|
It's Official: Barbra to
Star in 'Gypsy'
March 13, 2012
In a
press statement this
morning, Universal
Pictures officially
announced that Barbra
Streisand will star in a
film remake of Gypsy
- currently in development
at the studio. Barbra and
Joel Silver will
co-produce the picture.
Also attached to the
project is Julien
Fellowes, the award
winning writer and creator
of the British television
mega-hit, Downton Abbey.
Fellowes will adapt Arthur
Laurents' play as a film
vehicle for Barbra. In
2001, Fellowes won a Best
Original Screenplay Oscar
for Gosford Park.
Barbra's most recent
affiliation with Universal
was with the Fockers
film franchise. Barbra
helped Meet the Fockers
to become one of the most
successful comedies of all
time.
The 'Gypsy' Roller Coaster
 
ON: March
21,
2011
There's
late
breaking
news
about
"Gypsy."
Just
last
week,
Arthur
Laurents,
"Gypsy's"
author
announced
in a
Connecticut
paper
that
the
project
had
been
shelved.
It
was
a
bizarre
statement
to
be
sure,
with
implications
that
lyricist
Stephen
Sondheim
had
actually
crushed
the
deal.
Today
we
hear
from
people
close
to
Barbra
camp
(our
friends at barbranews.com)
that
the
project
is
far
from
dead
and
that
Barbra's
plans
to
play
Rose
are
still
on
the
front
burner.
We're
thrilled
and
delighted ...
and just a little bit
dizzy.
OFF: March 12,
2011
News
hit
the
wires
earlier
this
evening
that
the
film
re-make
of
"Gypsy"
- and
the
role
of
"Rose" that Barbra
was
hoping to play - is
suddenly off.
Read
our editorial.
Barbra Confirms 'Gypsy'
February 7,
2011
Everything's coming up
roses and the news we've
been waiting for is now
official: Barbra will
definitely be starring in
the film re-make of
"Gypsy."
Rumor turned to fact when
Barbra confirmed the news
in an interview with the
L.A. Times today.
Speaking with reporter
Susan King, Barbra noted
that the news leaked "a
little early, because the
deal wasn't finished ... I
am not sure about
directing it. It may just
be too much. I know I will
be playing the part. It's
like a bookend starting
with 'Funny Girl.' "
'Gypsy' Rumor Goes Viral
January 6,
2011
 Our
news today isn't that
Barbra's doing a new film
version of "Gypsy"
(there's been no official
announcement yet).
Rather, we're noting the
phenomenal nature of a
rumor - a rumor that has
gone wildly viral within a
span of 24 hours.
It
began
Tuesday
with a New
York
Post
article
stating
that
Barbra
is in
talks
to
star
in a
new
film
version
of
"Gypsy."
The
Post
quotes
Arthur
Laurents
(who
wrote
the
play)
as
saying
that
Barbra
"has
my
approval."
With
those
words,
the
rumor
mills began
to
churn.
Within
24
hours,
nearly
every
major
media
outlet
picked
up the
story,
including
mainstreams
like
USA
Today
and
The
New
York
Times.
A
local CBS radio affiliate
in New York, 1010 WINS,
included the story in
their news cycle. Even
Regis and Kelly were
talking about the
possibility of Barbra
doing "Gypsy" as Regis
held up the New York
Times article for all
of their morning show
viewers to see.
|
Regis and Kelly
discuss the
Barbra-"Gypsy" rumor
(go to 7:34)
Video courtesy
Disney-ABC |
For his article in The
New York Times,
reporter Patrick Healey
obtained a more definitive
quote from Laurents: "She
[Barbra] has been
interested in doing
'Gypsy' for many years ... now
things
are
serious
and a
movie
is
truly
in the
works.”
When asked who he envisions
as the male lead opposite
Barbra, Laurent's threw
out the name Tom Hanks, a
casting idea that
(according to Laurents) Barbra
apparently loves.
The Times
even corrects some of the
details earlier published
by The Post.
noting that Barbra will
star in, but not direct the picture.
According to Laurents,
"Playing
Rose is enough to make her
happy." The Times
also mentions that Warner
Bros. and producer Joel
Silver are attached to the
project. A director was
not named.
So,
how
will
this
all play out?
We've
been
down
this road
before,
but
keep
reading
those
news
reports.
This
juicy
story
will
not
likely
disappear
anytime
soon
unless
Barbra's
people
flatly
deny
it.
And
that
hasn't
happened
...
yet. |
