who auditioned for the show's national company. Kids with talent out there don't get parts just because they're overweight. Those are the ones we're hunting. It's like American Idol heavy-style."
Not a pound lighter: Ricki Lake in John Waters's original Hairspray (Photo: New Line Cinema)
Zadan and Meron emphasize that they are mostly interested in "unknowns," but they add that they have already been through an exhaustive search in New York, so any local hopefuls who missed it may have to travel to the next open call in Baltimore. In her public service, meanwhile, classy lady Adams cites Hairhopper history from "young fatty Ricki Lake" to "a nifty chubette named Marissa Jaret Winokur" as a frame of reference for any "chunky chickie" interested in auditioning.
Nice, Cindy. But at least you are no film snob, right?
Posted by stvanairsdale at February 20, 2006 11:41 AM
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