Casting Notes: Jennifer Hudson Is Winnie Mandela; Winnie The Pooh Voice Cast; Eric Dane In Burlesque; Stephen Root Gets Two Gigs
Jennifer Hudsonmade a splash onAmerican Idol, then quickly went on to win an Oscar for her debut role inDreamgirls, but we haven’t seen much of her onscreen since. Now she’s got a follow-up role to her big breakthrough: inWinnie, she’ll play Winnie Mandela, wife to South African president Nelson Mandela.
Directing is South African filmmakerDarrell J. Roodt, who was behindYesterdayandSarafina!The script is from Roodt,Andre PieterseandPaul L. Johnson, from the biographyWinnie Mandela: A Life, by Anne Marie du Preez. Winnie Mandela fought apartheid alongside her husband, and was jailed for demanding his release, but she faced legitimate legal troubles down the road.Varietyalso reports that Hudson is expected to sing the theme for the film.
After the break, another Winnie movie, more for the Christina Aguilera filmBurlesque, and Stephen Root bolsters two already solid casts.
Production Weeklyreports some of the primary voice cast for Disney’s upcomingWinnie the Poohfilm, which will be based on five A.A. Milne stories. Playing Pooh and Tigger is Disney vetJim Cummings. Voicing Rabbit will beTom Kenny, aka Spongebob Squarepants, while Owl will be brought to life by actor and talk-show hostCraig Ferguson.Eric Dane, from Grey’s Anatomy, has joinedBurlesque, the film in which Aguilera will find success as a neo-burlesque performer, despite the efforts of rival Kristen Bell. Dane is a potential romantic interest and a “charming, highly successful businessman” who tries to buy the club, owned by Cher. [THR]
Finally, here’s something I missed yesterday:Stephen Roothas been added to a pair of great casts. He’ll be in the Ed Helms comedyCedar Rapids, with Helms, Anne Heche and John C. Reilly. He’s also in Robert Redford’sThe Conspirator, which I’m now dying to see based on the cast alone. [THR]
