Russell Crowe News

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Les Miserables,' 'Smash,' Idina Menzel, 'Come Fly Away,' 'Jersey Shore,' 'Legally Blonde,' Rogers Park theater history and more....

The ultra-starry cast for the upcoming feature film version of the international smash musical sensation LES MISERABLES finally got one step closer to finding its Eponine and Cossette this week, as offers have gone out to pop music superstar Taylor Swift and breakout screen starlet Amanda Seyfried for the hotly anticipated Tom Hooper adaptation of the tuner which will also star Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe as Jean Valjean and Javert, respectively, Anne Hathaway as Fantine and Tony-winner Eddie Redmayne as Marius. While Seyfried is perhaps best known to Broadway babies for her lovable and memorable turn in the role of Meryl Streep's daughter in the ABBA jukebox movie musical MAMMA MIA!, Swift has displayed her ample affection for all things theatrical with her recent Broadway-themed SPEAK NOW tour as well as her memorable appearance on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE and on concert stages around the world. Both ladies certainly have the musical chops to take on these much-beloved Broadway roles - even if the soundtrack is to actually be recorded live on set, as the director himself has confirmed he intends to do - and, while neither Swift nor Seyfried has been officially confirmed by the producers as of this writing, both appear to more than merely satisfy the complex casting necessities for the standout roles and the overall younger-sided casting of the feature film adaptation so far. Yet, no matter how fantastic they may turn out to be in the finished final film, it sure will be difficult to manage to make much of an impression with a cast as impossibly accomplished as the one assembled for this film up until now - Jackman, Crowe, Hathaway, Redmayne, Aaron Tveit, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen included! Plus, who knows what new musical numbers Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Shonberg are cooking up - and what characters shall sing them?! Whatever comes to pass, Christmas 2012 will be all about LES MISERABLES: THE MOVIE MUSICAL for Broadway babies everywhere - many of whom who have been waiting for this moment (and this movie) to arrive for over 20 years! Let's hope it was worth the wait! Until then, we have this look and listen to what made these ladies oh-so right for the roles. After all, less than 360 days remain until the big 24601!

As BroadwayWorld reported Tuesday evening, Taylor Swift (Eponine) and Amanda Seyfried (Cosette) are the latest additions to the all-star cast of the upcoming Les Miserables movie musical adaptation, joining the previously set Hugh Jackman (ean Valjean), Russell Crowe (Javert), Sacha Baron Cohen (Thernardier), Eddie Redmayne (Marius), Aaron Tveit (Enjolras), Anne Hathaway (Fantine) and Helena Bonham Carter (Madame Thenardier). Jackman recently spoke to New York Magazine about his upcoming stint in the famous role, revealing how getting this opportunity feels like the apex of his professional career.

Variety reports today that despite an absence of movie musicals in multiplexes around the country this past year, 2012 is poised to usher in a record number of musical adaptations on the big screen. The season of musical films will begin with Joyful Noise (Warner Brothers), starring Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah and Broadway's own Jeremy Jordan, set for release on January 13. Throughout the year, musical lovers can expect cinematic renditions of the highly anticipated Rock of Ages (June 1), starring A-listers Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin and more, and Les Miserables (December 7) with the likes of Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Taylor Swift, Amanda Seyfried, Broadway's Aaron Tveit and others.

With yesterday's announcement of the completion of casting for the upcoming big screen adaptation of Les Miserables, theatre lovers are left wondering if country songstress Taylor Swift has got the acting and singing chops to take on beloved, street urchin Eponine. BroadwayWorld has been equally curious, so we bring you the closest thing we found so far to a preview of what to expect from Swift in a Broadway role. In the video below, she sings West Side Story's 'Tonight' as a part of a promo for the 2009 Video Music Awards. Click below to check it out!

El reparto para la adaptación de la película Les Misérables está a punto de cerrarse, con Hugh Jackman en el papel de Jean Valjean y Russell Crowe como Javert. En las últimas semanas se ha anunciado que Sacha Baron Cohen será Thernardier, Eddie Redmayne será Marius, Aaron Tveit Enjolras, Anne Hathaway será Fantine y Helena Bonham Carter será Madame Thernardier.. Twitchfilm.com ha anunciado y Broadwayworld ha confirmado que la cantante de country-pop Taylor Swift dará vida a Eponine y que la protagonista de la película de Mamma Mia! Amanda Seyfried será Cosette.

Today, Twitchfilm.com has reported and BroadwayWorld.com has confirmed that offers are now out to country-pop singer Taylor Swift for the role of Eponine and to the opera-trained Mamma Mia! film star Amanda Seyfriend as Cosette.

Casting for the upcoming film adaptation of LES MISÉRABLES is just about complete, with Hugh Jackman taking on the role of Jean Valjean and Russell Crowe squaring off as Javert. Sacha Baron Cohen as Thernardier, Eddie Redmayne as Marius, Aaron Tveit as Enjolras and Anne Hathaway as Fantine were also announced to bring their star power to the cast.

