It didn’t help Beanie much that her standby, the wonderful Julie Benko, was getting fabulous word of mouth reviews and people wanted her to take over the role full time.
@@bigred8432 she definitely underestimated her ability to carry a show 8 times a week. Her role in Hello Dolly was so small (mostly had to worry about the second act) that she was able to manage it. Vocally and physically she was not ready for this role.
My heart goes out to Beanie who has seemingly not only had the internet, but all the producers, more or less acting against her since day one. The Daily Beast article is fascinating (I’d love a video on it), but it made it clear that Beanie has been mistreated since day one. Was she miscast? Vocally, yes. But she didn’t deserve all this.
Really your takeaway from the Daily Beast article is that the producers acted against Beanie from the day one? It appears to be completely opposite, the majority dug their heels in and proceeded with her casting even though apparently it was pretty self evident that she has no pumps for this role. If we are to believe this article, she was also jealous of Julie Benko. Truly, I don't really have much sympathy for a nepo lady who was miscast in the role just because she wanted it and then she couldn't handle the valid criticism, missing a lot of contracted shows in the process.
My take is that this was essentially a self-fulfilling prophecy. How abuzz the internet was about Lea, campaigning day 1 for her to get the role once the revival was announced, clearly signaled to producers that there was demand. I can't help but feel all of the memes and jokes contributed to a perceived demand for Lea and inevitably led to her casting. I think we can all be frustrated that poor behavior has been rewarded but I also think we (we meaning Broadway Twitter) had a hand in this happening. Clearly they casted Beanie for a reason. There was a vision for this show that didn't include Lea Michele but I think the public reaction led them to reconsider.
maybe the "memes equal demand" logic that the producers applied here will have the same results as with Morbius and the re-release it had due to the memes: unsuccess. How deliciously ironic would it be for Funny Girl to end up tanking *because* of casting Lea Michele?
This has been my theory as well. They are fully changing the production now, which means Lea was not in the vision for this at its inception and we definitely contributed to her casting.
@@JoseBraghiroli One can hope. As camp as it is that Funny Girl got revived, I'm personally bored of older shows getting revived just as a vehicle for Hollywood stars to take another turn around Broadway (*cough cough* Music Man *cough*)
They let Harvey redo the book and work it and the score around Beenie, and from his interviews, changed it from a star vehicle show, to and ensemble showcase for all the actors and actresses in the show. Also the reason the script is boring and not exciting is because the daughter and son of fanny brice wouldn't let them use any of their family gossip or jury stories, and the real Nicky Armstrong told his daughters husband who wrote the show that if he put any of his real life happenings in the script that he would never be found alive again. so there is or was a exciting story for a musical but the family forced them to change it and make it fictionalized. the son stated if i;m in the show you cant and wont make it. so thats why its a bad script with good score, yet i myself don't like it or have any desire to really watch it. What they did to beanie is and was horrible and if your going to attack beanie for not being barbra, than you should attack the casting directors for music man for sutton foster and hugh jackman, they changed keys and the score to suit the stars. Sutton should never have been the female lead cause she cant sing it at all. And hugh had the songs slowed down for him and the l,yricsw to shapoopy changed. and leah should not have take the role, her stand by should have gotten to be the replacement if beanie really wanted out after the horrible reviews and they were horrible to her. I was and had been glade to see a tradinatl jewish average sized girl playing the role of fanny brice who was jewish which leah is not. and if we are going to talk about representation casting a non jewish girl as fanny should cause out rage in the theatre community, but it wont cause its only people of color that are allowed to be outraged about that kind of casting or the LGBTQ community with characters who are LGBTQ electra as well. but forget the other religions and characters ho are based on real people fictional musical or not, its still based on a real jewish women and her mother.
The world is full of horrible people that become successful in life. I’m honestly not that surprised. I don’t think there’s any industry that cares if you’re a good person or not and it’s hella depressing
@@puppymcpupsters She’s been given the chance of a lifetime under some truly bizarre circumstances that has the whole world zeroed in on her. She’d be an utter fool to screw it up.
I’m going to keep a close eye on the whole situation. I really, really hope that Lea has actually learned from her mistakes and has actively tried to change.
@@Multiversetraveler93 omg fr everyone is “forgiving” her and giving her a second chance when we weren’t the ones she victimized. That is for the people she hurt to decide and they seemed to continue to speak out against her and are hurt she is being rewarded when their careers where hurt for speaking out.
I saw Funny Girl with Beanie Feldstein in it and I really enjoyed it. Vocally she was not Barbara obviously, but she was absolutely charming and so so so funny in the role. She definitely has a particular voice that doesn't work for everyone, but I really enjoyed her voice and she brought a fresh take to the role that I absolutely loved. Even though I am a massive Spring Awakening and Glee fan, everything Lea Michelle has done has definitely tainted both of those projects for me and I'm hoping that like you said she comes back humble and truly apologizes for what she has done and doesn't end up tainting what was an absolutely delightful show for me. Congrats to Beanie on her engagement and I wish her only the best in the future!
I saw Beanie in it a few months ago, and really enjoyed it! She’s not as great of a singer but the show was still so fun. She definitely is funny and charming in the role. Jared Grimes was especially amazing as well. I didn’t expect Barbra because there’s only one, obviously. I heard that Beanies understudy is amazing so I hoped they’d give her the lead role eventually but oh well. It all feels a bit.. icky?
I saw Beanie back in late March and really enjoyed it as well. Mind you I never saw the movie so I had nothing to compare her Fanny Brice to. I plan to watch it again specifically to see Julie Benko! I'm so excited.
Broadway shows have cast sexual predators in leading roles and ignored the backlash. Unfortunately, controversy generates press and people know that they can capitalize off of outrage. I would be more willing to wait and see if Lea has truly changed (after all, men are offered far more second chances than most women) if the allegations of her poor behavior didn’t include racist, microaggressive attacks. Samantha Ware has not forgiven Lea so it isn’t really my place to say we should forgive her.
I’m disappointed that they probably cast Lea not because of her talent but because of the amount of press and money that the musical will now get with the ‘controversial’ casting decision. I’m also concerned on how this will have an effect on the rest of the cast and workers of the musical because Lea has multiple allegations of being racist and absolutely horrible to work with to the point where she hasn’t even worked on a Broadway musical since Spring Awakening…😬
I think they picked her because everyone was so confused as to why they didn’t choose her in the first place. I get what they were trying to do with this revival and it’s disappointing that critics couldn’t get past seeing something other than what they’re used to seeing. They’ll get what they want with Lea, singing wise anyways. She’s not ‘controversial’, she’s safe. She’s seems like a horrible person, but she’s also incredibly talented.
The casting of Lea, to the show's producers looking to get something for their investment and Broadway audiences who have waited for the right actress to play Fanny Brice for decades, is hardly controversial. It's only on the internet and social media. I'm not saying that some of the allegations aren't true but it's getting to point of becoming a vendetta on the part of some. Here's something to think about. Does anyone think that Glee would have even gotten a second season and beyond without Lea Michele? Ryan Murphy knew what he had in her and what she meant to the show. Maybe, just maybe those same Glee cast members trying to destroy Michele's career should step back a bit and consider that without her, they might not have gotten steady paychecks for at least five years or more. I'm just saying.
It’s possible that Lea Michele may be more mindful about how she treats her colleagues now that the allegations of racism and general unpleasantry have come out. Hopefully Lea Michele is now aware that more people will be on alert for that kind of behavior since those allegations were released.
@@MrNorcal81 The rumors aren't just from Glee. There are rumors going back all the way to Ragtime with stage hands claiming she was unkind to them. There are people associated with Spring Awakening and Fiddler on the Roof who say the same thing. Allegedly, she had a party during the Spring Awakening run and told the understudies they weren't invited because they weren't real cast members. People can absolutely grow and change. If she hasn't, it will hit social media so fast. But that said, allegedly, she initiated conversations with the producers. The producers did not seek her out. That suggests some level of shade.
Jane Lynch changing her exist date from the show to right before Lea premieres…did not help the rumor mill. But Lynch was quoted “You know, it was just a really strong idea to have Feldshuh and Lea premiere together. That's the only reason." She added, "I adore her. She's just going to take this show and make it her own. I'm so glad she's getting the opportunity in real life to do the show and not just on Glee.” 🤷🏻♂️
Jane Lynch can put out a PR announcement saying anything. Fact, she moved up her leaving date which is costing her money, it wasn’t what she had planned, and she SHOULD have stayed while Tovah is in rehearsals.
Just an aside; Lea at the Tonys had less to do with her and more to do with Spring Awakening and its documentary putting attention back on the show's legacy. People can spin it however they want (that's all people know how to do anyway) but that's what it is.
I came to say this. It was the documentary and the fact that the documentary coincided with the 15 years that have passed since Spring Awakening won Best Musical.
Thank you! I was planning to write the same thing. I loved the doc and seeing the cast perform again at the Tonys was, for me, the highlight of this year's Tonys. They even made sure to bring Zach Braff back to do their intro; you gotta love attention to detail.
The Spring Awakening section of the Tonys was probably in the planning stages for months, way before Tony award nominations were announced. Note that those announcements are made roughly a month before the awards ceremony, no one knew who'd be nominated while the awards show would have already been in the works. Only shows nominated for Best Musical get to perform on Tony night, only those who are nominated get to go, unless presenting (or purchasing a ticket). So the brouhaha about Lea is moot, as Beanie would have performed if the show had been nominated for Best Musical, and if it hadn't, she'd still have been in attendance if she's been nominated for Best Actress.
i did theater with beanie as a kid and she really didnt deserve all the shit she got. :/ idk if she was right for the part as i didn't see it but still. i hope she can recover from this. as for the nepotism thing, i believe her dad was a producer on the show and thats another reason people were upset. Hollywood has a serious nepotism issue, always has and always will this is nothing new. lea is just horrible, even if i wanted to go see it i wouldn't just because i refuse to support such a shit person. shes clearly a narcissist and as the daughter of one, i know they dont change. they can pretend to for a bit but they genuinely dont believe there is anything wrong with them so they go back t their old ways pretty quickly. she sounds like a nightmare.
I saw beanie in the role. She was incredible, her acting and understanding of the role was amazing! I feel so sorry that the bad decisions of the production company has laid the blame at beanies feet! I didn't travel from the UK to New yourk to see a copy of Barbara! I saw a wonderful Fanny Brice and an incredible cast xxx
For what it's worth...I saw this production with Beanie's understudy, Julie Benko. Yes, Funny Girl does not have a strong book - but other musicals without strong books get revived regularly. Acting aside, this production is downright shoddy. The main focus of the set is a column that opens and closes to reveal scenes - much like in the recent revival of She Loves Me. There, it made sense, as the storefront of the shop where action took place. Here it was a brick wall with no plot connection per se, which darkened the stage. Costumes also lacked imagination. The tuxedos for the male chorus in Beautiful Reflection were covered with sequins, making it more Mickey Mouse in Disney on Ice, and the showgirls costumes were far from reminiscent from a Ziegfeld number, much less the Rockettes. Budget has nothing to do with this, amazingly creative things have been done with minimal sets. This adds to the question, why was this particular revival even staged? Note: Julie KILLED on Greatest Star and People, and carried the day on Rain although Barbra will always linger in the background on that one.
There are so many talented actresses who stand for love and kindness and equality and it's disgusting that they aren't getting a look in and instead, we are casting someone who treats people so poorly. Lea won't be playing fanny Brice, she'll be playing Barbara Streisand. It's going to be the dull stuff we've already seen in glee. There's no point for this casting at all.
While it was 2 years ago when everything came out, all the comments she made were about 7+ years ago. Is she not allowed to change. I'm not saying what she did was bad, but jeez she didn't murder someone. She was very helpful yes, but action do speak louder than words and last time I checked she was all bark and no bite back then. Maybe she toned down that bark. Besides the WHOLE COUNTRY will be watching her. One wrong move and she'll be gone.
@@redheaddetective8424 Yes, money does always come first in their standers. They have to make it. That still doesn't disregard the message I'm saying that she should still be able to get redemption, if see so chooses to actually be nice and change her ways.
@@bigred8432 well, as far as business goes, I would make sure that I bought a ticket for when Lea's understudy performs, because I wouldn't pay two cents to see her.
According to an anon from DeuxMoi, FG’s casting team wanted Lea in the first place, but after all the controversies went for Beanie… Poor Beanie, this was her dream role and she’s been treated so terribly by critics holding her to Streisand standards :(
I don't understand why people are saying poor Beanie this and poor Beanie that? Just because it was her dream role doesn't mean she deserves it. She does not have the musical talent for it. Can anybody say that she really would have gotten the role if not for her family connections? She is a rich woman with all the doors open to her still. She is not some unknown actress who has worked all her life through audition after audition just to finally earn a role that is taken away from her because the producers were mean. The only thing I feel bad for is that the internet dragged her for her physical appearance which is completely uncalled for and irrelevant to the discussion.
The reason people love funny girl is Barbra Streisand hands down, people wan the good vocals and if she works on her charm she’ll be funny and entertaining, only Lea can come close to Barbra’s Fanny
one thing that I'm curious about is if this "new direction" the show is taking is pretty much create a copy of Barbra's Fanny. and if the show is a success, what does it say? will recasts always try to imitate the original cast instead of giving a new life for characters?
I feel like you could see it coming from a million miles away. Prior to all the horror stories of Lea's on set behavior coming out, she would've absolutely been the first choice. And then the less than favorable reviews for Beanie rolled out (and I can't comment on her performance at all, I haven't heard her sing). Lea was posting professional shots on her instagram with no upcoming jobs announced. And then the Tonys. Glee was a freaking documentary. Rachel is Lea.
this whole thing is just such a weird situation, i can't help but feel bad for both of them, getting hate for things that aren't their faults. things probably would've been better if funny girl hadn't been revived at all but hopefully lea has learned from her mistakes
I hope Lea has learned and grew. If she has, I don't think she should be banned from working ever again. And besides, if she treats her staff members like crap, I'm pretty sure that's gonna come out and omg what a shitstorm she'll face then.
I’ve heard lots of people - in the musical theatre world - say that Beanie’s parents are producers on the show, hence the nepotism chat. But I cannot find ANYTHING to confirm this. I’ve looked into all the producers, the companies associated, and none are linked to her family. Potentially angel investors? But as you say - I can’t see that being a wise move for anyone involved, because situations like this happen. I’m sad for Beanie. She seems like such a lovely soul.
I am sure Lea will be great. Maybe she was a bitch on the set of Glee but that was a LONG time ago. People learn, grow and change. Let's give her a chance and maybe she will surprise people. And if she hasn't changed, then that will take care of itself. Also, let's not pit Beanie and Lea against each other. That isn't helping. It's not Lea's fault that Beanie is leaving. Beanie is a fantastic actress and will be fine.
Thought she was done w theatre... for awhile she was saying she wanted to do movies, but nothing came out of that. Hope motherhood and maturity make her a better co-worker.
So I saw Beanie Feldstein in April and loved every second of it. I do think there is something to be said that Beanie auditioned for the role. This isn't something that was handed to her. If she was miscast, the production should have done more to support her. I truly think her biggest difficulty was needing more vocal support for 8 shows a week. The latest rumor is that Lea Michele had her people reach out to the producers amidst the rumors. That does not make Lea look better in my book.
A source in the production has said they've dismissed the bullying allegations and diva behaviour (the actual quote did not mention racism at all) because they assumed it was because during Glee she was young and didn't know what she was doing........ She was in her late twenties.
I'm not 100% sure Lea Michele has learned her lesson and has tired to be nicer. But however, I hope that the show with her goes well and doesn't give the people she works with a hard time. It is ashame that Benie didn't get her due. She deserves better.
I am on the side of believing that people can change. Her career was pretty well halted when those allegations came out and to my knowledge no new ones have come out since. So giving her a chance to prove she has changed is great in my opinion. Unless of course she hasn't changed, than it's gonna bite her in the ass. We'll all have to wait and see.
to be fair she hasn't really been working since, she's had a baby and there was Covid... so that doesn't really say much when there are no new allegations
For sure was like "Ah. Rachel Berry is finally living her dream" when I first heard this news lol In all seriousness, I agree that we all really hope she's learned her lesson from being cancelled, really took time to reflect upon the actions she took that led her to being cancelled, and at least isn't the worst.
Thank you for being very fair to Beanie. I haven't seen the show so I can't comment on her performance, but I do know it's a very demanding role that requires very specific things, so I think if she wasn't a perfect fit, to me it doesn't say much about her skills as a performer. I'm sure if she can get another role in a show that is a better fit for her, she'll do great. Like you said, she seems like a lovely person, and I really hope things go well for her
Some of the best performers in the world are monsters, this does not take away from their performance and they should in no way be judged by their personality over their performance. You can love the art and hate the artists.
I love Barbara. Growing up with her movies and music, I used to sing with her albums to learn breath control and enunciation. I went on to become a music major in college because of Barbara and I love Funny Girl. In my opinion, I am afraid that where you can change how you act in a role such as Fanny Brice, most people will be waiting for the voice that brought Funny Girl such esteem. I don't think I would be happy with the performance if one could not belt out the songs as Barbara did. Her range was amazing, and on Broadway, that is what I would expect. So, I leave with, "What are you going to do, shoot the swans? These lovelies?"
I think Funny Girl is overall a pretty disrespectful show to the actual person of Fanny Brice, especially considering how it was turned into a showcase for Streisand's voice. It's pretty mental that they are resurrecting the show and now giving it over to another diva to belt to the rafters. Shame.
I think Beanie's attendance was also a big part of the conversation around her not being able to handle the role. She missed A LOT. I went to see the show twice, and both times she was out. The first time was pre-planned, the first weekend that she missed in April, which was also the first weekend after the show opened. I then went in the last weekend in June and she was also out. Her standby, Julie Benko, was fantastic in the role. As a Libra, I felt that comment in my BONES. I believe that people can change. I hope they can change. But she said and did awful things. I'm torn.
Thank you for saying the quiet part out loud… Funny Girl didn’t do well because Funny Girl isn’t a great show. I don’t think Lea Michele or anyone else for that matter is going to “save” it. I think it’ll fade away into obscurity until it gets revised in 2074.
@@daviddelara7158 I didn’t say my feelings about Lea one way or the other in my comment. I was purely stating the opinion that I think Funny Girl itself isn’t a good show. It is pretty bland and unappealing, and I don’t think any performer is going to make the show “better” because there just isn’t the material to support that. I don’t hope for failure on anyone, so if it does well, that’s amazing. There are too many performers and technical crew outside of the specific role of Fanny Brice that deserve to be employed and thriving. I just don’t think that Funny Girl as a show itself has enough widespread appeal to make a revival last, no matter who is in the lead. This is not this company’s fault, it’s the book’s.
I saw Beanie in the show twice and I fucking loved her. To be fair I’m not a huge fan of Barbra and I’m also a plus sized, queer, Jewish person, but her performance gave me so much joy. She and Ramin (Nick Arnstein) have a wonderful chemistry and I just don’t see Lea Michele hitting the comedy beats the way Beanie does.
