Sunday, July 20, 2008

Nine is the New 10

So, casting for Rob Marshall's Nine - ie, the movie adaptation of the musical which itself was inspired by a play which was an adaptation of Fellini's 8 1/2 movie (dizzy yet?) has been a Hollywood wet dream. The latest news come from ComingSoon.net who are saying that F to the E R G to the I E is in talks to join the already star studded cast (a Chicago gal Ms Velma Kelly, an Edith Piaf, a milkshake drinking oil man (sans son), a Dame Mrs Brown, a smouldering temptress Satine, an always returning Raimunda, a certain Ms Penny Lane and Sophia Loren - yes, she's a character unto herself!)

First I tried to think whether spelling bee-licious Fergie had ever been in a movie and of course Planet Terror and Poseidon memories kept whopping back (I tried to keep the latter's at bay, of course)... and then I wondered: what is Mr Marshall thinking? In any other movie this would be stunt casting or a way to draw in the crowds - but really, isn't the star wattage and the solid fan base for the musical enough?

What do you readers think? N to a Ay Why or Why to Ay Y Re: Ms Fergie in Rob Marshall's Nine?

17 comments:

Cengiz said...

Ms Velma Kelly is no longer in the movie. Satine took her place.

Dame James said...

I'm really excited that Fergie is going to be in this movie. She's one of the most polarizing figures in pop music today- people either love her (like me) or believe she's the beginning of the end of the recording industry- and I think she'll add a touch of controversy to get people talking. Is she in the same league as Dame Judi Dench or Nicole Kidman? Hell to the no. But she's a decent enough actress for the presumably small roll (I'm not familiar with Nine- is Fergie's part a big one?)

E Dot said...

My only guess would be so he could bring a little "contemporary" to the mix. I wouldn't say it's stunt casting, but Marshall likes to spice up his casts with a little pop flavor. I mean, he did replace Gwen Stefani with a certain Mya in 'Chicago'. Why not use the same blueprint for his new movie-musical?

Neel Mehta said...

is Fergie's part a big one?

And how! She's a man, baby. Things you didn't know about Josh Duhamel...

(Yes, I'm going to hell.)

Sam Brooks said...

Does anybody see any parallels with the casting of Fergie in Nine and the casting of Queen Latifah in Chicago? Let's just hope Fergie can live up to the rest of the cast.

Still, Rob Marshall knows how to stunt cast.

Glenn Dunks said...

I'm thinking she's going to be more in the line of Mya in Chicago. Oddly, I'm less concerned about Fergie Ferg than I am about freakin' Kate Hudson! Ew.

Drew said...

I think that, for those who aren't taking her too seriously (which I'm sure includes herself), Fergie immediately adds a little tongue-in-cheek fun to anything she touches.

Now that she is appearing in a film with Daniel Day-Lewis, my life is complete.

Jason Adams said...

Fergie was cast to save me from wanting to see this movie. DDL almost had me there. Thankfully, this happened. I'm free!

Hayden said...

So, her part is being inspired by this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KebM6S4Kpg

Grrrrrr.

gabrieloak said...

Fergie really doesn't belong in the world of Fellini or Maury Yeston. I hope it isn't a big role.

I can't imagine what Marshall is going to do with this material but hopefully he won't trash it.

gabrieloak said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
gabrieloak said...

DDL has a rep for staying in character offscreen for his films. I wonder if he will have some affairs with the cast and breakup with Rebecca Miller--though in Nine, Guido goes back to this wife in the end.

CanadianKen said...

It always seemed to me that - after his success on Broadway in the part - Antonio Banderas was the natural choice for the part of Guido. So when Javier Bardem was announced I was surprised. Still, I realized Bardem was riding a wave of acclaim, what with the Oscar and all. So - though Banderas represented a more appealing prospect for me - I kind of understood the Bardem signing. But when Javier Bardem decamped I figured Banderas would automatically inherit the part. It was practically his due. Then came the Daniel Day-Lewis announcement. Yes, I know he's been canonized for his studiously worked out THERE WILL BE BLOOD performance. But for me, he's a kind of sexless acting machine. I don't care how much immersion and research he gets up to. Banderas is a more natural fit for the part. Even if the Day-Lewis name manages to sell a few more tickets initially, I still see this whole project as an audience alienating flop in the making. Does Gary Marshall have such an intense Banderas aversion that he simply WOULD not consider the actor for this role?
Oh, and as for Fergie, well, she's extremely good-looking, with plenty of poise and charisma. So I wouldn't expect this bit of casting to pose any problems at all.

Anonymous said...

I think I threw up in my mouth a little hearing Fergie's name alongside all of those other names cast for "Nine". But I guess Rob Marshall knows what he's doing. He has to get 'em in the theatres any way he can. Fergie and Daniel Day-Lewis in the same film. LMFAO!

NATHANIEL R said...

Canadian Ken... that's an interesting note. and i don't know if you read the Oscar Symposium a few months back but Sasha Stone mentioned something similar about Daniel Day-Lewis. He is weirdly asexual as movie stars go (they're often dripping with polysexuality instead)... and unless he brings some old school lust into the part it's not going to work at all, Guido being a womanizing horndog and all.

I remember DDL having sex scenes in UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING but I only remember Lena Olin & Juliette Binoche's nude rump together in the movie so... yeah... it might be a problem.

we'll see.

I think Banderas is undervalued but he kind of did that to himself.

Glenn Dunks said...

DDL in My Beautiful Laundrette slamming Gordon Warnecke against the wall and kissing him for the first time is one of the sexiest things in cinema history.

NATHANIEL R said...

true.