John Logan, the playwright responsible for the Mark Rothko-inspired 2010 Tony Award winner for Best Play, RED, is also a name familiar to movie buffs around the world who may very well have enjoyed his considerable contributions to cinema - among them, the screenplays for 2000 Best Picture Oscar-winner GLADIATOR (directed by Ridley Scott), Oliver Stone's ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, Martin Scorsese's THE AVIATOR, Tim Burton's film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (2008 Golden Globe winner for Best Picture, Musical Or Comedy) and many more. Discussing his collaborations with those lauded directors as well as his work for the stage - going all the way back to his Chicago roots - Logan and I also touch on some of his incredibly exciting upcoming projects - the new Sam Mendes James Bond film, SKYFALL; the Ralph Fiennes-directed adaptation of Shakespeare's CORIOLANUS; Martin Scorsese's critically lauded HUGO, now in theaters; and, Steven Spielberg's forthcoming biopic of LINCOLN, co-written with Tony Kushner and starring Daniel Day-Lewis. Additionally, Logan illustrates his appreciation for RED Tony-winning leading man Eddie Redmayne, who also starred in the Kathryn Bigelow-directed HBO pilot of Logan's aborted Broadway-themed musical series, A MIRACULOUS YEAR. All of that, plus early casting ideas for Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett, as well as much, much more!

Casting for the upcoming film adaptation of LES MISÉRABLES is well underway, with Hugh Jackman taking on the role of Jean Valjean and Russell Crowe squaring off as Javert. Sacha Baron Cohen as Thernardier, Eddie Redmayne as Marius, and Anne Hathaway as Fantine were also announced to bring their star power to the cast. Now, the Daily Mail reports that Broadway actor - and star of an untitled USA network pilot - Aaron Tveit will join them as Enjolras, the leader of a student revolt.

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.

According to BBC News, Tom Hooper, who will direct the upcoming bigscreen apdption of stage favorite LES MISERABLES, has officially announce that the film will be shot in 2D. Hooper told BBC: 'I did test 3D and I was very tempted - I think it is a very interesting new form.'

BroadwayWorld.com has just received an open call casting notice for the LES MISERABLES film for the role of Cosette. Auditions will be held at New York's Ripley Grier Studios on December 10 at 11am. Auditionees should prepare a contemporary soprano musical theatre song, and bring sheet music a headshot, and resume.

Today, BroadwayWorld is extremely proud to present an extensive conversation with the modern master of the musical theatre himself, Stephen Sondheim, all about the incredibly revealing and thoroughly riveting second volume of his complete collected (and annotated) lyrics (covering 1981-2011) - following last year's superlative FINISHING THE HAT - titled LOOK, I MADE A HAT. With ample insights pertaining to the Pulitzer Prize-winning SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, INTO THE WOODS, ROAD SHOW, THE FROGS and many more, Sondheim and I also discuss some of his Hollywood endeavors - the proposed film adaptation of INTO THE WOODS, as well as the never-produced SINGING OUT LOUD and his Oscar-winning work for Warren Beatty's DICK TRACY - and his affection for - and process of adapting (in the case of WEST SIDE STORY, the CYMBELINE setting in THE FROGS and his recent scoring of the Public Theatre's production of KING LEAR starring Kevin Kline) - the works of William Shakespeare. Additionally, we discuss the upcoming Encores! revival of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, the currently-running revival of FOLLIES starring Bernadette Peters (as well as its brand new cast album), the West End transfer of the Michael Ball/Imelda Staunton-led SWEENEY TODD in the UK and much, much more!

Today we are going to continue our ongoing interview series focusing on composers whose work transcends merely one medium with this highly-lauded and respected film and television composer known for over 100 film scores in his thirty year career - such as his Academy Award-nominated work on CRASH; as well as this year's WARRIOR starring Tom Hardy, in theaters now - the immensely talented Mark Isham! Detailing the challenge of scoring each and every episode of ABC's hit new fairytale-themed series ONCE UPON A TIME and what it is like bringing the magical Disney wonderland of the show to musical life every week - as well as some hints of what we can expect in future episodes - we also look back at many of his most notable collaborations over his accomplished career, many with some of the finest theatre and film directors of our age - Sidney Lumet, Robert Altman and David Mamet included. Additionally, Isham shares insights into the work of fellow composers soon to be featured in this column - such as Alexandre Desplat and Alan Menken - as well as what we can look forward to from him in the future, near and far - on screens, both small and large! Plus - much, much more!

Experience a rollercoaster thriller of deception and collusion in the corridors of power. Following the critically acclaimed series Luther, The Hour and Whitechapel, BBC AMERICA's Dramaville (hosted by Luther star Idris Elba) presents another opportunity to see the award-winning conspiracy drama, State of Play.

Deadline.com ha confirmado que el último actor que se unirá en la película de Les Miserables no será otro que Eddie Redmayne en el papel de 'Marius'. Junto a él, los otros protagonistas serán Hugh Jackman como 'Jean Valjean', Russell Crowe como 'Javert' y Anne Hathaway en el papel de 'Fantine'. Se espera que la película empiece su grabación en marzo bajo la dirección de Tom Hooper, y que se estrene el 7 de diciembre de 2012, según Deadline.

As first reported by BroadwayWorld back in August, actress Anne Hathaway will join the upcoming film version of LES MISÉRABLES alongside Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe.