The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Live-Action)

[Disney's Divinity]

I don't understand though; why do they always ignore the stage shows when adapting any of their films ?

My guess would be lazy and/or arrogant directors who don't want to waste any more time / energy than they have to beyond looking back at the original film--and some seem to resent even that, going by some of the statements that have come out during the making of the Aladdin re-make.

[disneyprincess11]

Cool, also cast somebody who's got both a hunched back and does mad parkour. Otherwise it won't be authentic and I'm gonna be mad.

Do you seriously need to be a smart aleck on everything that people say? And did you get my point of view and experience at all?

Sotiris, thanks for laughing. Anyway, the whole casting process is going to be a mess like Aladdin. It would not surprise me if they sadly black face all of the white actors because "we can't find POC" And are they even going to make Quasi a POC? He was clearly white in the movie and they cast a white man for the pre-Broadway tryouts (the fabulous Michael Arden and yes, I had a problem with them not casting a deaf actor even then).

The deaf situation (if they do keep Quasi deaf like the pre-Broadway show ) will be a lose-lose situation most likely. I do see how a voice dub would be distracting, but I just read a movie script that is trying to do that with a all-deaf cast.

We shall see what Disney decides with the movie. In the meantime, about finding a deaf actor, I suggest you guys watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adsnjzLVE7I

I don't understand though; why do they always ignore the stage shows when adapting any of their films ?

My guess would be lazy and/or arrogant directors who don't want to waste any more time / energy than they have to beyond looking back at the original film--and some seem to resent even that, going by some of the statements that have come out during the making of the Aladdin re-make.

That and Oscar wins (which has been zero)

[Sotiris]

I don't understand though; why do they always ignore the stage shows when adapting any of their films?

Maybe it's so the film version won't compete with the stage version. Why would someone pay a steep price to see Aladdin on Broadway if the live-action movie is the same as the stage production? They need to make them different enough to convince people to pay to see both. It'd be harder to market live theater if you can no longer sell it as a unique adaptation you can't find anywhere else. Perhaps that's their rationale.

Sotiris, thanks for laughing.

I'm sorry if that came off as insensitive. I was merely trying to say that Hunchback is a tricky project to cast. The pool of actors who are both deaf and Romani is pretty small. This being a musical makes it even harder to cast. Some compromises will have to be made. I understand the inherent difficulties in casting this particular project so i'm willing to cut Disney some slack when they inevitably fail to find 100% authentic cast.

[Disney's Divinity]

I don't expect any brouhaha over the casting of this film since it's not really a property on the same scale of popularity as Aladdin or The Lion King.

[thedisneyspirit]

Cool, also cast somebody who's got both a hunched back and does mad parkour. Otherwise it won't be authentic and I'm gonna be mad.

Do you seriously need to be a smart aleck on everything that people say? And did you get my point of view and experience at all?

Why not? If I don't like what Disney is doing I can be allowed to comment on it, can't I?

Also read what Sotiris said. Seriously, somebody out there will get pissy over Quasimodo not having an actual hunch or a misshapen eye.

[JeanGreyForever]

I honestly doubt that Disney is going to make Quasi deaf in this film. The character of Quasimodo is already difficult to commercialize and if Disney is going to treat this like their other live-action features, the whole point of making this movie is to fully commercialize it and capitalize on the 90s nostalgia. They're not going to go out of their way to give Quasi another disability when already they're going to try and make his deformities as cute and aesthetically pleasing as possible.

[D82]

A hearing-impaired actor of Romani descent who can not only sing but able to pull off Broadway tunes is hard to come by.

Yes, that's true. Finding an actor who has all these characteristics must be difficult, but at least they could make an effort and cast someone who meets at least one of these requirements.

I don't expect any brouhaha over the casting of this film since it's not really a property on the same scale of popularity as Aladdin or The Lion King.

I think you're right, I haven't seen any backlash so far about the possibility of Josh Gad playing Quasimodo. Well, maybe it's also partly because people don't think of him as a Romani character given that, as disneyprincess11 pointed out, he doesn't really look like one in the animated movie. Maybe, there'll be more controversy if they cast an actress of a different ethnicity to play Esmeralda. We'll see. Anyway, I don't see why being accurate to the ethnicity of the characters is any less important here than for the Aladdin, Mulan or The Lion King remakes.

We shall see what Disney decides with the movie. In the meantime, about finding a deaf actor, I suggest you guys watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adsnjzLVE7I

That video explains it very well. Thanks for sharing it.

