Some movies demand a full accounting of cast and crew throughout the extent of their production. While larger players may come on the scene early and often, even the smaller roles seem primed for a bit of attention. Such is the case with Universal’s big screen adaptation of Les Miserables. So it is that we learn, via Variety, today that young rising actor George Blagden (Wrath of the Titans, The Philosphers) will be playing Grantaire in the musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s famed novel.
We all know by now that Hugh Jackman will play Jean Valjean, the protagonist of this morality tale based around underclass strife. Valjean is a redeemed convict in the eyes of God, but not the eyes of the law. He is hunted ruthlessly by inspector Javert, to be played by Russell Crowe. Meanwhile, Valjean adopts Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), the daughter of a fallen woman (Anne Hathaway), who will grow to fall in love with the student Marius (Eddie Redmayne, recently of My Week with Marilyn). All of these characters and more become embroiled in the underclass uprising led by the spirited Enjolras (Aaron Tveit) who is friends with the drunken, cynical Grantaire.
The movie also features Sascha Baron Cohen as a comically corrupt innkeeper and Helena Bonham Carter as his wife. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift is playing Eponine, the tragic third corner to the Marius-Cosette love triangle, and the whole ensamble is directed by Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech). Never having seen Blagden perform in anything before, I can’t say how he will fit into this gifted-but-eclectic cast, though I am extremely excited for this movie all the same. Sadly, we all have to wait until December 7th, 2012 to see how it all plays out.
Are you excited about this cast, to which Blagden is just the newest member, or do some of these names fill you with trepidation?