Beauty Break: The Cast of "Magic Mike"
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 9:00PM 
Channing Tatum: The Early YearsSteven Soderbergh's Magic Mike, must be nearing cameras, since casting news is dropping regularly now. No one can ever claim that Soderbergh dawdles... though wasn't he supposed to be retiring? He seems awfully busy for someone winding down. The film is a pet project of Channing Tatum's and loosely based on his experience as a stripper at 19. He had never hidden his body as cash machine past (see also: much modelling) so the surfacing of that video a couple years back was more novelty than scandal. 2012 is going to be a huge year for Tatum as he has not one not two but five movies that'll be hitting theaters.
Channing plays the title character of Magic Mike and will school rising star Alex Pettyfer (of I Am Number Four) on the fine art of hustling. Earlier this week we heard that Matthew McConaughey had joined the film as their pimp boss and just last night news came that White Collar's Matt Bomer has also signed on. I've never watched an episode of White Collar but I've watched several episodes of Bomer photographs (His fans be feverish with the posting of them, you know). TWO MORE ANNOUNCED: True Blood's Joseph Mangianello also added to the cast as "Big Dick Richie" and now Cuban model/actor William Levy update again (08/29) Levy has turned down the role. Bad move. He's not famous and this is a major director we're talking about with a starry cast.
Other rumored members of the cast include Shiloh Fernandez and Demi Moore (!!!) who, well, ⇒⇒⇒
I'm not sure I believe either rumor -- especially the Demi one. But if it's true, I guess Soderbergh isn't superstitious about invoking the ghost of infamous bad-movie Striptease (1996)!
Care to help Soderbergh out with the rest of the casting? Who should join Pettyfer, Bomer, Levy, Manganiello, McConaughey and Tatum in bum-shaking and tip-taking?
Poor Johnathon Schaech. Anyone remember him from the 90s? Wasn't he supposed to star in (or wanted to star in) a Chippendales movie? It never happened but he's still working and still beautiful at 42. So come on Soderbergh, isn't there room for a middle manager or a McConaughey rival?
Tatum, Pettyfer, McConaughey, Bomer, Fernandez
Striptastic photos of the cast after the jump... (if you're into that. if you aren't don't go clicking)
LEVY (update: REJECTED OFFER)
(RUMORED) SHILOH
(RUMORED) DEMI
MANGANIELLO
BOMER
MCCONAUGHEY
PETTYFER
CHANNING
I still can't quite believe an Oscar winning director is making this.
and LOOK... I even found a photo of Demi Moore with strippers.
I ♥ Demi so I hope Soderbergh is wise enough to use her, ironically or otherwise.
Reader Comments (20)
Haven't heard of the Demi rumor, but that and the Bomer casting has ramped up my interest on this film. The thing is before those two bit of news I just wasn't into this solely because of the feelings on the, albeit pretty, cast. Not a fan of Tatum nor McConaughey (I'm pretty much the anti-fan for the latter actually) and Pettyfer hasn't impressed me in anything I've seen him in. So we'll see.
I guess objectively Channing is cute, but his face always make me want to go to the principal's office and report him for bullying.
Someone in another post was complaining about Anne Hathaway always trying too hard, but that third photograph of McConnaughey is the very definition of trying too hard.
Mark Wahlberg should be involved in front of the camera for this project. Channing with his lips tooted is very Marky Mark. A walk-on cameo is fine.
How about PARKER POSEY as bartender and GINA GERSHON and JULIETTE LEWIS as bouncers?? :-) Hallelujah!!! haha
A very droolworthy cast indeed! I like CT more than most, he actually impressed me in The Eagle and Dear John (good directors help). He'll never be Ryan Gosling...speaking of which, add him to the cast!
EW is reporting that our favorite werewolf from true blood, joe manganiello is joining the cast as well...this is getting ridiculous lol
This movie sounds like a hot damn mess.
What's with all the guys showing pubic hair,i would love a demi comeback!!!
It's great that you mention Johnathon!
I clealy remember the sound of a whole theatre gasping during his scenes in American Quilt...
WTF is McConaughey's third picture? It must be fake, right?
iggy -- it looks too artsy to be fake. Fake pictures always just have porn ready nudity. not elaborate composition with naughty bits covered ;)
There should be bigger guys in this cast. Vin Deisel, LL Cool J., Tom Hardy. Where's the beef?
I don't know what it is about Alex Pettyfer. His face just makes me angry. Maybe it's because he keeps getting hired to work with good people despite having yet to show a drop of talent himself.
Reel Charlie -- your beef order just came up. Joseph Mangianello, very rare.
TB -- i kinda understand that. there's something offputting about the entitlement of it or something.
you had me at joe manganiello as big dick richie....
(it's going to be difficult to tell this film apart from the inevitable porno version)
demi moore? one of these things is not like the others
this has the potential to be that male version of 'valley of the dolls' i've waited my whole life for
This is the male version of Showgirls. Remember Paul Verhoeven is an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film for Turkish Delight (1973).
/3rtfull -- if it's as wonderful as SHOWGIRLS it'll be my favorite movie of 2012 ;)
oh god... this movie is like a wet dream come true. Even with Levy who happens to be an AWFUL actor (see any of his roles from the mexican soap operas he's made and you'll agree with me)
Thank heavens they're all good looking because as far as I'm concerned, there are question marks over their acting talent.
Matthew McConaughey- Okay, and probably the best of the lot
Channing Tatum- NO
Alex Petyfer- NO
Matthew Bomer- Hasn't done many major roles and TV is not a good judge, though he does have a movie coming out, so judgement reserved
William Levy- Doubt it
Shiloh Fernandez and Joe Manganiello- Same with Matthew Bomer, not enough major movie roles to judge, though good on TV.
I do hope they pull it off, but when Matthew McConaughey is the best actor among them, I have no hope, it'll probably end up as one huge hunk fest(okay with me). So, for me it'll probably just be ogling the guys and tuning out their voices. Problem solved