Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake (BroadwayWorld.com)

ljay889

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joined:8/4/04

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 02:59pm

Yay!

http://broadwayworld.com/article/Will-Gluck-to-Helm-ANNIE-Remake-Willow-Smith-No-Longer-Attached-20130130

Catch that dirt.

everythingtaboo

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joined:5/5/04

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 03:04pm

Good news and even better news!

"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008

suestorm

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joined:1/15/13

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 03:11pm

there IS a god!

**Volkov boyat'sa v les ne khodit!! ...Ukraine Girls really knock me out, they leave the west behind...

ray-andallthatjazz86

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joined:8/2/05

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 03:40pm

Great news all around! I imagine they're heavily pursuing Oscar nominee Quevenzhane Wallis (if they're not, then they need to, dub her if she can't sing, not sure how vocally demanding a role this will be given that this is an updated version), unless they want an unknown for the role like the Broadway revival. It's hard to think of anyone who'd be more appropriate for the part.
Gluck is such a great choice for this project! Now that Willow is out and he is in I can be excited. Are they using an all-black cast or will it be a racially mixed ensemble? Either way, Queen Latifah would make for a hilarious Hannigan even if she played a Warden in CHICAGO already. Octavia Spencer would also be perfect.

"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

Mister Matt

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joined:5/17/03

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 03:47pm

Either way, Queen Latifah would make for a hilarious Hannigan even if she played a Warden in CHICAGO already.

I like Queen Latifah, but I've never found her hilarious in anything. Tichina Arnold would be my first choice, quickly followed by Chandra Wilson. Or perhaps Alfre Woodard.

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

suestorm

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joined:1/15/13

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 03:51pm

Queen Latifah, ugh, i agree never found her funny at all, now Wanda Sykes is HILARIOUS!

**Volkov boyat'sa v les ne khodit!! ...Ukraine Girls really knock me out, they leave the west behind...

ljay889

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joined:8/4/04

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 03:53pm

Tichina Arnold is amazing, but I think she'd be considered too b-list for a major remake of ANNIE.

Catch that dirt.

madbrian

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joined:6/1/06

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 03:53pm

If she could sing it, I'd love to see Aisha Tyler as Hannigan.

"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

ray-andallthatjazz86

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joined:8/2/05

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 04:03pm

I think Queen Latifah understands subtlety, she wouldn't be outrageous, but I think she'd be really funny in the role. I do prefer the idea of Octavia Spencer. I love Sykes too but can't see her being seriously considered for this, then again, Gluck is not Rob Marshall so he might be more open to cast someone who's less of a name. I figure Latifah, Spencer and Taraji P. Henson (who'd be fantastic either as Hannigan or as Lily, depending on how old they want the roles to be) will all be in the running. Woodard is incredible but she has played this type of role before and doesn't need to be involved, her performance in STEEL MAGNOLIAS was very predictable. Hoping they are not courting Jennifer Hudson for Grace, saw her on the SMASH premiere and her acting has only gotten more wooden and artificial than it already was over the years.

"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

JP2

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joined:6/2/07

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 04:15pm

Wouldn't Jay want his wife to play Grace?

I think Gluck is pretty great. If he had the chance to cast an actor he's previously worked with, I'd love to see Timberlake as Rooster.

tazber

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joined:5/10/05

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 04:36pm

Aisha Tyler is probably too young for Hanniagan, but she would be great.

Yuuuuup.

....but the world goes 'round

Jordan Catalano

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joined:10/9/05

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 04:50pm

I'd rather see Jiminy Glick in drag than Latifah try to be funny as Hannigan.

"I think Glee is way too sharp, smart, witty, clever and emotionally confronting for the masses." - Dave19 - "What's next? Snow Black and the 7 Swaggers? Shasquirta and the Beast? 101 Weavematians? Willis in Ghettoland?" - Dave19, in reference to the new ANNIE remake.

Mister Matt

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joined:5/17/03

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 04:54pm

Gluck has a good eye for spotting talent among b, c and d-listers, so I doubt that is his chief concern.

Sykes plays Sykes perfectly and is funny just being herself, but I can't see her really delivering a broad comical character like Hannigan. Latifah is extremely likable, but she just doesn't have the comedic spark. When Hannigan gets too flat or subtle, you end up with a major misfire like Kathy Bates.

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

rosscoe(au)

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joined:8/20/05

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 08:07pm

Thank Fark, the smiths just need to go away

Well I didn't want to get into it, but he's a Satanist. Every full moon he sacrifices 4 puppies to the Dark Lord and smears their blood on his paino. This should help you understand the score for Wicked a little bit more. Tazber's: Reply to Is Stephen Schwartz a Practicing Christian

ljay889

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joined:8/4/04

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 08:11pm

Oh, Beyonce is definitely going to be Grace.

Catch that dirt.

Wynbish

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joined:4/27/12

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 08:16pm

Octavia Spencer for Hannigan?

Johnnycantdecide

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joined:6/1/11

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 08:19pm

HAS to be Octavia Spencer as Hannigan.

ray-andallthatjazz86

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joined:8/2/05

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 08:39pm

Yeah, the more I think about it, Spencer has got to be the one. But like I said, I wouldn't be surprised if Taraji was part of the conversation. I guess Beyonce can play Grace, not sure who'd be more wooden, her or Jennifer Hudson. Speaking of DREAMGIRLS cast members, Anika Noni Rose truly would be perfectly cast as Grace or Lily.

"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

Jungle Red

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joined:8/13/12

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 08:41pm

Only if James Earl Johns plays Daddy!

"Bill Clinton is the ultimate whore! He stole Madonna's crown." -Jim Colyer, on 10/29/2012

Wynbish

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joined:4/27/12

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 08:44pm

Don Cheadle has a great voice and would be a fun Rooster. Or Jamie Foxx.

Jordan Catalano

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joined:10/9/05

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 08:44pm

Big Daddy Warbucks

"I think Glee is way too sharp, smart, witty, clever and emotionally confronting for the masses." - Dave19 - "What's next? Snow Black and the 7 Swaggers? Shasquirta and the Beast? 101 Weavematians? Willis in Ghettoland?" - Dave19, in reference to the new ANNIE remake.

little_sally

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joined:1/15/04

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 08:54pm

Jamie Foxx would be a great Rooster.

A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.

Visceral_Fella

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joined:1/18/12

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 10:18pm

I'd LOVE Tichina Arnold as Hannigan. I wish she did more musical work.

Jordan Catalano

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joined:10/9/05

Willow Smith is out of the ANNIE remake
Posted: 1/30/13 at 10:20pm

Can Octavia Spencer sing?

"I think Glee is way too sharp, smart, witty, clever and emotionally confronting for the masses." - Dave19 - "What's next? Snow Black and the 7 Swaggers? Shasquirta and the Beast? 101 Weavematians? Willis in Ghettoland?" - Dave19, in reference to the new ANNIE remake.