Harshest gossip I’ve read - Beanie Feldstein dumped from Funny Girl

[Anonymous]

I don’t fully understand the scandal - what am I missing? Beanie was going to be leaving on 9/25 anyway, and it’s very common for actors to pass the torch to another. Why was it so offensive that the news broke that Lea Michelle would be the replacement at that time? When was that supposed to be announced?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t fully understand the scandal - what am I missing? Beanie was going to be leaving on 9/25 anyway, and it’s very common for actors to pass the torch to another. Why was it so offensive that the news broke that Lea Michelle would be the replacement at that time? When was that supposed to be announced?

The news about Lea Michelle broke soon after the show had OPENED and received pretty awful reviews. Clearly Feldstein was feeling insecure after the reviews panned her singing abilities.

News about a replacement doesn't get published 3 months in advance. No way. And not immediately after the show had opened; that's disrespectful to the existing cast members.

They should've just replaced Feldstein immediately instead of dragging this out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t fully understand the scandal - what am I missing? Beanie was going to be leaving on 9/25 anyway, and it’s very common for actors to pass the torch to another. Why was it so offensive that the news broke that Lea Michelle would be the replacement at that time? When was that supposed to be announced?

Leaving on 9/25 wasn't her decision either. But the scandal is how they handled it. The announcement should have come from the producers, with the two smiling actresses hugging, passing the torch, and a cover for Beanie to exit - say, family matters or concentrating on some unique opportunity. Instead an internet gossip site announced that she is being fired for not being able to sing.

[Anonymous]

Got it! Thank you PPs. Man, that has to be humiliating. Beanie is an accomplished actress so hopefully she’ll be able to move past this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t fully understand the scandal - what am I missing? Beanie was going to be leaving on 9/25 anyway, and it’s very common for actors to pass the torch to another. Why was it so offensive that the news broke that Lea Michelle would be the replacement at that time? When was that supposed to be announced?

Beanie was pretty harshly criticized for her performance in Funny Girl, and it started before the show even opened. The timing and intensity of the criticism is unusual for Broadway. IMO this really went too far.

Beanie was supposed to leave in Sept, then abruptly announced that she would be out in 2 weeks. This is also unusual. Usually producers will control and break news like this.

The producers were then somewhat forced to name a replacement, and it was Lea. A lot of the Broadway community dislikes Lea because of how she treated people n Glee. There's a big push for Broadway not to hire toxic people and hiring her is seen by many as a huge step backwards.

Interestingly enough, Jane Lynch was originally leaving at the end of Sept, and with the announcement that Lea is joining the cast, Jane moved up HER last day to be the day before Lea starts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t fully understand the scandal - what am I missing? Beanie was going to be leaving on 9/25 anyway, and it’s very common for actors to pass the torch to another. Why was it so offensive that the news broke that Lea Michelle would be the replacement at that time? When was that supposed to be announced?

Leaving on 9/25 wasn't her decision either. But the scandal is how they handled it. The announcement should have come from the producers, with the two smiling actresses hugging, passing the torch, and a cover for Beanie to exit - say, family matters or concentrating on some unique opportunity. Instead an internet gossip site announced that she is being fired for not being able to sing.

Really? 3.5 months of Broadway/West End performances seems normal for an actress who has other work in mainstream Hollywood. Jane Lynch wasn't going to stay longer than that either given her other opportunities for work.

[Anonymous]

What's the big deal? Beanie couldn't sing and the show was tanking because of their lead. This isn't charity work. It's Broadway and lots of jobs are riding on this. You need a lead who can sing. People are paying big money to see singing, not nice and sweet. Sure they should have just given it to the understudy, but people want to see a big name in the role and despite Lea Michele's offscreen antics (which I agree are problematic and have hopefully resolved) SHE can sing and her starpower will draw people to show. I don't see why this is controversial.

[Anonymous]

What amazes me is that Feldstein got cast in the first place. What were the producers thinking? Does anyone know if she was cast and her casting announced before the producers and director really heard her sing? Were they hoping that vocal training and help between her casting and the opening would be enough, combined with her acting and genuine sweetness, to pull the performance through?

I'm not snarking, I'm asking for real--does anyone know if that was the backdrop?

