UPDATED: Anne Hathaway Set for Judy Garland Biopic on Stage and Screen
Watch out Oscar, Hathaway is on the prowl
UPDATE: I just did some checking with the Weinstein Co. to check and see if this would indeed be a musical and the response I got was that it will be a "musical or a play with music."
It looks like Anne Hathaway's Oscar show performance with Hugh Jackman (featured to the right) along with her broken down Oscar-nominated performance as the drunken and neurotic Kym in Rachel Getting Married have helped her get into her first musical. Variety is now reporting she will star on stage and screen as Judy Garland in the Weinstein Co.'s stage and film adaptations of Gerald Clarke's bio Get Happy charting Garland's rise to fame and her struggle with drink and drugs.
The news first started making the rounds yesterday and was originally reported in the Cleveland Leader as well as syndicated out of London (PTI) where one source is quoted saying, "Anne dearly wants to do a musical and this could be her chance. The big attraction is that it really will be her singing, not recordings of Judy. She is determined to do it justice."
"If she nails the part, she will be a shoo-in for some big awards," the source added.
"Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland" was published in 2001 and details how the actress and singer was plagued by personal problems and mistreated by employers, family and lovers. Garland died in 1969 at the age of 47 due to accidental drug overdose.
Harvey Weinstein told Variety Hathaway "will be a true class act in this challenging role." While Garland's life and legacy have been explored before in popular culture, Weinstein noted Clarke's take "is particularly outstanding because of its exclusive details from her own writings."
There is no word on a writer or director.
I recently asked who would be the next big female movie star and obviously the online domination of Kristen Stewart placed her at the top in a clear case of ballot stuffing, but currently in second place is Anne Hathaway, the much more logical choice. Should Hathaway nail this role not only Oscars become a likelihood, but also about 5+ years of potential box-office domination.
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Good luck with that, Anne. Playing Judy Garland is probably as hard as playing Edith Piaf, but look how that worked out for Marion.
By the way, for those interested in a great Judy Garland biopic, I would recommend renting the DVD for the miniseries 'Me and My Shadows: Life with Judy Garland'. Judy Davis played Garland brilliantly, an Oscar-worthy performance, but you know, it's TV, so she had to settle with an Emmy and a Golden Globe. :P
Anne would have a hard time topping that performance. But she may do it. Doing it in a musical at least would be different.
I have faith in her, she will nail it no doubt.
Say hello to nomination number two!
I kind of think this'll be a huge disaster, but good look to her.
Anne is a reliable actress and she has charm, which is needed.
Hopefully if Liza Minnelli gives her blessing as well, that should help ease her as the choice to die hard Garland fans.
She also has the look.
I meant good luck to her. I personally don't think this movie is necessary.
I'm not behind this production and I agree with beautifulm that this movie is not necessary. But then, which movie is? I personally abhored the Edith Piaf film and particularly Marion Cotillard's performance which to me was all slouch and tics. But I digress. I can not see how a quality biography of a 4'11" performer can be realistically played by a 5'8" actress. The equivalent would be to have Matthew Fox play the uber cool blonde actor Steve McQueen. Oh? There's talk about that? Really.
I think she will do a great job as Judy Garland. Is there any word as to when this production will hit broadway?