Cast This: Carole King Musical Headed to the Screen
Monday, March 23, 2015 at 1:14AM
Manuel here bringing you news of the latest Broadway musical to make the leap to the big screen. Yes, we’re still waiting on more Wicked news, I’d love an update on that McG version of Spring Awakening I keep willing to disappear, and I can’t be the only one excited to see what Bill Condon is going to do with animated gem and Broadway smash Beauty and the Beast but the news come courtesy of Sony Pictures who will be adapting Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.
As the helpfully blunt title tells us, the musical is a jukebox biopic of the famed songrwriter. I’m sure they’re hoping for a Mamma Mia! type hit and less of a Jersey Boys type miss, but that will likely come down to execution, marketing, buzz and many other elements we can ignore at this early step of the game.
the great singer songwriter Carole King back in her heydayJessie Mueller won the Tony award for Best Actress at last year’s Tonys and while she’s clearly very talented (she was my Cinderella at the Shakespeare in the Park’s production of Into the Woods a few years back), I’m guessing they might go with a bigger name for this star-vehicle. Unless they hope King is enough of a name to get people into seats?
Anyone care to play casting director?
Does Beautiful have a friend in you as it hopes to charm your mom into going to the movies to hum along to King’s tunes?
Reader Comments (34)
They should stick with Mueller.
As far as big stars, Amy Adams is the only name that comes to mind that could sing it and open the picture.
In the old days, Midler would have been the obvious choice.
The fact that Tom Hanks is bringing it to the big screen makes me confident that Mueller will be cast. This could be a sort of Funny Girl type breakout that Streisand had all those years ago. I can't think of any actress today that could play the role as well in terms of look and voice. No question Mueller who has won a tony and grammy for the role and being in contention for an Oscar as well would be quite impressive.
So long as they don't go for Lea Michelle, all is good.
My personal choice would be Saorsie Ronan, she looks the part, she can act and she can carry a tune.
I really hope they stick with Mueller, she really looks and sounds the part. Tapestry was one of those albums that everyone had, and Loved. If they do it right it could be a very big hit.
I haven't seen this on Broadway but by all accounts Mueller is great in it. But I wonder if we'll ever see the day when Broadway originals get the big screen parts again. That used to be a thing of course back when Hollywood looked to Broadway for material rather than the other way around.
I keep staring at Carole's picture trying to come up with someone and the only person I can think of other than Mueller is Lauren Ambrose (who can sing very well)
Doesn't the show start with King rather young, and end around "Tapestry"? I feel like the studios will have Kendrick somewhere on the list, but I actually hope she doesn't commit to another musical quite so soon.
It's very tricky casting, actually - Hollywood biopics are often quick to emphasize physical resemblance, but this also needs a voice that isn't necessarily a professional belter but can do gentler things with distinct texture.
Hollywood will cast either Streep or Lawrence because they're so relevant.
If Jessie Mueller gets casts as Carole, this'll be one of those wonderful breakthrough success stories — incredibly talented actress has never been in a film before, takes on role, gets her critical acclaim and make her one of Hollywood's new talented leading ladies
I just have a feeling Jessie Mueller will get it for some reason... can't really imagine anyone that both fits the part and is a big enough star.
The show itself is just... alright. It's a fairly by-the-numbers jukebox bio-musical. What really sold it was a great physical production and Jessie Mueller's absolutely phenomenal performance.
Mueller has been attached to Sara Bareilles' musical adaptation of Waitress, though, which is premiering at ART in August and it seems probable a transfer will follow.
Hollywood recently went with lesser knowns for "Jersey Boys" and "Get on Up" - so there's hope for Mueller. I don't have a strong sense of how satisfied the studios were with those films, though.
The worst case scenario would probably be Taylor Swift in a bad wig.
...what Austin said. Beautiful the show is just okay, but Mueller's incredible performance elevated it above the standard bio-jukebox musical it is. The most incredible thing is that Mueller even sounds almost EXACTLY like King. She's truly amazing in it.
That said, Hollywood will probably give it to Carey Mulligan. If they aren't going to go with Mueller, I'd like them to consider Dana Fuchs, who tore shit UP in Across The Universe.