I use to love Lea, I even sided with her on the whole Naya Rivera controversy on the next to last season of Glee, but then I heard what Samantha Ware said, and I heard the other casual remarks that Jenna Ushkowitz and Kevin McHale would say on their podcast. Other than Darren Chris and Becca Tobin, I don't think the rest of the cast had a great time with her, or maybe in the beginning they did but over time it seems like her ego got very big, and Naya was right. I would hope she learned, I don't like anyone getting "cancelled", she is a new mom so maybe she changed, we all can evolve. But then I heard and read in the Daily Beast article that she will be rehearsing separate from the rest of the cast, and will just show up to the theater to perform. And a lot of people I follow in the ensemble and the swings, like Amber Ardolino, how will that work with them? I am one of those people who will say, the ensemble and swings are the one that make the show, and already she is being kept separate from the rest of the cast. How will a bond form with the cast? Already she is getting treatment like she is above everyone, and this is her chance to correct some of her past wrongs, and I feel we will see a lot of people leaving the show. If she treated extras bad on Glee, I can only imagine how she will treat ensemble and swing members who have to do 3 times more work than she would have to for a lot less pay. I hope I am wrong about this.
We saw the show over the weekend with understudy Julie Benko. He vocals were great, she was perfect in the first half and nailed "Rain on my parade". But she lacked charisma to pull the second act, it needed more experienced actress. I sincerely hope that Lea Michelle will deliver the dramatic performance. Without a strong female lead "Funny girl" is a very mediocre show despite having a star like Ramin Karimloo. I also hope Lea will change her behavior and be supportive to the main cast and her understudies.
I think it spoke volumes that neither the musical nor Beanie was nominated for a Tony. If it was at all good, it would have been nominated. I assumed then that the show must not be really good, so I wasn't surprised to hear that it was recast.
it's always a tightrope walk with musical theater.. some prefer an amazing voice, while i'm ok with someone who isn't necessarily the best singer if they have A+++ acting chops (particularly when it comes to comedy).. streisand was an example of someone who had both, but it's extremely rare..
Absolutely, Barbra’s singing, acting and comedic talents are rare and each was best in the business, on top of that, Barbra was a hard worker. They threw everything at her during rehearsals and try outs, dozens of rewrites and new songs and she delivered. And she delivered during the show, movie and Broadway veterans were blown away by her performance. She hardly missed a single performance much to the dismay of the understudy, poor Laine. Is no Surprise that Barbra career grew even beyond the wildest dreams and expectations of the star that Funny Girl produced.
I still find it crazy that people took the opportunity to expose her from a tribute post ☠️ like the timing is off bestie, people are dying and you're exposing that a girl who basically grew up in theatre is a demon?! Really?! Ms. Sammie Ware shook me
It’s such a shame. With all of the talent they had to pick from, to see her bad behavior rewarded is disheartening but also not surprising. It’s gonna close so quick 😭
Why can’t she be given a second chance? I’m sure the producers are aware of her past indiscretions and have various clauses written into her contract to make sure she stays in line.
@@giovannirastrelli9821 For me, it's that there are so many deserving actors who have been looked over in favor of someone who's been shown to be a problem on set. It's not that Lea shouldn't have a second chance. It's that so many people deserve their first chance more. Not to mention, a second chance shouldn't be your dream job.
@@giovannirastrelli9821 that's literally not how this works bud. She doesn't have a clause that gets her fired for bad behavior. That's not a thing. The producers are aware of her behavior. They just don't care because she'll bring the big bucks.
I saw a preview of Funny Girl with my parents and the three of us thought Beanie did a great job. It’ll be…interesting to say the least to see how it goes with Lea
I feel like Beanie was doomed from the start. Lea was essentially cast before Beanie was. I believe she was miscast vocally, but she (or anyone) doesn't deserve the hate.
THANK YOU for saying FG is not a very good show! Why nobody has pointed this out escapes me. FG lore is a paradox. Barbara Streisand's memorable performance in FG does not equate to FG being a show worthy of revival.
Well. Patty Lapone is mean and rude and a bully and still plays on Broadway. So Lea is in good company. I feel the most sorry for Beanie she seems like an honest and friendly person. I hope she finds another role in Broadway and proves everyone of her detractors wrong.
Even without Lea I think this show is on a sinking ship. Like you said this show is ok at best without Barbra being so connected to the show. The show didn't even run on Broadway for that long at all and there is a reason for that. Also Lea Michele connects to a certain crowd mostly glee fans which I am sure some will go and fly to see her in the show, but when you have a massive movie star like Hugh Jackman and massive broadway star, Sutton Foster in the Music Man which is just a better show in general, I just think this isn't going to end well. I never got into Funny Girl and really only know about it cause of Glee and Barbra other than that I wouldn't.
It's a weird thing and I understand everyone's frustration, Leah has demonstrated to the public and world that she is an unbelievably flawed human being. And that sucks we want our stars to be just incredible, but here's the deal unfortunately as Ryan Murphy knew from the get-go, however flawed Leah is as a person, she's pretty much flawless as a singer and actress and funny girl is her role and she's going to kill it. We may not like it conscientiously but we're going to love it regardless when we see her performance
Dear young woke cancel culture keyboard warriors, Although there is nothing wrong with calling out wrongs and holding people accountable (only after it is PROVEN someone did something wrong-not just hearsay and conjecture), you also need to allow people to mature, grow, and change. As hopefully you yourself will mature, grow, and change. If you do not, if you hold a grudge on something that happened 7 years ago...you will undoubtedly be judged and held to the same impossible standards of perfection by the next generation, because they will have learned by your actions that this is how you treat people. Learn from our mistakes, Sincerely Gen X
I saw FG in its original run with Barbra and Sydney Chaplin. I agree, the book is weak, some of the songs are great, but it does say something about the show that it was never revived on B'dway. I’m old enough to never have seen Glee, so I have no opinion whatsoever on LM's ability to sing or act.
The irony here is that Barbra Streisand had a reputation for being incredibly demanding and tricky on film sets. Walter Matthau loathed her during the making of Hello Dolly and film crew on Yentl at the time were relieved when filming in England was over.
I sort of wondered if they wanted Lea Michele all along, but were afraid of ticket sales being negatively affected because of all the bad press she got. So then they hired somebody who they knew would ultimately fail and disappoint audiences and critics alike, conveniently shifting the narrative around Lea Michele as the hero saving a sinking ship. But what do I know💅🏽
I just wish people would leave the rest of the cast out of this. I have already seen comments across the social media accounts of other cast members, from ensemble members to Ramin, with people continually just commenting and asking about Lea and like... damn! leave the cast alone. They have no control over this situation, they can't comment publicly while they are working on the show and you are DROWNING their comments and notifications.
also Amy your an awesome theatre women, and a great person to watch on youtube. was worried abut you since i hadn't gotten any posts about new videos to till saw this. Amy your awesome. keep it up.
Look, did Smash not teach anyone anything? The broadway business is brutal and they only care about money (mostly). So the casting of Lea is not shocking. As a Huge glee and broadway fan, I think Lea is gonna do fantastic. And I think/hope that she would have learned from her past actions and will be humbled by this opportunity.
I actually would love to see her in Funny Girl and was sad she wasn't cast in the first place. I also feel bad for Beanie. Only seen her in 1 thing, and liked her. But I don't vibe with her missing performances. And as always, I just assume all actors/celebrities are pita's, so I'm never disappointed.
Given that life is not fair and never has been and given that Broadway is a business and not a religion, how much does it matter if she is a good person or not? Do we know or care whether the guy who sells you a car cheats on his wife before we buy a car from him? Do we know or care if the chef at your favorite restaurant supports his aging mom and is a good son? In a way Broadway is something we buy or consume. We pay for an item and hope it is good quality rather than validate the morality of the person who sold us that item. Just a thought. But if you do care, since she made those statements, she's become a mother and I have seen cases where doing that brings out someone's better nature, so who knows.
My take is : Lea has made her career off this role or Idea that she wants this role , so it makes sense for her to take it also who knows if anyone other project would be wild enough to book her ever again …. So take what you can … from the Producers point of View: she may be a pain but she clearly is talented and if she is toxic they still will have a show that will have tons of buzz … the Tonys obviously like her and if there is drama they can still use that publicity just as Glee has … people that never saw glee in original day knows glee now from all the drama maybe funny girl wants the same
I know Lea is gonna kill this. And while I definitely do agree there are far less controversial people they probably should’ve picked, Lea is also pretty much perfect for the role. And, and I’m sure many people will disagree with me on this, but as long as she learned her lesson and has gotten better, I have absolutely no issue with this
That's the thing. Has she learned, apologized to the right people, gotten better? We may never know. And for that reason, I dont trust it. She said and did some incredibly heinous things. Things I can barely imagine a sane person doing. (Allegedly but she all but confirmed it lol). She would have to come a LONG way from a personality trait that was apparently present even was she was a child. I won't be watching her stuff, maybe ever again, but I realize everyone makes that choice on their own.
@@ambriaashley3383 personally I think most of the stories were stretched to the limit. Also when some uses micro aggressions I just see that as a huge red flag for being overly sensitive. I’m not saying Lea back during glee was not a hard person to work with or did not say some bad things but that was a long time ago. Also when it comes to people just stating what she said they don’t mention the context which is super important always.
@@masonguthrie1257 It wasn’t just while she was working on Glee though. It was post Glee, which only ended about 7 years ago. She had work after Glee, and she has allegations from those projects (The Mayor, Scream Queens, etc.) This is all too recent for me. I really hope she’s changed in this amount of time.
I’m sure we won’t hear about any bullying backstage Would it be genuine or just an act to shut people up? Truth is, doesn’t matter. The vocals would be great! I just hope she’s practiced her comedic timing cause after all, its called Funny Girl
I don't think Lea is right for the role. She can sing, yes, but hasn't shown (at least to me) the comedy timing that the character needs. I also think she does come across as somewhat cold and diva like in her roles, the opposite of warm and bubbly, that Beanie seemed to have. I do worry that casting her is sending a message to the people she treated badly, and that during the pandemic there was all this "Broadway needs to change" that was apparently lip service. I'll save my money for &Juliet.
