Latest news with #LesMiserables'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Amanda Seyfried revealed she auditioned six times for 'Wicked'
Actress Amanda Seyfried has candidly shared details about her demanding audition journey for the highly anticipated 'Wicked' movie adaptation, revealing she auditioned six times for the role of Glinda. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now According to People magazine, the Oscar-nominated actress recently discussed her experience competing for the part that eventually went to pop star Ariana Grande. "I auditioned like six times for Wicked," Seyfried said during an interview, adding, "That had to be really just right. And I loved it. I was busy, I barely had time to do it, but I made it work," as quoted by People magazine. Known for her roles in 'Les Miserables' and 'Mamma Mia!', Seyfried noted that despite being in a position where she no longer needs to audition for most roles, the passion she felt for 'Wicked' pushed her to give it everything she had. "I worked my ass off for years and years and years on that music," she said, adding, "I'm just competitive... with myself in a really healthy way." This is not the first time Seyfried has spoken publicly about her pursuit of the role. In an earlier interview, she revealed she sang alongside Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the film, during one of her auditions. "I've never felt that solid in my voice than I did at the auditions," she said, adding, "And that's kind of what I got out of it," as quoted by People magazine. Although she didn't land the role, Seyfried maintains a positive outlook. "I do, again, think everything happens for a reason," she said, adding that her family still sings "Defying Gravity" at home. Seyfried's audition process overlapped with her work on 'The Dropout', the limited series for which she later won an Emmy for her portrayal of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. She recounted how she juggled both projects, sacrificing weekends to attend 'Wicked' auditions. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "I literally bent over backwards while playing the hardest role of my life," she said, reflecting on the physical and emotional toll of balancing both roles, adding, "But I think it also taught me how far I've come as a singer, which I really wanted to prove." (ANI)
Mint
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Amanda Seyfried revealed she auditioned six times for Wicked
Washington [US], June 26 (ANI): Actress Amanda Seyfried has candidly shared details about her demanding audition journey for the highly anticipated 'Wicked' movie adaptation, revealing she auditioned six times for the role of Glinda. According to People magazine, the Oscar-nominated actress recently discussed her experience competing for the part that eventually went to pop star Ariana Grande. "I auditioned like six times for Wicked," Seyfried said during an interview, adding, "That had to be really just right. And I loved it. I was busy, I barely had time to do it, but I made it work," as quoted by People magazine. Known for her roles in 'Les Miserables' and 'Mamma Mia!', Seyfried noted that despite being in a position where she no longer needs to audition for most roles, the passion she felt for 'Wicked' pushed her to give it everything she had. "I worked my ass off for years and years and years on that music," she said, adding, "I'm just competitive... with myself in a really healthy way." This is not the first time Seyfried has spoken publicly about her pursuit of the role. In an earlier interview, she revealed she sang alongside Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the film, during one of her auditions. "I've never felt that solid in my voice than I did at the auditions," she said, adding, "And that's kind of what I got out of it," as quoted by People magazine. Although she didn't land the role, Seyfried maintains a positive outlook. "I do, again, think everything happens for a reason," she said, adding that her family still sings "Defying Gravity" at home. Seyfried's audition process overlapped with her work on 'The Dropout', the limited series for which she later won an Emmy for her portrayal of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. She recounted how she juggled both projects, sacrificing weekends to attend 'Wicked' auditions. "I literally bent over backwards while playing the hardest role of my life," she said, reflecting on the physical and emotional toll of balancing both roles, adding, "But I think it also taught me how far I've come as a singer, which I really wanted to prove." (ANI)
Kuwait Times
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Kuwait Times
Trump cheered, jeered at ‘Les Miserables' debut
WASHINGTON: Cheers but also boos met US President Donald Trump as he attended a performance Wednesday of 'Les Miserables' at Washington's premier cultural institution, which he has effectively seized control of since returning to power in January. Trump's appearance at the opening night of the hit musical 'Les Miserables' at the renowned Kennedy Center could hardly have been more politically charged. The 78-year-old Republican recently orchestrated a conservative takeover of the famed arts venue, reportedly prompting some 'Les Mis' cast members to boycott the show. 'I couldn't care less. Honestly, I couldn't. All I do is run the country well,' Trump told reporters when asked about a boycott as he arrived with First Lady Melania Trump. The show's tale of revolutionary fervor, featuring street protesters in 19th century France manning the barricades against a repressive leader also seemed to take on new relevance as the United States itself faces fresh turbulence over Trump's governance. When the presidential couple appeared Wednesday evening on the central balcony, emblazoned with a presidential seal, booing audience members appeared to struggle to make themselves heard over cheers and chants of 'USA! USA!' Trump, who was joined by Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance at the premiere, has recently sent in troops to deal with protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles. 