Sacha Baron Cohen Joins LES MISERABLES Film as Thenardier

The UK Sun is reporting that Sacha Baron Cohen, known to musical theatre fans for his turn in SWEENEY TODD opposite Helena Bonham Carter in the Tim Burton film, has joined the upcoming LES MISERABLES film as Monsieur Thernardier. The Sun reports that that he will be reuniting with Bonham Carter in the film. Previous reports had indicated that Geoffrey Rush was in talks to play the part. 

Last week, BroadwayWorld reported that Lea Michele, Scarlett Johansson, Taylor Swift, and Evan Rachel Wood are all contenders to play Eponine in the movie. Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Eddie Redmayne have all signed on to play Fantine, Valjean, Javert and Marius, respectively. The film aims to start filming in March under the direction of Tom Hooper.

Les Miserables 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 LES MISÉRABLES celebrated its 21st London birthday on 8 October 2006, it became the World's Longest Running Musical, surpassing the record previously held by "Cats" in London's West End. In January 2010, the West End production broke another record by celebrating its historic 10,000th performance.