Photo Flash: Frances Ruffelle & Samantha Barks - Dual Eponines!

Original Eponine Frances Ruffelle paid homage to Samantha Barks after the announcement tonight that she would play the iconic role in the upcoming film, writing "Profile pic changed to Me and @SamanthaBarks the night we sang ON MY OWN as a duet yeah odd title for a duet So proud of her. Mama Eponine X"

Les Misérables originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on 8 October 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on 4 December 1985 and moved to its current home at the Queen's Theatre on 3 April 2004. When the show made its London debut, it featured Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean and Frances Ruffelle as Eponine. 

This year, when the highly anticipated movie version of LES MIS opens in theaters - currently scheduled for December 7, 2012 - Wilkinson and Ruffelle will again be a part of it, though this time their original roles will be played by Hugh Jackman and Samantha Barks respectively.

Wilkinson, who says that appearing in the movie will bring his LES MIS journey "full circle," will play the Bishop of Digne while Ruffelle will play "the most fabulous whore" in the number "Lovely Ladies," producer Cameron Mackintosh told The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye last week.