Perez Hilton Confirms Chace Crawford Will Be 'FOOTLOOSE'

Perez Hilton has announced the exclusive news that Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford has been cast in the upcoming remake of Footloose. Pararmount Studio, which is producing the movie, confirmed the much rumored casting choice exclusively to PerezHilton.com.

It was reported earlier this year that teen-heartthrob and star of Disney's first three "High School Musical" films, Zac Efron had dropped out of Paramount's planned remake of "Footloose," in what seemed an apparent effort to push his career beyond fame as just a cute song-and-dance man. 

Soon after word got out that Zefron had changed his mind about taking on the role originated by Kevin Bacon explains Malkin, Crawford's name began popping up on entertainment and gossip blogs and websites as the top suggested star to replace him.

Paramount commented, in a statement regarding Efron's exit that, "Footloose is a project we've longed to see re-booted for a new generation. While Zac is no longer attached, we remain excited and committed to the collective brain trust of Kenny Ortega, Neil Meron and Craig Zaden, who will reinvigorate the franchise. Their fresh take on the film will undoubtedly be filled with the same kind of breakout performances that we've come to expect from them."

Efron was to play Bacon's original role of Ren McCormack, "the rebellious newcomer in a town where dancing has been banned."

The new film Footloose will be expanded into a "full-blown movie musical" from the earlier film with songs. Footloose also starred Lori Singer and John Lithgow. It was originally written by Dean Pitchford and directed by Herbert Ross. A Broadway musical version of Footloose was previously staged in 1998. 

Production on the movie is set to begin shooting in March 2010.

Over the course of his 30-year career, Emmy Award-winning director and choreographer Ortega has worked with superstars Madonna, Michael Jackson, Kiss, Cher, and Diana Ross. He choreographed the classic "Dirty Dancing" and, most recently, directed all three "High School Musical" films. The hugely successful trilogy has broken numerous
records including "High School Musical 3: Senior Year's" record opening for a song-and-dance film grossing $42 million in its first weekend.

The film will be produced by the highly successful team of Craig Zadan (a producer of the original "Footloose" in 1984) and Neil Meron. Together, Zadan and Meron produced the blockbuster "Hairspray" and the critically acclaimed "Chicago," which was the first musical in 34 years
to win the top honor of Best Picture Oscar at the 2002 Academy Awards.

The film will also be produced by Dylan Sellers ("Agent Cody Banks"). Academy Award-nominated Susannah Grant ("Erin Brockovich") wrote the recently green-lit screenplay.

In The CW's hit drama "Gossip Girl," Chace Crawford plays Nate Archibald, a young man uneasy with all the privileges that have been handed to him by his family. Crawford completed production on the independent movie "She Lived," in which he stars as Joseph Young. Haley Bennett from "Music and Lyrics" co-stars and Mickey Liddell directs.

In 2006, Crawford starred alongside Taylor Kitsch, Sebastian Stan and Toby Hemingway in Screen Gems' "The Covenant." The movie follows four young men who belong to a supernatural legacy and are forced to battle a fifth power long thought to have died. Directed by Renny Harlin, "The Covenant" opened at #1 in the box office. Crawford also appeared in Lifetime's television movie "Long Lost Son" in 2006, in which he portrayed the son of Gabrielle Anwar's character. Directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, "Long Lost Son" told the story of a mother who realizes 14 years later that the son and husband she believed to have drowned are still alive.

Crawford grew up in Plano, Texas. He moved to Los Angeles to attend Pepperdine University and while there, he began acting as a hobby. Shortly thereafter, he landed his first break as Tyler Simms in "The Covenant." Currently, Crawford splits his time between Los Angeles and New York City, where "Gossip Girl" is being filmed.

Photo courtesy of ABC Studios

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