[Disney Duster]

Disneyprincess11, you're right that Josh Gad could bring that sincere heart to the role probably. But this is a deeply emotional role especially if Quasi lusts after Esmeralda (it's not just love, it's lust) and kills his tormentor but cries over it, too. I'm just wondering if Gad can pull all of that off. And his singing just doesn't sound "nice" or beautiful enough for me for emotional parts and I would much prefer Michael Arden. As for the deaf actors issue, I must confess I see nothing wrong with actors playing disabilities they don't have. I see how it is a problem for actors with disabilities, but I don't think that means they have to choose someone who has that disability. I think whether an actor can do the part the best is what matters. I do, however, see how dubbing a deaf actor would be alright and not insulting. May I ask what disability you have?

JeanGreyForever, if they are going to use some things from the book for this, they are not merely commercializing and marketing based on nostalgia and Quasimodo may indeed be deaf and Armani.

There will be backlash against this film if they don't cast people who can appear to be gypsies without make-up.

[Atlantica]

I see what you mean about making sure people still go and see Broadway, that’s a very valid point.

But you always hear with stage adaptions about how they added in various songs here and there to make up for a lacking plot point or emotional moment in the original version. Therefore to not mine through those added, and beloved moments as well, seems a bit silly if you ask me. It’s like ‘hey! Let’s ignore the brilliant added emotional moments from the show and then add in something else instead for the new director!’

I still think it was a huge error not having Home in the BATB live action, and only having it as underscoring. Which almost made it worse in a way !

Though I suppose it’s a chance for new things to be created time and time again, but sometimes how much can you actually give to one film in several different mediums ? You’d think the well would run dry at some point.

[estefan]

I often got the sense Bill Condon did want to adapt the Broadway musical, but the top brass at Disney didn't let him. He became attached to "Beauty and the Beast" back when it was supposed to be directly based on the stage musical and then left the project, when Disney wanted to go a "Snow White and the Huntsman" action picture route. And then when Disney decided to do a more faithful adaptation of the animated film with the musical numbers, he returned. There are a number of elements in the movie that suggest his respect for the stage show and how he tried to incorporate as much as he could:

- The aforementioned use of "Home" in the score.
- How the new songs more-or-less serve a similar purpose to songs in the Broadway show.
- The idea of the enchanted objects becoming less human the longer the spell goes on.
- The Blu-Ray giving you the option of starting the movie with an overture.

I even felt Condon's direction was meant to evoke a Broadway feeling. Watching the movie, I found myself comparing it more to the stage musical than I did with the animated film. Seeing it in IMAX especially brought me back to being a kid and watching the stage show.

[disneyprincess11]

100% agree JeanGreyForever. Plus, there's a good amount of adaptions that don't have him deaf.
Disney Duster, I have cerebral palsy.

I'm sorry if that came off as insensitive. I was merely trying to say that Hunchback is a tricky project to cast. The pool of actors who are both deaf and Romani is pretty small. This being a musical makes it even harder to cast. Some compromises will have to be made. I understand the inherent difficulties in casting this particular project so i'm willing to cut Disney some slack when they inevitably fail to find 100% authentic cast.

I forgive you. You are always classy and mature.

I don't even know if Quasi will be a POC. In the past, he has always played by a white man, including the WDAS movie (despite having Romani parents). The problem for the extras is that Disney doesn't really try finding POC. Look at Aladdin. They could have had an global open call for extras. Nope, let's put black face on white people

Why not? If I don't like what Disney is doing I can be allowed to comment on it, can't I?

Yeah, but being rude to others isn't the way to go. Again, we are all rude here.

[DisneyJedi]

I often got the sense Bill Condon did want to adapt the Broadway musical, but the top brass at Disney didn't let him. He became attached to "Beauty and the Beast" back when it was supposed to be directly based on the stage musical and then left the project, when Disney wanted to go a "Snow White and the Huntsman" action picture route. And then when Disney decided to do a more faithful adaptation of the animated film with the musical numbers, he returned. There are a number of elements in the movie that suggest his respect for the stage show and how he tried to incorporate as much as he could:

- The aforementioned use of "Home" in the score.
- How the new songs more-or-less serve a similar purpose to songs in the Broadway show.
- The idea of the enchanted objects becoming less human the longer the spell goes on.
- The Blu-Ray giving you the option of starting the movie with an overture.

I even felt Condon's direction was meant to evoke a Broadway feeling. Watching the movie, I found myself comparing it more to the stage musical than I did with the animated film. Seeing it in IMAX especially brought me back to being a kid and watching the stage show.

Also, the LA version of ‘Gaston’ had lyrics from the Broadway version of the song’s reprise:

Who has brains like Gaston

Entertains like Gaston

Who can make up these endless refrains like Gaston

[thedisneyspirit]

Quasimodo was white in the book. I think Disney also was thinking of him being white, but sorta didn't realize by changing his origin his would be changed. Oversight. His design in the movie is based on old illustrations of the book, which kept him looking similar: fair-skinned, red-haired, and dressed in dark green.