I'm truly hoping they'll go with Jessie Mueller. And not just because she nailed the role on Broadway. For a talented woman who scored a Tony nod from her very first Broadway gig (as a featured romantic lead opposite Harry Connick, Jr. in a show that turned out to be a flop, making her nomination even more incredible) and to actually have won a Lead Actress in a Musical Tony in less than 3 years on Broadway, she's <I>got</I> it. Also, it's helpful to note that she sang for Tom Hanks when he received his Kennedy Center Honor; and with his attachment as producer on this project, he definitely knows who she is. She could do it for sure, and she's got that star quality that would pull people in through press and promotion. My only concern would be that she played Carole for almost two years, and while she's incredibly gifted and versatile and capable of so much, it's a toss-up as to whether this would open up more doors for her or saddle her with being known as Carole King for the rest of her career (I say this because the industry is fickle, and so is the viewing audience). Also, she may not want to return to the role. But if this project takes long enough to get underway, she'll have had some distance from it to do other things (e.g. Waitress). So, who knows?
I hope to sweet baby Jesus that it is Jessie.
FWIW, Carole adores her and has said numerous times that it was Jessie's performance that made her come around to the show; at first she avoided it (during rehearsals, previews, and opening).
The studio wanted a movie star for the film version of The Miracle Worker. But Arthur Penn and William Gibson insisted on Anne Bancroft reprising her Tony-winning role. Let's hope sanity prevails again with this project.
Mueller needs to get this part! She was absolutely breathtaking onstage, and while we're at it, they also need to bring Anika Larsen and the other cast members as well, "Beautiful" had one of the most perfectly cast ensembles I've ever seen, not a single bad choice.
Emmy Rossum, the girl can sing and act.
Not that it's consequential to the conversation, but I know someone currently in the ensemble of the Broadway production, which was the only Tony-nominated musical I wanted to see based on last year's awards telecast. At any rate, I can't think of a single actress other than Mueller whom I'd want to see do it, though I am intrigued by the idea of Lauren Ambrose.
Broadway really lost out when they dropped the Funny Girl revival after Ambrose was cast. She would have rocked it.
brookesboy: Is it bizarre that I initially thought "wait...Neuromancer guy did The Miracle Worker" before looking it up?
If this were just going to be a random biopic, they could and would cast anyone in the role. (Ileans Douglas already rocked a fictionalized version.) But if the Hankses could make Nia Vardalos a star in a stage-to-screen adaptation, there shouldn't be any problem with a talent and performance like Mueller's.
I really don't think Lauren Ambrose is any more of a star than Jessie Mueller, at least as far as movies goes, right? Jessie singlehandedly saved that maudlin version of Carousel with Kelli O'Hara that I watched on TV so I'm hoping for her.
And like most of you, I immediately thought of Meryl Streep. Ha. I really hope they aren't THAT crazy. And then Toni Collette, also too old and not a big enough star, so we're left with Anna Kendrick and maybe Lea Michele (can you imagine?).
Of course they could always "surprise" us and go with Emily Blunt or Kate Hudson. Yikes. Can Lady Edith sing?
Paul Outlaw - I wish Mueller the best, but this feels a bit different than the Vardalos situation. It's a different time for independent film these days, and the song rights alone make this a higher budget project for a studio to take a chance on...
What about Julie Christie as the older Carole King - she has her inner glow when she smiles. Glenn Close would be a match - not as close - but as well. Definitely love the fact to bring Jessie Mueller to well deserved Hollywood stardom - no please not Amy Adams. And yes love the idea of Carey Mulligan...
A good actress is a good actress, I know, but I would kinda hate to see this role played by someone of Anglo-Saxon heritage, whether American, Brit or whatever.
Missing word above: ...purely Anglo-Saxon heritage...
After the success of "The Hanging Tree", I wouldn't be surprised to see Jennifer Lawrence cast. I think it's going to go to Mueller though.
Also, Scarlett Johansson.
Jennifer Lawrence or Amy Adams.
I'd love to see Lauren Ambrose in something like this... i don't know why but my first thought was Alison Pill... She looks nothing like Carole King and I have no idea if she sings? But it was just the first name that popped in.
Scarlett is perfect. She's got the chops, the voice and the intelligence to embocy this role.
you guys, it has to be Evan Rachel Wood. Or if they're looking for young and fresh, Emilia ClarkE
I got to see Beautiful with Jessie in it, and I recently saw it again with Jessie's replacement, and those people who said that Beautiful was only amazing because of Jessie was RIGHT. Jessie was luminous and transcendent as Carole, and it really elevated the show. Without her its just another Broadway musical.
Zellweger - the comeback.