My thoughts are, of course its not great the way Lea Michele has behaved. But I think MEN have been acting this way for so many years. And no one bats an eyelid. Lea as a woman and a Jewish woman as well, is far more open to criticism in the media than a man. But thank you for sharing your opinion! I love watching your videos !!
I think another thing to keep in mind is the fact that the current understudy of Fanny, Julie Benko, is absolutely phenomenal. I was so lucky to have been able to see her when Beanie had COVID, and oh my goodness she was fabulous. I don't understand why she couldn't have stepped into the role. I know there's always behind the scenes stuff, and there was probably a reason, but I feel that casting Lea feels so unnecessary when there's a smaller actress who's already proven herself capable of the role right there as an option.
Idk... I just feel like the cast and crew of Funny Girl have been thrown under the bus with this casting. Even IF Lea Michele has changed the producers are still knowingly exposing their employees to someone with a nasty history.
She's gonna absolutely kill it. But it does just make me feel a bit uncomfortable that it seems like nothing has happened in response to people saying she's an absolute nightmare to work with. For the sake of the production, I really hope she's grown and changed.
The fact that Jane Lynch is planning to leave the show just days before the date Lea is planned to debut in the show gives me very 👀 😬vibes. I have a feeling that all of this drama is nowhere close to being finished yet…
I thought that was announced long before Lea though? I could be wrong but my impression was both Jane and Beanie's contracts were up in September and both decided not to continue. Because they were both leaving, the recasts had to be done. Again, could be wrong. But I thought Jane had decided to leave long before any recasts.
@@brees3 Jane was originally supposed to leave the show on September 25th but recent news came out that she will now be leaving before Lea begins her run as Fanny.
True but if they're reworking the show, they would also have prepared Jane for the new changes if she were to join Lea. Then Lea would have to work with Jane and then relearn her parts when Tovah came on. It was probably cheaper and less time-consuming to have both actresses start at the same time. Honestly, this whole messy situation sounds like the producers screwing up and scrambling onto a lifeboat.
Wait, Amy, are you saying the 1968 film isn't good? Basically, by saying the 1964 show wasn't very good without Streisand, aren't you saying the same thing? All this because of a bias for Beanie?
Lots of great performers have been less-than-stellar individuals. It's the choice of the production team as to whether or not they choose to employ such a person (or any person). Just as someone isn't deserving of success by dint of being 'nice," neither should a difficult personality be penalized, unless of course it affects the show in a negative fashion. Life is complicated, and so are people...🙅♂
I would say abusing cast mates would definitely affect the show. Most people who defend Lea are not even in the entertainment world and have no idea how much something like that can weigh on you
Lea is going to do great period. But it's also a sad day for plus size actresses. This set us back like 20 years. Cannot imagine what beanie is going thru. What a nightmare. I still would love to see the show regardless.
Beanie is a wonderful Fanny! When I saw her on Broadway she killed it, her comedic acting is spot on. Everyone knows Lea can sing the part but I don’t believe she’ll be able to do the comedic acting as well as Beanie does. I feel horrible that Jane and Tovah have been left in the dust to all the “Rachel Berry” drama.
Lea is an amazing comedic actress. I wouldn't worry about that. I think people forget what a great job she did on Glee and Scream Queens. I would argue that she's even better actress than Beanie who is also really talented.
Ugh. Here’s the thing. Beanie is a great actress. She really is. Very talented. Can she sing? Yes. Can she sing as well as Lea Michele? No. I saw the show and I thought she was charming. I thought she was well suited to the Fanny Brice character. However, when the inevitable comparison to Barbara begins…well there is no comparison. Being a nice person to work with doesn’t change that. As for Lea Michele. Haters gonna hate. If every difficult performer was judged and booted off the stage there wouldn’t be very many people left to perform. Lea Michele has been a professional Broadway actor since she was a young girl. She was wildly talented even as a child. She was around adults and professional performers more than she was around kids. She got a lot of shite from kids her age. She was frequently out of school, she was marked as a weirdo. She didn’t really know how to socialize with kids her own age. She too was bullied. Generally that leads to the kind of young performer Lea became. Well aware of her enormous talent and socially insecure and defensive. Does that excuse being a tyrannical PITA on set and behind the scenes? No. It doesn’t. But as she is human there is a reason she does what she does. Can humans grow and change and learn? Yes. Lea has had hardships in her life since glee. She lost her fiancé and co-star to a drug overdose. She had to publicly cope with that and very publicly grieve that loss as the Finn Hudson character also died. In the following years she has gotten married and had a child. One would hope that the immature and difficult behavior as a professional would have faded some. People do grow up. They do learn from their mistakes and failures. This endless need to cancel and destroy people is idiotic and old. Lea Michele didn’t ask for this role or demand this role or even campaign for it. She was very supportive of Beanie being cast as Fanny Brice. Will she play the part with every bit of her brilliant undeniable talent on display? Absolutely yes. She’s human folks. She isn’t a racist monster. Even people who thought she was obnoxious to work with defended her on that end. So how about climbing down from the sanctimonious high horses and remember that being perfect and pleasant to work with at all times is not a prerequisite for being a performer. I am fairly certain that she is well aware of the damage her previous behavior caused and I bet money she will arrive to the theater ready to work and be kind to everyone she encounters. No matter what she will give a brilliant performance. If you can’t forgive the fact she was a brat in her earlier years, then don’t go to the show. And maybe be glad that your own human moments aren’t publicly debated. Lea Michele will kill it as Fanny Brice. That is the bottom line.
My heart goes out to Beanie Feldstein. She is a wonderful actress (Booksmart was a much better and fresher take on the last night of high school plot than the trailer initially made me think). I never watched Glee but from what I’ve heard about it, and Lea Michele’s character it reminded me of Sharpay in HSM, a character I hated. Oddly enough, now that I’m thinking about it, that might be why I didn’t get into it, because of that head up their own ass character. It sounds like art imitates life in the case of Lea Michelle. I could tell that Beanie had a lot of respect and care for the role of Fanny and took a lot of steps to make sure she gets it right, and I wish I could have seen her in it. I would have been more inclined to see Funny Girl with Beanie rather than Lea. Beanie was done wrong. EDIT: Amy Lovett, this may be my the first video of yours I’ve seen. You broke down the whole thing very articulately and made a lot of great points. I agree with you on a lot of it. I’ve never much been interested in FG, but when I heard Beanie was cast I was kinda intrigued. Lea Michelle’s casting makes me want to avoid it at all costs, mostly because like you said, it’s not a very interesting story. I’d love to see Jane Lynch (who was in Funny Girl with Beanie) comment on this whole situation on a talk show or something. I’d love to hear Beanie’s complete take on it. I listened to a clip of Beanie singing and I thought it wasn’t that bad. I think it was mostly with projection. Her voice I thought sounded fine and I liked her accent. A very disappointing situation all around. Great video! Thank you!
If Leah is in it, maybe they gonna change the concept of the current revival, and rather than being closer to the 2016 London production it will now be closer to the 1968 film version.
It didn’t help Beanie much that her standby, the wonderful Julie Benko, was getting fabulous word of mouth reviews and people wanted her to take over the role full time.
@@bigred8432 she definitely underestimated her ability to carry a show 8 times a week. Her role in Hello Dolly was so small (mostly had to worry about the second act) that she was able to manage it. Vocally and physically she was not ready for this role.
Julie should have the role full time. They should not cast Lea, they should give it to Julie.
My heart goes out to Beanie who has seemingly not only had the internet, but all the producers, more or less acting against her since day one. The Daily Beast article is fascinating (I’d love a video on it), but it made it clear that Beanie has been mistreated since day one. Was she miscast? Vocally, yes. But she didn’t deserve all this.
I feel for her too the fact that she did not have the support she deserves heart breaks more
the support and I'm guessing the time to develop her voice, maybe she needed a year to train like Andrew Garfield did for Tick Tick Boom
Her father bought her the role. I’m fresh out of sympathy.
Daddy bought her the part...and nothing about Beanie suggests Fanny Brice. Nothing.
Really your takeaway from the Daily Beast article is that the producers acted against Beanie from the day one? It appears to be completely opposite, the majority dug their heels in and proceeded with her casting even though apparently it was pretty self evident that she has no pumps for this role. If we are to believe this article, she was also jealous of Julie Benko. Truly, I don't really have much sympathy for a nepo lady who was miscast in the role just because she wanted it and then she couldn't handle the valid criticism, missing a lot of contracted shows in the process.
My take is that this was essentially a self-fulfilling prophecy. How abuzz the internet was about Lea, campaigning day 1 for her to get the role once the revival was announced, clearly signaled to producers that there was demand.
I can't help but feel all of the memes and jokes contributed to a perceived demand for Lea and inevitably led to her casting.
I think we can all be frustrated that poor behavior has been rewarded but I also think we (we meaning Broadway Twitter) had a hand in this happening. Clearly they casted Beanie for a reason. There was a vision for this show that didn't include Lea Michele but I think the public reaction led them to reconsider.
maybe the "memes equal demand" logic that the producers applied here will have the same results as with Morbius and the re-release it had due to the memes: unsuccess. How deliciously ironic would it be for Funny Girl to end up tanking *because* of casting Lea Michele?
This has been my theory as well. They are fully changing the production now, which means Lea was not in the vision for this at its inception and we definitely contributed to her casting.
@@JoseBraghiroli One can hope. As camp as it is that Funny Girl got revived, I'm personally bored of older shows getting revived just as a vehicle for Hollywood stars to take another turn around Broadway (*cough cough* Music Man *cough*)
Ummm…Beanie was cast because her parents funneled money into the show. They didn’t even hide that fact.
