After a great success in the film Friends with Benefits Justin Timberlake is hot movie property. In that romantic comedy with Mila Kunis, the 30-year-old showed himself capable of not just acting well - he's done that before - but of becoming a riveting on-screen presence. One result is that UK bookies "Paddy Power" figure that he's the man with it comes to dirty dancing.
On August 12, 2011 the bookmakers released numbers on who might get the roles on the remake of the 1987 iconic American film Dirty Dancing and Timberlake leads as the guy to land the lead male part of Johnny Castle, made famous by the late Patrick Swayze. Timberlake's odds of playing Castle, the bookmakers say, sit at 3-1.
Others who made the bookies list are Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth (6-1), who was on Dancing with the Stars in that country, actor Zac Efron (8-1) of High School Musical fame, actor and model Channing Tatum (12-1), dancer Derek Hough (16-1), who has done some acting and Canadian teen pop star Justin Bieber (20-1).
Kenny Ortega to Direct Dirty Dancing
Joe Drake of Lionsgate make the announcement on August 8 that the company would remake Dirty Dancing. He said the director will be Kenny Ortega, who was the choreographer of the original film. Since working on Dirty Dancing, Ortega has gone on to a TV directing career, directing episodes of Ally McBeal and Gilmore Girls.
The 61-year-old Ortega has also directed all three movies versions of High School Musical, where he worked with Efron, who was his lead in the films. In 1988 he even directed two episodes of the TV show version of Dirty Dancing. In a statement he talked about getting the job and about the casting of Dirty Dancing.
"The opportunity to direct Dirty Dancing is like returning home for me," said Ortega. "Patrick Swayze set the bar for men dancing in the movies as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire did before him. I believe everywhere you look there is evidence that the talent is out there and I can’t wait to begin the process of discovering the next breakout triple-threats."
Female Lead: Emma Stone in the Lead
The actress who will nab the role of Frances "Baby" Houseman, played in the original by Jennifer Grey, was also included in the odds making. There it's American Emma Stone in the lead, she sits at 5-1 odds of getting the part. Stone had a part in Friends with Benefits and is in the current hit Crazy, Stupid, Love.
No word from the Timberlake camp on whether he's interested in the project, though being a great musician with a dance background who's made the move into acting, it seems a no-brainer that he would take the role on. Swayze's shoes, his ballet shoes, would be hard to step into but Timberlake's confidence is legendary.
There has yet to be a date set when Dirty Dancing will start to film but it is scheduled to be released sometime in 2013.
References used in this story:
- Entertainment Weekly; UK bookies: Justin Timberlake, Emma Stone are your best bets for the 'Dirty Dancing' remake; Aug. 12, 2011.
- imdb.com website.
- Lionsgate website; Lionsgate Takes the Floor with Dirty Dancing; Aug. 8, 2011.
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