Too good to check: Jamie Foxx in the running to play … Frank Sinatra
posted at 6:59 pm on May 18, 2009 by Allahpundit
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Defamer insists it’s just a joke that got out of hand, but I’d rather blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol imbibed by Martin Scorsese’s casting director. I’m onboard with the idea — it’d be fascinating to watch — but only if they go the whole nine yards. Co-starring Don Cheadle as Dean Martin, Antonio Banderas as Joey Bishop, Freida Pinto as Ava Gardner, and, of course, Joe Pesci as Sammy Davis Jr.
Foxx, who won a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 film Ray, reportedly considered to be “perfect” for the role. If he is chosen for the part, it will be one of the most prominent examples of “colour-blind” casting in Hollywood history.
Also in the running are George Clooney, Leonardo di Caprio, Harry Connick Jnr and Justin Timberlake.
But an unnamed source told the Daily Express: “Cool is colour-blind.
Jamie would seem to be born to the role.”
Hey, he’d be better than Timberlake. Just so we’re clear here, we’re not talking about Foxx in freaky-deaky whiteface a la Eddie Murphy in the legendary “White Like Me” sketch, right? I’m seeing this as more of a “Down to Earth” concept thing in which cultural constructs like racial identity are neutralized to try to find the essence of Frank. The mob scenes alone would be worth the price of admission.
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Yes, there will be times when Jamie bites off more of a role than he can chew. And through it all there will be doubt, but he’ll eat it up and spit it out. He’ll face it all and he’ll stand tall.
…and do it his way.
(Though I’m not sure I’d want to see it done that way.)
James on May 19, 2009 at 1:01 AM
How about instead of hiring a vocal coach for a pompous actor they hire an acting coach for a great talent like a Michael Buble. That guy is the second coming of Sinatra IMHO and he would make the role believable.
Lothar Of The Hill People on May 19, 2009 at 1:33 AM
If ever, in the history of film, a person was born to play a part, Harry Connick Jr. was born to play Frank Sinatra. Similar build, voice, and — let’s not kid ourselves — color. Oh, color shouldn’t matter? Well, gender shouldn’t matter either, then; so why not get Beyonce to play the part. Answer: because the physical attributes have to be at least close enough for the actor to be plausible as the character played, given the right haircut and makeup.
For that matter, if color doesn’t matter, why didn’t they get Connick (who plays piano brilliantly, has a notable jazz background, etc.) to play Ray Charles? Because he could never be visually plausible as Charles, that’s why. And son-of-a-gun, Foxx turned out to be stunningly brilliant in the part.
Remember, film is a visual medium. You can’t cast a fat guy as a skinny guy, a woman as a man, or a black guy as a white guy — at least not in a bio-pic of someone whose face is so well known.
RegularJoe on May 19, 2009 at 7:49 AM
Excellent. And let’s have Carrot Top play Martin Luther King Jr. in the next BioPic….
sabbott on May 19, 2009 at 8:01 AM
When is Hollywood going to make an all-white cast of Roots?
madmonkphotog on May 19, 2009 at 9:14 AM
Honestly, this has gone to far. This has nothing to do with equality. Leonardo is not a bad pick, they really resemble in the younger years. The problem is the power of the voice. Jamie Fox played RAY. Now any movie about a singer he is first pick. Is this Affirmative Action? Or Equal Employment act? Or is this another way we are going to pay back the black community?
Tremmy on May 19, 2009 at 9:24 AM
Sigh . . . If it were just Battlestar Galactica with a white dude playing Tigh and a woman in Starbuck’s role I wouldn’t give a rat’s @$$ but come on, a la “Ray” this is supposed to be a biography of Frank’s life. Did Ol’ Blue Eyes ever have a romantic encounter with a wall courtesy of an industrial-strength hose? I think not.
Hollywood revisionism has finally hit a new low. I mean, this is insulting to not only Frank but the intelligence of the average moviegoer.
Ryan Gandy on May 19, 2009 at 9:27 AM
Foxx is an overrated egomaniac. I’m sure he thinks he can/should play Frank. This is taking that “I’m Not There” conceit to absurd levels. I guess this means John Goodman as Count Basie? Ugh.
Malpaso on May 19, 2009 at 9:40 AM
Malpaso on May 19, 2009 at 9:40 AM
Why not go for the gold and cast Kevin Costner as Jackie Robinson?
Ryan Gandy on May 19, 2009 at 9:43 AM
Fixed for Foxx
James on May 19, 2009 at 10:28 AM
Foxx is a tenor, not a baritone. That disqualifies him for me.
spmat on May 19, 2009 at 10:54 AM
What gets me is the total bigotry of Holliweard! It’s OK for a black man to play a white man, but God forbid that a white man portray a black man…. UHHHHH that’s RACIST!!!!
The true RACIST here are the idiots that want this no talent bum to play Sinatra!
Confederate on May 19, 2009 at 4:22 PM
Was Jackie Chan not available?
AmericanUnderground on May 19, 2009 at 5:11 PM
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