They let Harvey redo the book and work it and the score around Beenie, and from his interviews, changed it from a star vehicle show, to and ensemble showcase for all the actors and actresses in the show. Also the reason the script is boring and not exciting is because the daughter and son of fanny brice wouldn't let them use any of their family gossip or jury stories, and the real Nicky Armstrong told his daughters husband who wrote the show that if he put any of his real life happenings in the script that he would never be found alive again. so there is or was a exciting story for a musical but the family forced them to change it and make it fictionalized. the son stated if i;m in the show you cant and wont make it. so thats why its a bad script with good score, yet i myself don't like it or have any desire to really watch it. What they did to beanie is and was horrible and if your going to attack beanie for not being barbra, than you should attack the casting directors for music man for sutton foster and hugh jackman, they changed keys and the score to suit the stars. Sutton should never have been the female lead cause she cant sing it at all. And hugh had the songs slowed down for him and the l,yricsw to shapoopy changed. and leah should not have take the role, her stand by should have gotten to be the replacement if beanie really wanted out after the horrible reviews and they were horrible to her. I was and had been glade to see a tradinatl jewish average sized girl playing the role of fanny brice who was jewish which leah is not. and if we are going to talk about representation casting a non jewish girl as fanny should cause out rage in the theatre community, but it wont cause its only people of color that are allowed to be outraged about that kind of casting or the LGBTQ community with characters who are LGBTQ electra as well. but forget the other religions and characters ho are based on real people fictional musical or not, its still based on a real jewish women and her mother.
I'm not denying she's gonna kill it, but this feels like she's being rewarded for bad behaviour.
Or maybe she learned her lesson and will be on her best behavior. I believe in rehabilitation.
I agree
The world is full of horrible people that become successful in life. I’m honestly not that surprised. I don’t think there’s any industry that cares if you’re a good person or not and it’s hella depressing
@@giovannirastrelli9821 I also agree, those allocations were from 2015 that was 7 years ago I believe Lea Michelle can change
@@puppymcpupsters She’s been given the chance of a lifetime under some truly bizarre circumstances that has the whole world zeroed in on her. She’d be an utter fool to screw it up.
I’m going to keep a close eye on the whole situation. I really, really hope that Lea has actually learned from her mistakes and has actively tried to change.
That would mean apologizing to those she hurt.
@@Multiversetraveler93 Yep 👍
@@Multiversetraveler93 omg fr everyone is “forgiving” her and giving her a second chance when we weren’t the ones she victimized. That is for the people she hurt to decide and they seemed to continue to speak out against her and are hurt she is being rewarded when their careers where hurt for speaking out.
Lea can do this role like nobody else.....this will be HUGE!!!
i can garantee you she didnt
I saw Funny Girl with Beanie Feldstein in it and I really enjoyed it. Vocally she was not Barbara obviously, but she was absolutely charming and so so so funny in the role. She definitely has a particular voice that doesn't work for everyone, but I really enjoyed her voice and she brought a fresh take to the role that I absolutely loved. Even though I am a massive Spring Awakening and Glee fan, everything Lea Michelle has done has definitely tainted both of those projects for me and I'm hoping that like you said she comes back humble and truly apologizes for what she has done and doesn't end up tainting what was an absolutely delightful show for me. Congrats to Beanie on her engagement and I wish her only the best in the future!
I saw Beanie in it a few months ago, and really enjoyed it! She’s not as great of a singer but the show was still so fun. She definitely is funny and charming in the role. Jared Grimes was especially amazing as well.
I didn’t expect Barbra because
there’s only one, obviously. I heard that Beanies understudy is amazing so I hoped they’d give her the lead role eventually but oh well. It all feels a bit.. icky?
I saw Beanie back in late March and really enjoyed it as well. Mind you I never saw the movie so I had nothing to compare her Fanny Brice to. I plan to watch it again specifically to see Julie Benko! I'm so excited.
and jane lynch!
Broadway shows have cast sexual predators in leading roles and ignored the backlash. Unfortunately, controversy generates press and people know that they can capitalize off of outrage. I would be more willing to wait and see if Lea has truly changed (after all, men are offered far more second chances than most women) if the allegations of her poor behavior didn’t include racist, microaggressive attacks. Samantha Ware has not forgiven Lea so it isn’t really my place to say we should forgive her.
I’m disappointed that they probably cast Lea not because of her talent but because of the amount of press and money that the musical will now get with the ‘controversial’ casting decision. I’m also concerned on how this will have an effect on the rest of the cast and workers of the musical because Lea has multiple allegations of being racist and absolutely horrible to work with to the point where she hasn’t even worked on a Broadway musical since Spring Awakening…😬
I think they picked her because everyone was so confused as to why they didn’t choose her in the first place. I get what they were trying to do with this revival and it’s disappointing that critics couldn’t get past seeing something other than what they’re used to seeing. They’ll get what they want with Lea, singing wise anyways. She’s not ‘controversial’, she’s safe. She’s seems like a horrible person, but she’s also incredibly talented.
The casting of Lea, to the show's producers looking to get something for their investment and Broadway audiences who have waited for the right actress to play Fanny Brice for decades, is hardly controversial. It's only on the internet and social media. I'm not saying that some of the allegations aren't true but it's getting to point of becoming a vendetta on the part of some. Here's something to think about. Does anyone think that Glee would have even gotten a second season and beyond without Lea Michele? Ryan Murphy knew what he had in her and what she meant to the show. Maybe, just maybe those same Glee cast members trying to destroy Michele's career should step back a bit and consider that without her, they might not have gotten steady paychecks for at least five years or more. I'm just saying.
@@MrNorcal81 I totally agree. If it was not for Lea the rest of Glee would never had a job.
It’s possible that Lea Michele may be more mindful about how she treats her colleagues now that the allegations of racism and general unpleasantry have come out. Hopefully Lea Michele is now aware that more people will be on alert for that kind of behavior since those allegations were released.
@@MrNorcal81 The rumors aren't just from Glee. There are rumors going back all the way to Ragtime with stage hands claiming she was unkind to them. There are people associated with Spring Awakening and Fiddler on the Roof who say the same thing. Allegedly, she had a party during the Spring Awakening run and told the understudies they weren't invited because they weren't real cast members. People can absolutely grow and change. If she hasn't, it will hit social media so fast. But that said, allegedly, she initiated conversations with the producers. The producers did not seek her out. That suggests some level of shade.
Honestly she is gonna crush the role honestly. And they are gonna sell out each night. It’s a smart move for the production.
Jane Lynch changing her exist date from the show to right before Lea premieres…did not help the rumor mill.
But Lynch was quoted “You know, it was just a really strong idea to have Feldshuh and Lea premiere together. That's the only reason."
She added, "I adore her. She's just going to take this show and make it her own. I'm so glad she's getting the opportunity in real life to do the show and not just on Glee.” 🤷🏻♂️
Jane Lynch can put out a PR announcement saying anything. Fact, she moved up her leaving date which is costing her money, it wasn’t what she had planned, and she SHOULD have stayed while Tovah is in rehearsals.
I'm mostly worried that Lea will end up playing Barbra Streisand playing Fanny Brice. That was my main impression when I saw her performance on Glee.
I had the same impression...
Just an aside; Lea at the Tonys had less to do with her and more to do with Spring Awakening and its documentary putting attention back on the show's legacy. People can spin it however they want (that's all people know how to do anyway) but that's what it is.
I came to say this. It was the documentary and the fact that the documentary coincided with the 15 years that have passed since Spring Awakening won Best Musical.
Thank you! I was planning to write the same thing. I loved the doc and seeing the cast perform again at the Tonys was, for me, the highlight of this year's Tonys. They even made sure to bring Zach Braff back to do their intro; you gotta love attention to detail.
The Spring Awakening section of the Tonys was probably in the planning stages for months, way before Tony award nominations were announced. Note that those announcements are made roughly a month before the awards ceremony, no one knew who'd be nominated while the awards show would have already been in the works. Only shows nominated for Best Musical get to perform on Tony night, only those who are nominated get to go, unless presenting (or purchasing a ticket). So the brouhaha about Lea is moot, as Beanie would have performed if the show had been nominated for Best Musical, and if it hadn't, she'd still have been in attendance if she's been nominated for Best Actress.
i did theater with beanie as a kid and she really didnt deserve all the shit she got. :/ idk if she was right for the part as i didn't see it but still. i hope she can recover from this. as for the nepotism thing, i believe her dad was a producer on the show and thats another reason people were upset. Hollywood has a serious nepotism issue, always has and always will this is nothing new. lea is just horrible, even if i wanted to go see it i wouldn't just because i refuse to support such a shit person. shes clearly a narcissist and as the daughter of one, i know they dont change. they can pretend to for a bit but they genuinely dont believe there is anything wrong with them so they go back t their old ways pretty quickly. she sounds like a nightmare.
I saw beanie in the role. She was incredible, her acting and understanding of the role was amazing! I feel so sorry that the bad decisions of the production company has laid the blame at beanies feet! I didn't travel from the UK to New yourk to see a copy of Barbara! I saw a wonderful Fanny Brice and an incredible cast xxx
For what it's worth...I saw this production with Beanie's understudy, Julie Benko. Yes, Funny Girl does not have a strong book - but other musicals without strong books get revived regularly. Acting aside, this production is downright shoddy. The main focus of the set is a column that opens and closes to reveal scenes - much like in the recent revival of She Loves Me. There, it made sense, as the storefront of the shop where action took place. Here it was a brick wall with no plot connection per se, which darkened the stage.
Costumes also lacked imagination. The tuxedos for the male chorus in Beautiful Reflection were covered with sequins, making it more Mickey Mouse in Disney on Ice, and the showgirls costumes were far from reminiscent from a Ziegfeld number, much less the Rockettes. Budget has nothing to do with this, amazingly creative things have been done with minimal sets. This adds to the question, why was this particular revival even staged? Note: Julie KILLED on Greatest Star and People, and carried the day on Rain although Barbra will always linger in the background on that one.
