Alan Menken: Last News

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Welcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.” Lin-Manuel Miranda has a message to the trolls who have targeted their hate at Halle Bailey, star of the live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid” — watch Brandy in “Cinderella.” “I’m old enough to remember that being a game changer for my generation,” Miranda told me during a Zoom chat from the L’Attitude conference in San Diego, where he was making an appearance with American Express to support Latino small business owners. “And Rob Marshall was the choreographer on that and is now the director of the movie. I’m really thrilled by that symmetry.” Besides, Miranda thinks the positivity and excitement around the new film far outweigh the negativity. Just take a look at the sneak peek of Bailey singing a snippet of “Part of Your World,” which racked up 104 million global views within days of its debut at the D23 Expo. “I’m not interested in giving them any oxygen because I know the lives that are going to be changed. Halle is perfect for the part,” said the Tony winner, who wrote four songs for the movie with composer Alan Menken. “She is going to blow them away. If that’s the thing that makes you mad, then stay mad. But examine your choices.”

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Martin Short and Shania Twain are in final talks to join ABC’s “Beauty and the Beast” special. Sources tell Variety that Short would play Lumière while Twain will take on the role of Mrs. Potts in “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration.” The news comes just days after Variety exclusively reported that David Alan Grier will play the role of Cogsworth in the production. Previously announced cast members include Oscar winner H.E.R. as Belle, Grammy winner Josh Groban as Beast and Joshua Henry as Gaston. EGOT legend Rita Moreno will serve as the show’s narrator in the live-action/animated hybrid production.

The first trailer for Disenchanted is finally here!

The Little Mermaid has been unveiled.The teaser was premiered at Disney’s D23 Expo, which is currently taking place in Anaheim, California today (September 9).The Little Mermaid will see singer Halle Bailey of duo Chloe X Halle take on the lead role of Ariel. The one-minute-23-second-long teaser gives a first look at her in the part, featuring the actor swimming through the ocean with a shiny blue tail.Bailey also can be heard singing a part of ‘Part Of Your World’ in the teaser.

Wilson Chapman editor Get ready for Halle Bailey to be part of your world. The first footage of the highly anticipated “Little Mermaid” live-action remake has been unveiled at Disney’s D23 expo, revealing the acclaimed R&B star and actor in the iconic role of mermaid princess Ariel. Director Rob Marshall, of “Chicago” fame, celebrated the fact that this was a live action musical. Bringing up his Oscar-winning movie from the past “When we started this journey it was very important to honor the original” but also reimagine and “bring some depth” to the new film Marshall explained. The director also asked “Little Mermaid” longtime Disney alum and Alan Menken to link up with the award-winning Lin-Manuel Miranda to come up with four new songs. “They’d never collaborated together before, and it’s magical…. We still retain the beauty of the original score by the late great Howard Ashman.”

Eminem could be the next artist to achieve an EGOT status following his win at the 2022 Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Slim Shady became an Emmy award winner when the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show won for Outstanding Variety Special.

Ron Logan, a Disney Legend who as EVP and executive producer for Walt Disney Entertainment transformed live entertainment in its parks and helped bring Beauty and the Beast to Broadway, died August 30. He was 84.

Jon Burlingame editorMike Lang, one of the preeminent pianists in Hollywood history, died of lung cancer Friday morning at his home in Studio City. He was 80.Lang played piano (or organ, harpsichord or celeste) on an estimated 2,000 film and TV scores dating back to the mid-1960s, including scores by virtually every great film composer of the past 50 years: John Williams (“Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Catch Me If You Can”), Jerry Goldsmith (“Gremlins,” “The Russia House”), John Barry (“Body Heat,” “The Specialist”), Henry Mancini (“10”), Alex North (“The Shoes of the Fisherman”), Elmer Bernstein (“The Rainmaker”), Miklós Rózsa (“Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid”) and many others.Composer Lalo Schifrin (“Mission: Impossible”) was among Lang’s earliest champions in Hollywood, adding Lang’s piano to what eventually became the Grammy-winning Paul Horn album “Jazz Suite on the Mass Texts” in 1965.

Vernon Kay shares loved up holiday snap with Tess Daly[LATEST]Kimberley Walsh on why she avoids eye contact with Gethin Jones[EXCLUSIVE]Britney Spears goes topless as she puts on sultry display[PICTURES]She also played one of the wicked stepsisters in the 1965 television production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella with Lesley Ann Warren.The performer went on to win a Grammy award in 1980 for the recording of her one woman show Gertrude Stein.Her most memorable role to date thanks to Disney's The Little Mermaid, which came out in 1989.She was not the first choice of directors Ron Clements and John Musker or the musical team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who reportedly wanted Joan Collins or Bea Arthur to voice the sea witch.Ms Carroll often said playing Ursula was one of her favourite roles to date.She said she saw her as an "Ex-Shakespearean actress who now sold cars"."She's a mean old thing! I think people are fascinated by mean characters," the voiceover star said in an interview."There's a fatal kind of distraction about the horrible mean characters of the world because we don't meet too many of them in real life.So when we have a chance, theatrically, to see one and this one, she's a biggie, it's kind of fascinating for us."She got the chance to reprise the role in several Little Mermaid sequels, spinoffs and even theme park rides.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterNicole Kidman and Javier Bardem will lend their voices to “Spellbound,” an animated fantasy musical from Apple Studios and Skydance Animation. The project reunites the pair, who just scored Oscar nominations for playing Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in Aaron Sorkin’s 2021 biographical drama “Being the Ricardos.”John Lithgow, Nathan Lane, Jenifer Lewis, André De Shields and Jordan Fisher have also joined the call sheet.As previously announced, “West Side Story” star Rachel Zegler is leading the cast as Princess Ellian, a young royal who embarks on a daring journey to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms them into monsters and threatens to cover Lumbria in darkness forever.

The animated film Spellbound led by West Side Story‘s Rachel Zegler has expanded its voice cast, with the Being the Ricardos duo of Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem signing on for roles, along with John Lithgow (Killers of the Flower Moon), Nathan Lane (Only Murders in the Building), Jenifer Lewis (I Love That for You), André De Shields (tick, tick… BOOM!) and Jordan Fisher (The Flash).

Sasha Urban editorGuy Ritchie, who directed Disney’s “Aladdin” in 2019, is set to direct the upcoming live-action adaptation of the 1997 film “Hercules,” Variety has confirmed.As Variety previously reported, “Avengers: Endgame” directors Joe and Anthony Russo’s AGBO is producing the film being developed by Disney, which hired action specialist Dave Callaham to write a first draft. AGBO is in the process of hiring additional writers.Ritchie most recently filmed an untitled action thriller with Jake Gyllenhaal.

Tony awards in New York on Sunday night. Known as US entertainment’s grand slam, the illustrious acronym EGOT signifies a recipient of an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award.

won for “A Strange Loop,” joining the ranks of the select few who have gotten all prestigious performance awards.Hudson, 40, joins the exclusive list of 16 other winners including the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Alan Menken, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Whoopi Goldberg, who all won awards at the Emmys, Grammys, Oscars and Tonys.The prestigious title was given to Hudson as a producer for the Tony Award-winning musical “A Strange Loop,” which won Best Musical on Sunday.Hudson’s path to an EGOT began in 2007 when she won an Academy Award for her role in “Dreamgirls” and later received a Grammy award in 2009 for her performance in “The Color Purple.”Also in 2009, Hudson won the Emmy for an animated series called “Baby Yaga.”“A Strange Loop” received a record 11 Tony nominations including Best Musical and Best Actor. The show, written by Michael R.

J. Kim Murphy Jennifer Hudson has achieved the rarified status of EGOT with her Tony win for producing “A Strange Loop.”The awards gauntlet lingo of “EGOT” refers to individuals who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony over the course of their careers in entertainment.

Jennifer Hudson is now an EGOT winner. The performer completed the achievement by earning a Tony for producing the hit show,, which won Best Musical during the 75th annual Tony Awards. The latest trophy joins her previous wins, which include an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for, two GRAMMY Awards for Best R&B Album and Best Musical Theater Album as well as a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Interactive Media for a Daytime Program for . By joining the coveted list of winners, Hudson became the second Black woman to earn an EGOT after Whoopi Goldberg, who completed hers in 2002.

EXCLUSIVE: Rob McClure, the actor Tony-nominated for his performance in the title role of the recently closed Mrs. Doubtfire, will make another quick costume change, this time for the lead in the Off Broadway hit revival of Little Shop of Horrors.

Rachel Zegler has landed another big role!

This spring, experience the most enchanted musical of all time right here in Manchester.

Skydance Animation has set a multi-year licensing deal with Spin Master, the children’s entertainment company known for creating popular properties like PAW Patrol.

Diane Warren is in an elite club. Her 13th Oscar nomination in the Best Original Song category puts her among some of the greatest songwriters of all time.