'We're going to have a safe country... Remember, if I wasn't there... Los Angeles would have been burning to the ground,' Trump insisted to reporters. California officials accuse him of 'dictatorial' behavior and of manufacturing a confrontation by deploying thousands of National Guard troops and US Marines. 'I think the irony is probably lost on him,' Peter Loge, director of George Washington University's School of Media, told AFP. California's Democratic governor Gavin Newsom, who has harshly criticized Trump's actions in his state, reacted on X to news that Trump was attending the musical with the plea: 'Someone explain the plot to him.' The social injustice portrayed in Victor Hugo's 1862 novel — coupled with songs such as 'Do You Hear the People Sing?' and 'I Dreamed a Dream' — has long resonated with audiences around the world. Billionaire Trump, who had announced his decision to attend 'Les Miserables' before the Los Angeles protests erupted, says he too has long been a fan. The real estate tycoon has played songs from the show at his rallies and political events. 'I love the songs, I love the play,' Trump told Fox News Digital last week. Asked which of the play's characters he most identified with, however, Trump punted to his wife. 'That's a tough one... you better answer that one, honey,' Trump replied. His attendance is yet another show of strength after installing himself as chairman of the center and replacing the entire board with loyalists in February. Loge said Trump's presence there was part of a broader effort at image-making by the reality TV star-turned-president. 'Les Mis is a great spectacle. And it sounds smart. It's not just a show, it sounds like it stands for something,' he said. Trump's takeover of the John F Kennedy Center faced opposition in some quarters. A historically bipartisan-supported institution, it has never been led by a US president before. Hit show 'Hamilton' canceled its run there in response. Trump countered by saying he had 'never liked' the rap musical, which is about the birth of the United States and its first treasury secretary. Several key figures at the Kennedy Center — including TV producer Shonda Rhimes who created 'Grey's Anatomy' and musician Ben Folds — resigned from their leadership positions. And the Vances — Usha Vance is one of the new board members — were booed by the Kennedy Center audience at a performance of the National Symphony Orchestra in March. Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center comes amid a broader assault on what he deems 'woke' programming at cultural institutions, including the famed Smithsonian museums, as well as universities. – AFP
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
Photos of drag queens preparing to attend 'Les Miserables' at Kennedy Center, despite Trump
WASHINGTON -- Mari Con Carne put on their make-up, wig and gown before attending 'Les Miserables' at the Kennedy Center. Along with other Washington-based drag queens Tara Hoot, Ricky Rosé and Vagenesis, they attended the show despite complaints by President Donald Trump that the Kennedy Center had hosted too many drag shows in the past. Trump, who also attended the performance, has replaced the Kennedy Center's president and board with loyalists, had himself named chairman and pledged to overhaul programming he calls 'woke' and too focused on leftist ideology. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
LAPD chief denies Trump's claim about welcoming troops
The Trump administration has tried to portray the Los Angeles demonstrations against its ICE enforcement raids as chaos at a scale worthy of military intervention. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Police Department has repeatedly disputed that claim. In a statement Monday, the department's chief responded to reports that the administration planned to deploy National Guard in the city, saying the deployment was unnecessary and could pose an impediment to the police carrying out their duties. 'The possible arrival of federal military forces in Los Angeles absent clear coordination presents a significant logistical and operational challenge for those of us charged with safeguarding this city,' Chief Jim McDonnell said, adding, 'The Los Angeles Police Department, alongside our mutual aid partners, have decades of experience managing large-scale public demonstrations, and we remain confident in our ability to do so professionally and effectively.' On Wednesday, Trump seems to have taken McDonnell's statement as praise. 'If we weren't there, if we didn't bring in the National Guard and the Marines, you would probably have a city that was burning to the ground,' Trump told the press at a performance of 'Les Miserables' at the Kennedy Center. (In reality, the largely peaceful protests have been confined to just a few blocks in the city.) Trump continued, 'In fact, the chief of police said so much, if you look at what his statements were. He said, 'We're very lucky to have had them.'' But McDonnell rejected that claim. Asked by CNN host Kaitlin Collins if Trump's characterization of his statement was accurate, McDonnell said, 'No. We were not in a position to request the National Guard.' McDonnell listed the resources local law enforcement officials have at their disposal to respond to demonstrations, should they get out of hand. Then he stated flatly that the protests haven't risen to a level that warrants military intervention. 'We're nowhere near a level that we would be reaching out to the governor for National Guard at this stage,' he said, 'And my hope is that things are going in the right direction now and that we wouldn't have had to have done that, or we won't either.' The Trump administration — with the encouragement of its conservative allies in media and in Congress — has been champing at the bit to use military force to crack down on its foes. In an effort to justify this escalation, they've relied on deceptive videos and, in some cases, outright disinformation. Trump's claim about the LAPD (itself certainly no bastion of progressivism) welcoming troops in response to American protesters appears to fall into that latter category. This article was originally published on