There are so many talented actresses who stand for love and kindness and equality and it's disgusting that they aren't getting a look in and instead, we are casting someone who treats people so poorly.
Lea won't be playing fanny Brice, she'll be playing Barbara Streisand. It's going to be the dull stuff we've already seen in glee. There's no point for this casting at all.
While it was 2 years ago when everything came out, all the comments she made were about 7+ years ago. Is she not allowed to change. I'm not saying what she did was bad, but jeez she didn't murder someone. She was very helpful yes, but action do speak louder than words and last time I checked she was all bark and no bite back then. Maybe she toned down that bark.
Besides the WHOLE COUNTRY will be watching her. One wrong move and she'll be gone.
The point to her casting is $. Money always comes first.
@@redheaddetective8424 Yes, money does always come first in their standers. They have to make it. That still doesn't disregard the message I'm saying that she should still be able to get redemption, if see so chooses to actually be nice and change her ways.
Exactly!
@@bigred8432 well, as far as business goes, I would make sure that I bought a ticket for when Lea's understudy performs, because I wouldn't pay two cents to see her.
According to an anon from DeuxMoi, FG’s casting team wanted Lea in the first place, but after all the controversies went for Beanie… Poor Beanie, this was her dream role and she’s been treated so terribly by critics holding her to Streisand standards :(
I don't understand why people are saying poor Beanie this and poor Beanie that? Just because it was her dream role doesn't mean she deserves it. She does not have the musical talent for it. Can anybody say that she really would have gotten the role if not for her family connections? She is a rich woman with all the doors open to her still. She is not some unknown actress who has worked all her life through audition after audition just to finally earn a role that is taken away from her because the producers were mean. The only thing I feel bad for is that the internet dragged her for her physical appearance which is completely uncalled for and irrelevant to the discussion.
I just don't understand how the whole internet was campaigning for her to play this role and now everyone is complaining?
EXACTLY. Lea was BORN for this role.
The reason people love funny girl is Barbra Streisand hands down, people wan the good vocals and if she works on her charm she’ll be funny and entertaining, only Lea can come close to Barbra’s Fanny
one thing that I'm curious about is if this "new direction" the show is taking is pretty much create a copy of Barbra's Fanny. and if the show is a success, what does it say? will recasts always try to imitate the original cast instead of giving a new life for characters?
As a fan of What We Do in the Shadows, I hope this means she comes back as Jenna. 😭
I feel like you could see it coming from a million miles away. Prior to all the horror stories of Lea's on set behavior coming out, she would've absolutely been the first choice. And then the less than favorable reviews for Beanie rolled out (and I can't comment on her performance at all, I haven't heard her sing). Lea was posting professional shots on her instagram with no upcoming jobs announced. And then the Tonys. Glee was a freaking documentary. Rachel is Lea.
this whole thing is just such a weird situation, i can't help but feel bad for both of them, getting hate for things that aren't their faults. things probably would've been better if funny girl hadn't been revived at all but hopefully lea has learned from her mistakes
I hope Lea has learned and grew. If she has, I don't think she should be banned from working ever again.
And besides, if she treats her staff members like crap, I'm pretty sure that's gonna come out and omg what a shitstorm she'll face then.
No she wouldn't, they are so many actor who 10 times worse but still work in the industry
I’ve heard lots of people - in the musical theatre world - say that Beanie’s parents are producers on the show, hence the nepotism chat. But I cannot find ANYTHING to confirm this. I’ve looked into all the producers, the companies associated, and none are linked to her family. Potentially angel investors? But as you say - I can’t see that being a wise move for anyone involved, because situations like this happen. I’m sad for Beanie. She seems like such a lovely soul.
I am sure Lea will be great. Maybe she was a bitch on the set of Glee but that was a LONG time ago. People learn, grow and change. Let's give her a chance and maybe she will surprise people. And if she hasn't changed, then that will take care of itself. Also, let's not pit Beanie and Lea against each other. That isn't helping. It's not Lea's fault that Beanie is leaving. Beanie is a fantastic actress and will be fine.
Awesome insight. I agree.
Thought she was done w theatre... for awhile she was saying she wanted to do movies, but nothing came out of that. Hope motherhood and maturity make her a better co-worker.
So I saw Beanie Feldstein in April and loved every second of it. I do think there is something to be said that Beanie auditioned for the role. This isn't something that was handed to her. If she was miscast, the production should have done more to support her. I truly think her biggest difficulty was needing more vocal support for 8 shows a week. The latest rumor is that Lea Michele had her people reach out to the producers amidst the rumors. That does not make Lea look better in my book.
A source in the production has said they've dismissed the bullying allegations and diva behaviour (the actual quote did not mention racism at all) because they assumed it was because during Glee she was young and didn't know what she was doing........ She was in her late twenties.
And stories came all the way back from her broadway days too.
I agree .. she knew exactly what she was doing she was in her early 20s and that age she should know better
Honestly at the end of the day it’s about selling tickets and Beanie wasn’t selling Lea will sad to say but it’s true
I'm not 100% sure Lea Michele has learned her lesson and has tired to be nicer. But however, I hope that the show with her goes well and doesn't give the people she works with a hard time. It is ashame that Benie didn't get her due. She deserves better.
I am on the side of believing that people can change. Her career was pretty well halted when those allegations came out and to my knowledge no new ones have come out since. So giving her a chance to prove she has changed is great in my opinion. Unless of course she hasn't changed, than it's gonna bite her in the ass. We'll all have to wait and see.
Amen!
Sure but a second chance shouldn't be a dream job. Especially when the people she was cruel to haven't had nearly as many opportunities.
What work has she done showing that she wants to change. Provide examples, please. Otherwise this is a disgusting money grab.
to be fair she hasn't really been working since, she's had a baby and there was Covid... so that doesn't really say much when there are no new allegations
For sure was like "Ah. Rachel Berry is finally living her dream" when I first heard this news lol
In all seriousness, I agree that we all really hope she's learned her lesson from being cancelled, really took time to reflect upon the actions she took that led her to being cancelled, and at least isn't the worst.
lea michelle is not to blame for beanie's performance
Thanks for the video. I agree with you. Just FYI, Beanie's father is indeed one of the producers of the show, so nepotism....yeah, most likely.
I mean when it comes to acting this may be a different field but I don’t really have a problem with nepotism to a certain extent.
No, he wasn't. There's no proof of any kind that his money is involved in this - just rumors started to serve the "she didn't *earn* this" narrative.
Thank you for being very fair to Beanie. I haven't seen the show so I can't comment on her performance, but I do know it's a very demanding role that requires very specific things, so I think if she wasn't a perfect fit, to me it doesn't say much about her skills as a performer. I'm sure if she can get another role in a show that is a better fit for her, she'll do great. Like you said, she seems like a lovely person, and I really hope things go well for her
Some of the best performers in the world are monsters, this does not take away from their performance and they should in no way be judged by their personality over their performance. You can love the art and hate the artists.
5:12 FINALLY SOMEONE SAID IT😭😭😭🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I love Barbara. Growing up with her movies and music, I used to sing with her albums to learn breath control and enunciation. I went on to become a music major in college because of Barbara and I love Funny Girl. In my opinion, I am afraid that where you can change how you act in a role such as Fanny Brice, most people will be waiting for the voice that brought Funny Girl such esteem. I don't think I would be happy with the performance if one could not belt out the songs as Barbara did. Her range was amazing, and on Broadway, that is what I would expect. So, I leave with, "What are you going to do, shoot the swans? These lovelies?"
I think Funny Girl is overall a pretty disrespectful show to the actual person of Fanny Brice, especially considering how it was turned into a showcase for Streisand's voice. It's pretty mental that they are resurrecting the show and now giving it over to another diva to belt to the rafters. Shame.
I think Beanie's attendance was also a big part of the conversation around her not being able to handle the role. She missed A LOT. I went to see the show twice, and both times she was out. The first time was pre-planned, the first weekend that she missed in April, which was also the first weekend after the show opened. I then went in the last weekend in June and she was also out. Her standby, Julie Benko, was fantastic in the role.
As a Libra, I felt that comment in my BONES. I believe that people can change. I hope they can change. But she said and did awful things. I'm torn.
Thank you for saying the quiet part out loud… Funny Girl didn’t do well because Funny Girl isn’t a great show. I don’t think Lea Michele or anyone else for that matter is going to “save” it. I think it’ll fade away into obscurity until it gets revised in 2074.
If you don’t think the show was going to do very well why are you all getting mad that Lea is cast ?
@@daviddelara7158 I didn’t say my feelings about Lea one way or the other in my comment. I was purely stating the opinion that I think Funny Girl itself isn’t a good show. It is pretty bland and unappealing, and I don’t think any performer is going to make the show “better” because there just isn’t the material to support that.
I don’t hope for failure on anyone, so if it does well, that’s amazing. There are too many performers and technical crew outside of the specific role of Fanny Brice that deserve to be employed and thriving. I just don’t think that Funny Girl as a show itself has enough widespread appeal to make a revival last, no matter who is in the lead. This is not this company’s fault, it’s the book’s.
I saw Beanie in the show twice and I fucking loved her. To be fair I’m not a huge fan of Barbra and I’m also a plus sized, queer, Jewish person, but her performance gave me so much joy. She and Ramin (Nick Arnstein) have a wonderful chemistry and I just don’t see Lea Michele hitting the comedy beats the way Beanie does.
this was such a thoughtful and genuine review. thanks for sharing
People seem to be forgetting that Lea has been hateful to her coworkers since she was eight years old. That’s not someone who can grow and change.
