Jennifer Hudson, Harvey Fierstein Join Cast of NBC’s ‘Hairspray Live!’
Months after unveiling their plans to recreate the award-winning musical Hairspray for a live television audience, NBC finally revealed two of the show’s stars.
The network announced today (April 25) that American Idol alum Jennifer Hudson and Broadway vet Harvey Fierstein have both been cast in Hairspray Live!, playing Motormouth Maybelle and Edna Turnblad, respectively.
While both actors have Broadway experience (Hudson is currently starring as Shug Avery in The Color Purple), Fierstein is the only one of the two who's worked on Hairspray before: He won a Tony Award back in 2003 for his role as Turnblad in the Broadway adaptation of the John Waters-directed movie.
"We are beyond thrilled with this incredibly talented duo of stars for Hairspray Live!” said NBC executive Robert Greenblatt in a statement via The Huffington Post. “Harvey Fierstein created the role of Edna Turnblad on Broadway in an indelible Tony-winning performance that demanded to be memorialized on film, and we’re happy he wanted to step into her shoes one last, unforgettable time.”
"We’re also so grateful that the incomparable Jennifer Hudson will play Motormouth Maybelle," the statement continued, "and we know her rendition of ‘I Know Where I’ve Been’ will literally stop the show."
In addition to reprising his role as Turnblad, Fierstein will also write a new teleplay for the musical.
Tune in to Hairspray Live! when it airs on NBC on December 7 at 8PM EST.
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