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Revision as of 02:45, 17 August 2006 by 69.165.40.102 (talk) (→Trivia)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) Film| Dreamgirls | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Bill Condon |
| Written by | Bill Condon Tom Eyen (book) |
| Produced by | Laurence Mark |
| Starring | Jamie Foxx Beyoncé Knowles Eddie Murphy Jennifer Hudson Anika Noni Rose |
| Music by | Henry Krieger & Tom Eyen |
| Distributed by | DreamWorks Pictures Paramount Pictures |
Dreamgirls is an upcoming American musical film, currently scheduled for release on December 25, 2006. Based upon the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls, which itself is loosely based upon the lives and careers of Motown act The Supremes, Dreamgirls will star Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson (of American Idol fame), and Anika Noni Rose as The Dreams, a 1960s girl group from Chicago that becomes a pop sensation after meeting their manager and label head Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Jamie Foxx). Also starring in the film are Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, Sharon Leal, and Keith Robinson. Dreamgirls is being written and directed for the screen by Bill Condon, screenwriter for the Academy Award-winning 2002 film adaptation of Chicago.
Overview
Hudson portrays the pivotal character of Effie White, the group's founder and original lead singer, who is replaced as the lead by Deena Jones (Knowles) after Curtis Taylor's affections for Effie shift to Deena. Rose portrays the girls' bandmate Lorrell Robinson, who is in a tragic romance with James "Thunder" Early (Murphy), an aging R&B star whose manager is portrayed by Glover. Leal is Michelle Morris, the singer who Taylor brings in as Effie's replacement in the Dreams, and who also begins a relationship with Effie's brother C.C. (Keith Robinson).
Fantasia had originally been the top contender considered for Effie but the director felt she was not classy enough for the role. Usher was in talks to play C.C. White, but the producers could not negotiate an acceptable deal with him, and cast Robinson in that role.
To give the story more exposure for the upcoming film release, DreamWorks Pictures and the copyright owners of the original play have announced that they will pay the licensing fees for all non-professional stage performances of Dreamgirls for the calendar year of 2006. DreamWorks hopes to encourage amateur productions of Dreamgirls, and familiarize a wider audience with the play.
Trivia
- Dreamgirls will be Eddie Murphy's first film for Paramount since the end of his once-exclusive contract with the studio (which ended with 1995's Vampire in Brooklyn, though he did star in one film for another studio -- Disney-owned Hollywood Pictures -- in 1992, The Distinguished Gentleman, before the contract ended).
- Jennifer Hudson is said to be the front runner for the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award.
See also
References
- Kersey, Tanya (Nov 23, 2005). "'Dreamgirls' Film Cast Finally Shaping Up; Usher and Fantasia Are Out, Keith Robinson and Jennifer Hudson Are In". BlackTalentNews.com. Retrieved from http://www.blacktalentnews.com/artman/publish/article_339.shtml on December 3, 2005.
- Piazza, Jo and Rovzar, Chris (Nov. 15, 2005). "Jennifer's 'Dream' role". NY Daily News.