I have been WAITING for your vid on this girl
I use to love Lea, I even sided with her on the whole Naya Rivera controversy on the next to last season of Glee, but then I heard what Samantha Ware said, and I heard the other casual remarks that Jenna Ushkowitz and Kevin McHale would say on their podcast. Other than Darren Chris and Becca Tobin, I don't think the rest of the cast had a great time with her, or maybe in the beginning they did but over time it seems like her ego got very big, and Naya was right. I would hope she learned, I don't like anyone getting "cancelled", she is a new mom so maybe she changed, we all can evolve. But then I heard and read in the Daily Beast article that she will be rehearsing separate from the rest of the cast, and will just show up to the theater to perform. And a lot of people I follow in the ensemble and the swings, like Amber Ardolino, how will that work with them? I am one of those people who will say, the ensemble and swings are the one that make the show, and already she is being kept separate from the rest of the cast. How will a bond form with the cast? Already she is getting treatment like she is above everyone, and this is her chance to correct some of her past wrongs, and I feel we will see a lot of people leaving the show. If she treated extras bad on Glee, I can only imagine how she will treat ensemble and swing members who have to do 3 times more work than she would have to for a lot less pay. I hope I am wrong about this.
We saw the show over the weekend with understudy Julie Benko. He vocals were great, she was perfect in the first half and nailed "Rain on my parade". But she lacked charisma to pull the second act, it needed more experienced actress. I sincerely hope that Lea Michelle will deliver the dramatic performance. Without a strong female lead "Funny girl" is a very mediocre show despite having a star like Ramin Karimloo. I also hope Lea will change her behavior and be supportive to the main cast and her understudies.
I think it spoke volumes that neither the musical nor Beanie was nominated for a Tony. If it was at all good, it would have been nominated. I assumed then that the show must not be really good, so I wasn't surprised to hear that it was recast.
Can we talk about your amazing Butterfly clips. I'm having Claire's accessories, school disco flashbacks and I LOVE IT
All I can say is; I hope that motherhood has changed her…a lot.
it's always a tightrope walk with musical theater.. some prefer an amazing voice, while i'm ok with someone who isn't necessarily the best singer if they have A+++ acting chops (particularly when it comes to comedy).. streisand was an example of someone who had both, but it's extremely rare..
Absolutely, Barbra’s singing, acting and comedic talents are rare and each was best in the business, on top of that, Barbra was a hard worker. They threw everything at her during rehearsals and try outs, dozens of rewrites and new songs and she delivered. And she delivered during the show, movie and Broadway veterans were blown away by her performance. She hardly missed a single performance much to the dismay of the understudy, poor Laine. Is no
Surprise that Barbra career grew even beyond the wildest dreams and expectations of the star that Funny Girl produced.
I still find it crazy that people took the opportunity to expose her from a tribute post ☠️ like the timing is off bestie, people are dying and you're exposing that a girl who basically grew up in theatre is a demon?! Really?! Ms. Sammie Ware shook me
Rumours are that Beanie was actually fired which if true makes this whole situation 100x worse. I feel so bad for her
There was a blog that came out yesterday on what happened
Beanie should do Bells are Ringing. It would suit her voice so much better and her personality could really come alive in it.
It’s such a shame. With all of the talent they had to pick from, to see her bad behavior rewarded is disheartening but also not surprising. It’s gonna close so quick 😭
Why can’t she be given a second chance? I’m sure the producers are aware of her past indiscretions and have various clauses written into her contract to make sure she stays in line.
@@giovannirastrelli9821 For me, it's that there are so many deserving actors who have been looked over in favor of someone who's been shown to be a problem on set. It's not that Lea shouldn't have a second chance. It's that so many people deserve their first chance more.
Not to mention, a second chance shouldn't be your dream job.
@@giovannirastrelli9821 that's literally not how this works bud. She doesn't have a clause that gets her fired for bad behavior. That's not a thing. The producers are aware of her behavior. They just don't care because she'll bring the big bucks.
@@rae0993 Contracts have a code of conduct written into them all the time, I’m sure Lea’s contract has an epic one.
I saw a preview of Funny Girl with my parents and the three of us thought Beanie did a great job. It’ll be…interesting to say the least to see how it goes with Lea
She will be amazing! She may be a bit of a Diva but she is fantastic.
I feel like Beanie was doomed from the start. Lea was essentially cast before Beanie was. I believe she was miscast vocally, but she (or anyone) doesn't deserve the hate.
THANK YOU for saying FG is not a very good show! Why nobody has pointed this out escapes me. FG lore is a paradox. Barbara Streisand's memorable performance in FG does not equate to FG being a show worthy of revival.
Well. Patty Lapone is mean and rude and a bully and still plays on Broadway. So Lea is in good company. I feel the most sorry for Beanie she seems like an honest and friendly person. I hope she finds another role in Broadway and proves everyone of her detractors wrong.
Even without Lea I think this show is on a sinking ship. Like you said this show is ok at best without Barbra being so connected to the show. The show didn't even run on Broadway for that long at all and there is a reason for that. Also Lea Michele connects to a certain crowd mostly glee fans which I am sure some will go and fly to see her in the show, but when you have a massive movie star like Hugh Jackman and massive broadway star, Sutton Foster in the Music Man which is just a better show in general, I just think this isn't going to end well. I never got into Funny Girl and really only know about it cause of Glee and Barbra other than that I wouldn't.
adorable wiggling butterfly hair clips!
It's a weird thing and I understand everyone's frustration, Leah has demonstrated to the public and world that she is an unbelievably flawed human being. And that sucks we want our stars to be just incredible, but here's the deal unfortunately as Ryan Murphy knew from the get-go, however flawed Leah is as a person, she's pretty much flawless as a singer and actress and funny girl is her role and she's going to kill it. We may not like it conscientiously but we're going to love it regardless when we see her performance
Well said! She is almost as good as Streisand vocally and she has the chops .
To quote Kurt again…. She might be annoying but damn she can sing.
lol taking the show in a new direction. New Directions (Nude Erections) was the name of the glee group Rachel Berry was in in GLEE lol Congrats Lea!
Dear young woke cancel culture keyboard warriors,
Although there is nothing wrong with calling out wrongs and holding people accountable (only after it is PROVEN someone did something wrong-not just hearsay and conjecture), you also need to allow people to mature, grow, and change.
As hopefully you yourself will mature, grow, and change.
If you do not, if you hold a grudge on something that happened 7 years ago...you will undoubtedly be judged and held to the same impossible standards of perfection by the next generation, because they will have learned by your actions that this is how you treat people.
Learn from our mistakes,
Sincerely Gen X
On the PLUS size her plus size. Everything else such as voice range, acting chops etc. etc. she was woefully 'skinny'.
I saw FG in its original run with Barbra and Sydney Chaplin. I agree, the book is weak, some of the songs are great, but it does say something about the show that it was never revived on B'dway. I’m old enough to never have seen Glee, so I have no opinion whatsoever on LM's ability to sing or act.
The irony here is that Barbra Streisand had a reputation for being incredibly demanding and tricky on film sets. Walter Matthau loathed her during the making of Hello Dolly and film crew on Yentl at the time were relieved when filming in England was over.
I sort of wondered if they wanted Lea Michele all along, but were afraid of ticket sales being negatively affected because of all the bad press she got. So then they hired somebody who they knew would ultimately fail and disappoint audiences and critics alike, conveniently shifting the narrative around Lea Michele as the hero saving a sinking ship.
But what do I know💅🏽
I just wish people would leave the rest of the cast out of this. I have already seen comments across the social media accounts of other cast members, from ensemble members to Ramin, with people continually just commenting and asking about Lea and like... damn! leave the cast alone. They have no control over this situation, they can't comment publicly while they are working on the show and you are DROWNING their comments and notifications.
also Amy your an awesome theatre women, and a great person to watch on youtube. was worried abut you since i hadn't gotten any posts about new videos to till saw this. Amy your awesome. keep it up.
Look, did Smash not teach anyone anything? The broadway business is brutal and they only care about money (mostly). So the casting of Lea is not shocking. As a Huge glee and broadway fan, I think Lea is gonna do fantastic. And I think/hope that she would have learned from her past actions and will be humbled by this opportunity.
I actually would love to see her in Funny Girl and was sad she wasn't cast in the first place. I also feel bad for Beanie. Only seen her in 1 thing, and liked her. But I don't vibe with her missing performances.
And as always, I just assume all actors/celebrities are pita's, so I'm never disappointed.
I miss Smash so much!
Given that life is not fair and never has been and given that Broadway is a business and not a religion, how much does it matter if she is a good person or not? Do we know or care whether the guy who sells you a car cheats on his wife before we buy a car from him? Do we know or care if the chef at your favorite restaurant supports his aging mom and is a good son? In a way Broadway is something we buy or consume. We pay for an item and hope it is good quality rather than validate the morality of the person who sold us that item. Just a thought. But if you do care, since she made those statements, she's become a mother and I have seen cases where doing that brings out someone's better nature, so who knows.
Beanie is a big fan of Fanny obviously, and i think she played Fanny fantastically, and people is mad about it bc they wanted to see Barbara
My take is : Lea has made her career off this role or Idea that she wants this role , so it makes sense for her to take it also who knows if anyone other project would be wild enough to book her ever again …. So take what you can … from the Producers point of View: she may be a pain but she clearly is talented and if she is toxic they still will have a show that will have tons of buzz … the Tonys obviously like her and if there is drama they can still use that publicity just as Glee has … people that never saw glee in original day knows glee now from all the drama maybe funny girl wants the same
I know Lea is gonna kill this. And while I definitely do agree there are far less controversial people they probably should’ve picked, Lea is also pretty much perfect for the role. And, and I’m sure many people will disagree with me on this, but as long as she learned her lesson and has gotten better, I have absolutely no issue with this
That's the thing. Has she learned, apologized to the right people, gotten better?
We may never know. And for that reason, I dont trust it. She said and did some incredibly heinous things. Things I can barely imagine a sane person doing. (Allegedly but she all but confirmed it lol).
