MATILDA movie musical confirmed. - Page 4

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 1/7/21 at 3:06pm

Globefan said: "Maybe Mara Wilson can play Mrs. Wormwood"

I mean, she's been pretty public about having no desire to return to acting, and I don't think there's any evidence to show that she has the vocal or dance abilities to pull of the role as written.

[NameGreg]

Posted: 1/7/21 at 4:41pm

I think Mara Wilson said when they announced the film years ago that she’d be happy to have a cameo, which I could see.

I seem to recall reading some people saying Sacha Baron Cohen could play Mr. Wormwood which I’d like to see. He’s a good enough singer, obviously funny, and has enough dramatic talents to pull off the ending. Not sure about Mrs. Wormwood though. Maybe Emily Blunt or Amy Adams playing against type, they both have great comedic chops and strong voices. I don’t know if either one of them are good dancers though.

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 2:34am

Sacha Baron Cohen would be a decent candidate for Mr. Wormwood! I think it would be really interesting to see his real life wife Isla Fisher play Mrs. Wormwood with him. 

[brian1973]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 4:22am

Raph Fiennes is no longer Trunchbull. They are scrabbling round to find a woman to play the role as they fear a huge backlash from the trans community which could be really bad publicity.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 7:38am

brian1973 said: "Raph Fiennes is no longer Trunchbull. They are scrabbling round to find a woman to play the role as they fear a huge backlash from the trans community which could be really bad publicity."

There’s really no reason Trunchbull can’t be played be a woman; cis, trans, or non-binary. Pam Ferris was iconic in the original film, and it’s very much an intentionally androgynous performance. I don’t mind Ralph Fiennes not repeating his Voldemort performance in a different costume either.

On stage, Trunchbull being played by a man is a panto tradition and works as a gag. If you’re lucky, you get a really great actor to rise above that, but on film, it would feel very much like a sight gag.

Updated On: 1/8/21 at 07:38 AM

[The Rural Juror]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 8:56am

Miranda Hart for Trunchbull! 

[brian1973]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 10:02am

She is dreadful and would be dreadful in this. The comment about Fiennes just repeating his Voldemort is just bizarre and stupid. Are you saying he has no range? Have you seen all of his film performances? 
 

Updated On: 1/8/21 at 10:02 AM

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 10:37am

It’s a shame the casting of a man is being seen as potentially problematic. John Travolta in Hairspray was brilliant casting as he seemed to be completely in on the joke but I do understand that that film was nearly 15 years ago. I’d have liked them to keep the casting of Trunchbull as a male.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 10:39am

The Trunchbull drag performance, as it relates to trans issues, is a strange situation. From what I remember reading, they auditioned women for the role when it was in development, but they landed on casting a man partly because it was easier to find someone with a towering, imposing physique. And since then, we have had women like Beth Malone playing the role onstage. 

And what's fascinating is that Bertie Carvel's magnificent performance as Trunchbull did not make any joke or gag about the gender. All of the humor came from the text and the unique character work. In fact, his performance was so transformative that many people didn't even realize the role wasn't being played by a cis woman. It was just about a performer playing a role brilliantly. 

But not everyone is Bertie Carvel. From what I saw and heard of other actors in the role, none of them were able to transform like he did, so the role inevitably became about "haha, a man in a dress" which is where they venture into transphobic territory. 

On film, they aren't limited by an actor's physical frame, because that is easy to manipulate on film (even without CGI). So unless they cast someone like Bertie Carvel who can do justice to the role without playing into gender jokes, there is no reason to cast a man in the role. And as much as I genuinely like Ralph Fiennes - and I believe he does have range - I'm doubtful that he can pull this off. 

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 11:20am

I’d be down with just casting Bertie then. His work in Doctor Foster show that he can be a captivating actor on screen! I’m not against a woman playing the roll because obviously Pam Ferris did an iconic job playing Trunchbull in the first place.

[darquegk]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 12:07pm

The stage version is probably different in terms of casting requirements because of the fact that what you see is what you get: in terms of a gigantic, sexless bodybuilding Nosferatu who can also perform feats of strength and athleticism onstage, the casting pool of large, strapping men is larger than that for large, strapping women.

But on film, you don’t need a Trunchbull that can do shotput and stunts for real.

As far as Mrs Wormwood... Adele’s non-musical hosting gig on SNL was a pretty good audition for that role.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 12:32pm

Wow, thanks Brian for the update!

I wish/hope they re-consider Bertie. His performance as Trunchbull is one of my favorite performances for the reasons JBroadway says, and he deserves all of the recognition in the world.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 1:23pm

Here for Adele as Mrs. Wormwood!!!

[NameGreg]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 1:25pm

Are we sure that Fiennes is dropping out? I haven’t seen any other news of it outside or here.

