No Funny Girl for Lea Michele, But Here are Three Other Barbra Movies That Could Suit Her
Yes, Funny Girl, the 1968 debut vehicle for Barbra Streisand that won her an Academy Award, is getting a remake -- but not with the McKinley High belter you expect. According to E!, Lauren Ambrose, best known for Six Feet Under, is close to getting the part. Weird! But never fear, Lea Michele: We can think of three Streisand films that deserve remakes and you on the marquee.
Hello, Dolly
We know Michele will play off her Spring Awakening/Glee credibility and power at least one Broadway remake on the big screen, so why not choose a Streisand with slightly less exposure than Funny Girl, but just as much of a Great White Way legacy? As Dolly Levi, a role originated by the perhaps-actually-immortal Carol Channing, Michele could pump up the grandiosity of the original film with some MTV editing (like on Glee) and va-va-voom stage presence.
What's Up, Doc?
Truthfully, Michele could stand to get away from the bland trappings of overblown musical theater. Her character on Glee is often more cutting and sarcastic than a traditional Broadway powerhouse, and that's why Peter Bogdanovich's 1972 comedy What's Up, Doc? is right for her. Streisand's role of Judy Maxwell, the trouble-attracting dame who is expelled from a number of colleges (but still manages to hum a tune here or there), provides a forum for subtler whizzbang that could ease viewers away from Ryan Murphy's bursting bacchanal. Plus, I'm personally interested to see who the modern-day version of Madeline Kahn would be. Jayma Mays? Ari Graynor?
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Nuts
I like remakes of films that weren't great the first time. That makes a remake practical, right? Nuts is bland, dated, and formulaic, but the concept of a delirious call girl with a shaky past is a cinematic evergreen. ("Love... soft as a witness stand...") Michele could bring convulsive characterization to the role of Claudia Draper, which is a form of theatricality that could best suits a scenery-chewer such as Rachel Berry. Maybe she'll say "Don't judge my b---jobs!" with similar brio!
· Glee's Lea Michele Not Starring In Funny Girl: So Who Is? [E!]
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Comments
Wasn't it confirmed weeks ago that the she wouldn't be able to do it due to her Glee schedule? People are really getting good mileage out of using her name to advertise this musical.
Honestly though, the only reason non-theater people even became interested in this revival is because her name was attached to it. It's not some holy grail of musicals. In fact it's quite structurally weak, especially the second half. It's largely saved by its relatively amazing musical score. In short, Funny Girl did not make Streisand, Streisand made Funny Girl. No one is going to see this revival without a name attached to it, and Lauren Ambrose, talented as she may be (obviously a great actress though I haven't seen her do comedy and has a more than decent voice) is not that name. I wish Broadway and HW would focus less on revivals and remakes and more on fostering the production of new, creative, and inspired 'art.'
"Don't judge my blowjobs--they're sane!"
There is a long list of actors, er actresses, I'd love to see read that line.
No matter your opinion on Streisand (I love her), "What's Up, Doc?" is seriously one of the funniest movies ever made. It would be interesting to see if they could get it right a second time.
Lauren Ambrose? That's so random! Does that even count as getting a name? Can't wait.
For Pete's Sake - DUH1
You're so on the mark about "Funny Girl"--it's like "Evita" in that it goes up, up, up and then has nowhere to go. Without Streisand, it would have been nothing.
Unfortunately, in movies it doesn't matter how well you sing, as it can all be fixed in the recording. I appreciate the fact that Lauren Ambrose is not some cutesy polished little starlet, but again, you're right, she's not going to draw.
Oops, I am a total idiot. I just read that Lauren Ambrose does have a big time musical background, so no problem with the singing. And this is for a stage production in LA, with hopes to move it to Broadway. The movie's not good, though; if anyone could come up with a rational budget they should remake that.
Really for a few months now it has been official that Lea couldn't do the part, but I have yet to see an article about the announce of Lauren without Lea's name attached. I love What's up Doc but let Lea do the Madeline Khan part.