[Disney's Divinity]

Maybe, there'll be more controversy if they cast an actress of a different ethnicity to play Esmeralda.

I agree, there's more chance there might be some scrutiny on who they cast for Esmeralda. I'd rather they just cast Ciara Renée in the role again.

[unprincess]

very surprised by this! never thought they'd touch this for a film. I hope they remove A Guy Like You and tone down the gargoyle shtick. And please use Someday!

[JeanGreyForever]

Quasimodo was white in the book. I think Disney also was thinking of him being white, but sorta didn't realize by changing his origin his would be changed. Oversight. His design in the movie is based on old illustrations of the book, which kept him looking similar: fair-skinned, red-haired, and dressed in dark green.

Even in the book he was meant to be Romani. However, due to his deformities, the Romani swap him out with a "normal" child which is how they abduct baby Esmeralda who is actually French in the book. She's raised to believe she was Romani whereas Quasi is unaware of his background. Disney just removed the aspects about Esmeralda's background from their film.

Quasi's deformities could in theory include albinism or something similar to explain his white skin and red hair. However, some have speculated that the woman who Frollo kills wasn't his biological mother but someone who found him abandoned and took him as her own. I prefer her as his biological mother but that doesn't mean his father couldn't have been white. There's really no confirmation that the man pictured alongside Quasi's mother was his father. Could have been the woman's brother or other male relative or even just a friend.

Honestly, I doubt that Disney will try and cast a Romani actor for Quasi. Maybe even for Esmeralda, I can easily see them casting a Spanish or Indian actress instead. An Indian actress wouldn't bother me since the Romani originally came from North India and Esmeralda has a very North Indian look anyway in the Disney film especially during the Festival of Fools scene. I could see Priyanka Chopra playing her for example.

[D82]

Even in the book he was meant to be Romani. However, due to his deformities, the Romani swap him out with a "normal" child which is how they abduct baby Esmeralda who is actually French in the book. She's raised to believe she was Romani whereas Quasi is unaware of his background. Disney just removed the aspects about Esmeralda's background from their film.

Quasi's deformities could in theory include albinism or something similar to explain his white skin and red hair. However, some have speculated that the woman who Frollo kills wasn't his biological mother but someone who found him abandoned and took him as her own. I prefer her as his biological mother but that doesn't mean his father couldn't have been white. There's really no confirmation that the man pictured alongside Quasi's mother was his father. Could have been the woman's brother or other male relative or even just a friend.

Honestly, I doubt that Disney will try and cast a Romani actor for Quasi. Maybe even for Esmeralda, I can easily see them casting a Spanish or Indian actress instead. An Indian actress wouldn't bother me since the Romani originally came from North India and Esmeralda has a very North Indian look anyway in the Disney film especially during the Festival of Fools scene. I could see Priyanka Chopra playing her for example.

I haven't read the Victor Hugo novel, but I checked on Wikipedia if Quasimodo was also Romani there before giving my opinion on Josh Gad's possible casting. I didn't know Esmeralda wasn't born Romani in the book, though. She and Quasimodo have an interesting connection there from the start then.

I had actually heard about the first theory about why Quasimodo doesn't look Romani, but not about the second. I think the woman from the beginning is indeed her biological mother. Frollo even admits to Quasimodo at the end that his mother died trying to save him. I know that even though Frollo believes that, it could not be true, but I think it's what the directors planned as the character's background. I agree the father could've been white, though, and that could explain why he looks the way he looks.

As for Esmeralda, an Indian actress could look accurate for the part, but it wouldn't be true representation in my opinion. Anyway, I agree Disney will probably just cast a slightly dark-skinned actress from another ethnicity, as you said.

[Disney Duster]

I love reading everyone talking about how the characters should look, and I would say JeanGreyForever nailed how it should be. I would like it to follow that way, the original book way. Is it true the original illustrations had a white-skinned, red-headed, green-wearing Quasimodo like thedisneyspirit said, because I didn't know the original book had color illustrations. Did the book describe him that way?

Disneyprincess11 thank you for telling me. I'm sorry you lost a role in which you had the exact disability for, and I wish you the best and hope you get the roles you want in the future. Oh, and what did you mean by "that and the Oscar wins"? What do you mean by that in relation to directors being too lazy to look at the stage shows?

[Sotiris]

The dream team!


Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/BsYf9XDBxyd/

[JeanGreyForever]

I have no idea who the two men in between Josh Gad and Alan Menken are but I guess this basically confirms Josh Gad's involvement.