She would have to come a LONG way from a personality trait that was apparently present even was she was a child. I won't be watching her stuff, maybe ever again, but I realize everyone makes that choice on their own.
@@ambriaashley3383 personally I think most of the stories were stretched to the limit. Also when some uses micro aggressions I just see that as a huge red flag for being overly sensitive. I’m not saying Lea back during glee was not a hard person to work with or did not say some bad things but that was a long time ago. Also when it comes to people just stating what she said they don’t mention the context which is super important always.
@@masonguthrie1257 It wasn’t just while she was working on Glee though. It was post Glee, which only ended about 7 years ago. She had work after Glee, and she has allegations from those projects (The Mayor, Scream Queens, etc.) This is all too recent for me. I really hope she’s changed in this amount of time.
I totally AGREE! Nobody that I know of can do this role justice like Lea. Period. She is unbeatable as Fanny.
@@aytcs Dam I guess you’re stuck in the same boat.
I’m sure we won’t hear about any bullying backstage
Would it be genuine or just an act to shut people up?
Truth is, doesn’t matter.
The vocals would be great! I just hope she’s practiced her comedic timing cause after all, its called Funny Girl
It went in a *New Direction* 😂
Sit with me in the Land of Indecision, also known as Libra Land (we couldn't decide on a name)
I just have to say about this whole fiasco:
"Disappointed but not surprised"
I don't think Lea is right for the role. She can sing, yes, but hasn't shown (at least to me) the comedy timing that the character needs. I also think she does come across as somewhat cold and diva like in her roles, the opposite of warm and bubbly, that Beanie seemed to have. I do worry that casting her is sending a message to the people she treated badly, and that during the pandemic there was all this "Broadway needs to change" that was apparently lip service. I'll save my money for &Juliet.
This is probably old news, but I just saw Beanie is cast in a film version of Merrily We Roll Along, and I’m happy for her.
My thoughts are, of course its not great the way Lea Michele has behaved. But I think MEN have been acting this way for so many years. And no one bats an eyelid. Lea as a woman and a Jewish woman as well, is far more open to criticism in the media than a man.
But thank you for sharing your opinion! I love watching your videos !!
I'm super involved with politics and there's a local politician where I live named.... Rachel Berry and she likes theater ,lol 😂😂😂😂
I think another thing to keep in mind is the fact that the current understudy of Fanny, Julie Benko, is absolutely phenomenal. I was so lucky to have been able to see her when Beanie had COVID, and oh my goodness she was fabulous. I don't understand why she couldn't have stepped into the role. I know there's always behind the scenes stuff, and there was probably a reason, but I feel that casting Lea feels so unnecessary when there's a smaller actress who's already proven herself capable of the role right there as an option.
Ticket sales and all the free publicity her hiring will bring.
Idk... I just feel like the cast and crew of Funny Girl have been thrown under the bus with this casting. Even IF Lea Michele has changed the producers are still knowingly exposing their employees to someone with a nasty history.
Exactly. Shows they don’t care about the actors at all
It took me until this video to realize that "new directions" was the name of the glee club on glee.
She's gonna absolutely kill it. But it does just make me feel a bit uncomfortable that it seems like nothing has happened in response to people saying she's an absolute nightmare to work with. For the sake of the production, I really hope she's grown and changed.
I agree.....she will slay this role. She should have done it in the first place.
The fact that Jane Lynch is planning to leave the show just days before the date Lea is planned to debut in the show gives me very 👀 😬vibes. I have a feeling that all of this drama is nowhere close to being finished yet…
I was going to comment the same thing about Jane Lynch leaving
I thought that was announced long before Lea though? I could be wrong but my impression was both Jane and Beanie's contracts were up in September and both decided not to continue. Because they were both leaving, the recasts had to be done. Again, could be wrong. But I thought Jane had decided to leave long before any recasts.
@@brees3 Jane was originally supposed to leave the show on September 25th but recent news came out that she will now be leaving before Lea begins her run as Fanny.
@@mfuentes4961 I didn't know that! I thought she was still exiting as planned. Geez, then yeah there's definitely a lot more drama here.
True but if they're reworking the show, they would also have prepared Jane for the new changes if she were to join Lea. Then Lea would have to work with Jane and then relearn her parts when Tovah came on. It was probably cheaper and less time-consuming to have both actresses start at the same time.
Honestly, this whole messy situation sounds like the producers screwing up and scrambling onto a lifeboat.
Wait, Amy, are you saying the 1968 film isn't good? Basically, by saying the 1964 show wasn't very good without Streisand, aren't you saying the same thing? All this because of a bias for Beanie?
Lots of great performers have been less-than-stellar individuals. It's the choice of the production team as to whether or not they choose to employ such a person (or any person). Just as someone isn't deserving of success by dint of being 'nice," neither should a difficult personality be penalized, unless of course it affects the show in a negative fashion. Life is complicated, and so are people...🙅♂
I would say abusing cast mates would definitely affect the show. Most people who defend Lea are not even in the entertainment world and have no idea how much something like that can weigh on you
Lea is going to do great period. But it's also a sad day for plus size actresses. This set us back like 20 years. Cannot imagine what beanie is going thru. What a nightmare. I still would love to see the show regardless.
Well lesson learned every roll is not one size fits all. And as a side note I don’t think her weight was the reason most people did not enjoy her.
I honestly feel too like we're all living a Fever dream
Beanie is a wonderful Fanny! When I saw her on Broadway she killed it, her comedic acting is spot on. Everyone knows Lea can sing the part but I don’t believe she’ll be able to do the comedic acting as well as Beanie does. I feel horrible that Jane and Tovah have been left in the dust to all the “Rachel Berry” drama.
Lea is an amazing comedic actress. I wouldn't worry about that. I think people forget what a great job she did on Glee and Scream Queens. I would argue that she's even better actress than Beanie who is also really talented.
Please watch Lea and ioan gruffudd performing "You are Woman, I am Man" on Glee. It might change your mind about Lea's comic chops.
I have been waiting for this!
Ugh. Here’s the thing. Beanie is a great actress. She really is. Very talented. Can she sing? Yes. Can she sing as well as Lea Michele? No. I saw the show and I thought she was charming. I thought she was well suited to the Fanny Brice character. However, when the inevitable comparison to Barbara begins…well there is no comparison. Being a nice person to work with doesn’t change that.
As for Lea Michele. Haters gonna hate. If every difficult performer was judged and booted off the stage there wouldn’t be very many people left to perform. Lea Michele has been a professional Broadway actor since she was a young girl. She was wildly talented even as a child. She was around adults and professional performers more than she was around kids. She got a lot of shite from kids her age. She was frequently out of school, she was marked as a weirdo. She didn’t really know how to socialize with kids her own age. She too was bullied. Generally that leads to the kind of young performer Lea became. Well aware of her enormous talent and socially insecure and defensive. Does that excuse being a tyrannical PITA on set and behind the scenes? No. It doesn’t. But as she is human there is a reason she does what she does. Can humans grow and change and learn? Yes. Lea has had hardships in her life since glee. She lost her fiancé and co-star to a drug overdose. She had to publicly cope with that and very publicly grieve that loss as the Finn Hudson character also died. In the following years she has gotten married and had a child. One would hope that the immature and difficult behavior as a professional would have faded some. People do grow up. They do learn from their mistakes and failures. This endless need to cancel and destroy people is idiotic and old. Lea Michele didn’t ask for this role or demand this role or even campaign for it. She was very supportive of Beanie being cast as Fanny Brice. Will she play the part with every bit of her brilliant undeniable talent on display? Absolutely yes. She’s human folks. She isn’t a racist monster. Even people who thought she was obnoxious to work with defended her on that end. So how about climbing down from the sanctimonious high horses and remember that being perfect and pleasant to work with at all times is not a prerequisite for being a performer. I am fairly certain that she is well aware of the damage her previous behavior caused and I bet money she will arrive to the theater ready to work and be kind to everyone she encounters. No matter what she will give a brilliant performance. If you can’t forgive the fact she was a brat in her earlier years, then don’t go to the show. And maybe be glad that your own human moments aren’t publicly debated. Lea Michele will kill it as Fanny Brice. That is the bottom line.
My heart goes out to Beanie Feldstein. She is a wonderful actress (Booksmart was a much better and fresher take on the last night of high school plot than the trailer initially made me think). I never watched Glee but from what I’ve heard about it, and Lea Michele’s character it reminded me of Sharpay in HSM, a character I hated. Oddly enough, now that I’m thinking about it, that might be why I didn’t get into it, because of that head up their own ass character. It sounds like art imitates life in the case of Lea Michelle. I could tell that Beanie had a lot of respect and care for the role of Fanny and took a lot of steps to make sure she gets it right, and I wish I could have seen her in it. I would have been more inclined to see Funny Girl with Beanie rather than Lea. Beanie was done wrong.
EDIT: Amy Lovett, this may be my the first video of yours I’ve seen. You broke down the whole thing very articulately and made a lot of great points. I agree with you on a lot of it. I’ve never much been interested in FG, but when I heard Beanie was cast I was kinda intrigued. Lea Michelle’s casting makes me want to avoid it at all costs, mostly because like you said, it’s not a very interesting story. I’d love to see Jane Lynch (who was in Funny Girl with Beanie) comment on this whole situation on a talk show or something. I’d love to hear Beanie’s complete take on it. I listened to a clip of Beanie singing and I thought it wasn’t that bad. I think it was mostly with projection. Her voice I thought sounded fine and I liked her accent. A very disappointing situation all around. Great video! Thank you!
If Leah is in it, maybe they gonna change the concept of the current revival, and rather than being closer to the 2016 London production it will now be closer to the 1968 film version.
Never clicked on a video so fast. I know you got the TEA 👏👏👏
there is always another message, we should forgive and give space for it