My Cast Picks For the Movie Musical

They're probably not going to ask anybody like the Rent, Moulin Rouge, or Phantom of the Opera casts if they can avoid it. Actors don't like being typecast and without naming names, there's a couple of these I could do without ever seeing in another movie ever because they've gotten on my nerves for some time.

Also no way would Idina Menzel ever do a part like this. She's a belter...she's Fantine or she's nobody in this film. I actually think that'd be interesting. Her "I Dreamed a Dream" would be the biggest tearjerker ever. Thenardier and his wife are character parts. You need someone who can sing but is mostly there for the color. I like British actor Robert Lindsay for Thenardiar and either Jennifer Saunders or Julie Walters (also both British). Jennifer I know can sing (I wouldn't call Shrek 2 a musical per se plus nobody saw her face) but Julie Walters might actually be a really cool M.T. (she's Mrs Weasley in the Harry Potter movies..not the same character type but you can totally see how she could tweak her voice/look to be the perfect person for the job). I actually like Gary Oldman, not heard him sing but if he can, he's awesome. I swear I thought Mandy Potinkin could sing--he could probably do Valjean if I'm right. I love Hugh but not sure he can do Javert or Valjean--call me nuts but I'd see him as Enjolras. Ioan Gruffudd can sing the right range so maybe him too. No way can Ewan sound like he'd rouse someone to a revolution with that voice. Adam's too old to play a teenager as much as I love him--he barely got a mid-20s rocker in the movie version of Rent. Rosario can't belt even though she can sing plus she has to look like the daughter of the Thenardiers, which she is. Nicole's too lightweight vocally to belt a Fantine. Shame Uma did The Producers or she could be nursed to reprise her part. Idina'd be the more natural vocal choice there though. Anne Hathaway's supposedly a soprano. I wonder if she'd work as Cosette. She's got really nice shiny perfect teeth though that get on my nerves--it's a Julia Roberts sorta mouth. Cosette needs to be as un-sickening as possible cuz it's bad enough as it is. For Marius? Not really sure. I'd say you're gonna go mostly British with this cast.

emmy rossum for cosette is really good choice!

I think Idina sounds more like an Eponine, but still, I wouldn't want her to play her part... and Rosario, no way. I'm not sure who would be good, but someone...younger.. Keira Knightley has a nice look, but who knows if she can sing. Hugh Jackman and Emmy Rossum would be excellent choices I think. Uma Thurman should play Fantine again. And Marius, uuumm...I loved Hans Matheson as him, but he's probably too old now, so I don't know.

Does anyone know if they are for sure making a movie musical version?

I would change idina menzel in M.T for Julie Walters or jennifer saunders. i think emmy rossum in cosette would be perfect and maybe ewan mcgregor could be marius

Ok first off Hugh Jackman cant play Valjean. Hugh is a belter and Valjean requires someone with a soft voice. Listen to Bring Him Home and you will see. Gary Oldman as Javert? what were you thinking? Javert has to be a huge booming bass/baritone. If Kidman is in this movie I will kill myself. My cast would be the following:

Jean Valjean: John Barrowman

Javert: Bill Nolte (currently in The Producers as Franz)

Fantine: Kristin Chenoweth

Thenardier: Gary Beach or Nathan Lane

Madame Thenardier: Sara Ramirez (Spamalot)

Eponine: Lea Salonga

Cosette: Emmy Rossum

Marius: John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys)

Enjolras: Hugh Jackman

Grantaire: Micheal Ball



Before anyone comments on age remember this is Hollywood, they can make anyone look any age they want.

One word: NO. Here's my Les Mis dream cast:

Jean Valjean: Mandy Patinkin

Javert: Jeremy Irons or Michael Cerveris

Fantine: Patti LuPone or Michelle Pfieffer

Cossette: Idina Menzel or Kristen Chenoweth

The Thénardiers: Kathy Bates & Nathan Lane or John C. O'Reilly

Eponine: Kristen Chenoweth or Nicole Kidman

Marius: Ewan McGregor

Enjolras: Hugh Jackman

Grantaire: Patrick Wilson

"If you've got them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow".
-Charles Colson

They can dub some of these people. They did it all the time in the old musicals. I hate how musicals now are compromising the integegrity of the music for "realism" in movies. I think you would need someone like Hugh Jackman or Nicole Kidman to add star power to these movies--although Kidman doesn't quite have the srength in her voice.

Hugh Jackman would be very good as Javert but not ValJean.

What about Meryl Streep as M. Thenardeir? She can sing well enough for that role and she would be hilarious, especially alongside Robin Williams as Thenardier himself. Glenn Close would be good too. That might bother fans of the original though, but at least Williams would be funny and that's the most important aspect of that role.

I don't think Emmy would be very good. Cosette doesn't have to be a great singer but Emmy sounds kinda shrill on the high notes. Plus, the role--although it holds most of the plot together--is pretty small, and she probably wouldn't want to be typecast.

I heard Elijah Wood can sing but I don't know where I would stick him in this, although I can see him as Marius, maybe.

But yeah, the majority would have to be newcomers or unknowns.

i think ewan mcgregor would be great as marius. he has one of the best voices in hollywood. hasn't anyone seen Moulin Rouge?