If that’s the case, that’d be a shame cause I think he can do the part justice, and this really shouldn’t be a trans issue because it’s not like some joke that a man’s playing a woman, it just happens to be that way.

Obviously Bertie Carvel is perfection in the role and I’d be overjoyed if he somehow got the film, but I don’t expect it. But given they went with a small name for Miss Honey, maybe they could do the same for Trunchbull.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 1:39pm

If Ralph is out, Bertie SHOULD be in it. I can also see the guy who plays Prince Charles in the crown in the crown doing a good job. If they are going for a woman Kate Winslet has my vote.

[brian1973]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 4:22pm

IT. NOT. GOING. TO. BE. PLAYED. BY.A.MAN

Not sure I can make that any clearer..!

[jpbran]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 4:33pm

Most if the negative press & reviews for the Hairspray ‘07 version were aimed at Travolta. Not many complaints in the way of transphobia (less awareness of this in the Oughts vs. now) but mostly because his costumed/latexed/padded appearance — plus oddly the only Baltimore accent in the entire movie — stood out from the rest. The film was more “naturalistic” than the stage show, as adaptations often are, and it just didn’t translate. 

This was one of the reasons I was surprised Fiennes’ name was being tossed about. 

Updated On: 1/8/21 at 04:33 PM

[JBroadway]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 4:51pm

NameGreg said: "Are we sure that Fiennes is dropping out? I haven’t seen any other news of it outside or here.

If that’s the case, that’d be a shame cause I think he can do the part justice, and this really shouldn’t be a trans issue because it’s not like some joke that a man’s playing a woman, it just happens to be that way.

Obviously Bertie Carvel is perfection in the role and I’d be overjoyed if he somehow got the film, but I don’t expect it. But given they went with a small name for Miss Honey, maybe they could do the same for Trunchbull."

 

Brian1973 seems to have some inside knowledge saying that Fiennes is out, but given that this is an anonymous message board, you can choose to believe it or not. As far as official sources are concerned, Fiennes was still only ever just a rumor. He was never confirmed as far as I'm aware. 

As for your comment about whether this "should" be a trans issue -  I would refer you to what I said in my earlier post: it isn't inherently a joke about a man in a dress, but it can and has become that if not played in the right way. EDIT: I would also add that nothing “happens to be” anything here. We’re talking about conscious choices made by the powers that be. 

Also, since this thread has veered into talking about Carvel, I should say for the record that I'm not necessarily advocating that he be given the role. I think it would be better if the role went to a woman, but I'm saying if they were to cast a man, it would have to be Bertie, or someone who takes the same approach to the role that he did. 

Updated On: 1/8/21 at 04:51 PM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 7:35pm

I'm in the camp that other than having Bertie recreate the role for the film, there's no reason to stick with the male in drag casting conceit for this movie. As has been stated previously in the thread, one of the main reasons given for casting men in the role was because they wanted that towering stature, and the creatives did state they were still open to considering the right female actor who had that kind of physique.

It's super easy to create that type of physique in film through a variety of techniques, from creative camera angles, forced perspective shots, even the classic standing on an apple crate out of frame. They also don't have to cast the older students with adults, which was done to help reduce the associated running costs with child guardians and other labor restrictions, but can use a variety of older kids and young teens to create the student population. That also will make it easier to create that towering Trunchbull effect they wanted for the stage.

[brian1973]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 7:38pm

They are going to struggle to find an actress that’s A List at this late stage.

All the obvious choices like Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson have turned it down.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 8:22pm

What about the woman who played the football coach on Glee? Dot-Marie Jones?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 8:22pm

brian1973 said: "They are going to struggle to find an actress that’s A List at this late stage.

 

In what sense is this a "late stage?"

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 11:00pm

I definitely think casting a cis man in the role would be a bad idea and hope it’s true that they aren’t. The panto tradition isn’t the same on film. And the history of men playing women for comedic effect on film has not aged well and is very problematic.

Also in the interest of avoiding insensitive cinematic traditions, I hope they don’t stick whomever they cast in a fat suit of some kind.

My first thought was Leslie Jones. She’s got the height to be imposing and she’s hilarious. If she could pull off the British accent and the songs, she would be my choice. Tilda Swinton would also be fun. And, I know she’s not a household name, but wasn’t Missi Pyle rumored for the stage show at some point?

I think Adele as Mrs. Wormwood would be everything. Please somebody make it happen!

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 1/8/21 at 11:31pm

I don't know if the creatives ever saw or considered Missy Pyle for the stage, but she was the name I would often toss out as someone I could see taking it on. She's never shied away from taking on those types of "grotesque" characters, and at a reported 5'11" would certainly have that stature they were looking for.

[rougeduck]

Posted: 1/9/21 at 12:01am

Missy Pyle would be disgustingly perfect for this!! 

Remember when she was the best thing about the bare revival?