Christopher Walken Steps in as Wilbur Turnblad in "Hairspray" Movie
By Robert Simonson
and Harry Haun
16 Aug 2006
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Christopher Walken
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Christopher Walken has signed on to play Wilbur Turnblad in the upcoming film version of the musical Hairspray, Playbill.com has learned.
Previously, Variety had reported that Jim Broadbent — known for his film turn as the boisterous club owner in "Moulin Rouge" — would play Tracy Turnblad's father. But Hairspray co-lyricist Scott Wittman, speaking at the Broadway opening of Kiki & Herb, told Playbill.com columnist Harry Haun, "Christopher Walken just signed to play Travolta’s husband, and I'm happy about that."
Wittman added, "We've done three or four new songs for the movie."
The cast of the Adam Shankman-directed motion picture which boasts John Travolta as Edna Turnblad, Queen Latifah as Motormouth Maybelle, Amanda Bynes as Penny Pingleton, Zac Efron as Link Larkin, Brittany Snow as Amber von Tussel, Michelle Pfeiffer as Velma von Tussel, James Marsden as Corny Collins, Elijah Kelly as Seaweed and Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad.
Filming for the New Line Cinema motion picture is set to begin in September in Canada. Featuring a screenplay by Leslie Dixon, "Hairspray" — with a score by Marc Shaiman and Wittman — is expected to hit movie theatres around the country Dec. 21, 2007.
Hairspray, based on the 1988 John Waters film of the same name, currently plays the Neil Simon Theatre. The show won 2003 Tony Awards for Best Score (Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman), Best Book (Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell), Best Actress in a Musical (Marissa Jaret Winokur), Best Actor (Harvey Fierstein), Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Dick Latessa), Best Costume Design (William Ivey Long), Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical.
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