This is NOT a diss on her as an actress or a person or someone who seems to possess a ton of charm on stage. It's about the initial decision to cast someone who clearly was not up to the vocal challenge of a role where everyone in the audiences knows the songs already, everyone has heard them sung many times already. Some roles, people can come to the theater open to a new kind of voice or a new interpretation. This one, not so much.. So of course there was going to be a reviewer blowback because everyone has such expectations about the songs in that well-known show.

And I say this as someone who is a big fan of what I'd call "quirky" vocalists who have their own individual sound that I know others dislike--for instance, I like Lin-Manuel Miranda's singing in "Hamilton" and "In the Heights," because it's not another cookie-cutter perfect Broadway voice, but a "character" voice with warmth and realism. But those shows were new when they premiered and he could build the characters around his voice. "Funny Girl" is way too well-known for producers and the director to cast someone who wasn't up to the perhaps overblown expectations that come with the show. And I feel bad for Feldstein because the producers should have been realistic so, so much earlier and saved her all the heartache.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
What amazes me is that Feldstein got cast in the first place. What were the producers thinking? Does anyone know if she was cast and her casting announced before the producers and director really heard her sing? Were they hoping that vocal training and help between her casting and the opening would be enough, combined with her acting and genuine sweetness, to pull the performance through?

I'm not snarking, I'm asking for real--does anyone know if that was the backdrop?

This is NOT a diss on her as an actress or a person or someone who seems to possess a ton of charm on stage. It's about the initial decision to cast someone who clearly was not up to the vocal challenge of a role where everyone in the audiences knows the songs already, everyone has heard them sung many times already. Some roles, people can come to the theater open to a new kind of voice or a new interpretation. This one, not so much.. So of course there was going to be a reviewer blowback because everyone has such expectations about the songs in that well-known show.

And I say this as someone who is a big fan of what I'd call "quirky" vocalists who have their own individual sound that I know others dislike--for instance, I like Lin-Manuel Miranda's singing in "Hamilton" and "In the Heights," because it's not another cookie-cutter perfect Broadway voice, but a "character" voice with warmth and realism. But those shows were new when they premiered and he could build the characters around his voice. "Funny Girl" is way too well-known for producers and the director to cast someone who wasn't up to the perhaps overblown expectations that come with the show. And I feel bad for Feldstein because the producers should have been realistic so, so much earlier and saved her all the heartache.

Family connections.

She's been building a nice career as an actress, but this role was WAY too big for her as a singer. It's a case of failed nepotism.

Wanting to play this part was literally part of Lea's Rachel Berry character in "Glee." So it makes it seem extra manipulated and weird. The whole thing is a mess!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand she's not famous but a real shame they didn't simply cast the apparently outstanding understudy.

+1. At least she gets to star for the entire month of August and a couple nights per week after that.

Not sure she's so nice either. Apparently she was promoting herself and her excellent notices on social media, which was perceived as rubbing Beanie's nose in it. The producers should have handled all of this differently, what a cluster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What amazes me is that Feldstein got cast in the first place. What were the producers thinking? Does anyone know if she was cast and her casting announced before the producers and director really heard her sing? Were they hoping that vocal training and help between her casting and the opening would be enough, combined with her acting and genuine sweetness, to pull the performance through?

I'm not snarking, I'm asking for real--does anyone know if that was the backdrop?

This is NOT a diss on her as an actress or a person or someone who seems to possess a ton of charm on stage. It's about the initial decision to cast someone who clearly was not up to the vocal challenge of a role where everyone in the audiences knows the songs already, everyone has heard them sung many times already. Some roles, people can come to the theater open to a new kind of voice or a new interpretation. This one, not so much.. So of course there was going to be a reviewer blowback because everyone has such expectations about the songs in that well-known show.

And I say this as someone who is a big fan of what I'd call "quirky" vocalists who have their own individual sound that I know others dislike--for instance, I like Lin-Manuel Miranda's singing in "Hamilton" and "In the Heights," because it's not another cookie-cutter perfect Broadway voice, but a "character" voice with warmth and realism. But those shows were new when they premiered and he could build the characters around his voice. "Funny Girl" is way too well-known for producers and the director to cast someone who wasn't up to the perhaps overblown expectations that come with the show. And I feel bad for Feldstein because the producers should have been realistic so, so much earlier and saved her all the heartache.

Family connections.

She's been building a nice career as an actress, but this role was WAY too big for her as a singer. It's a case of failed nepotism.

Wanting to play this part was literally part of Lea's Rachel Berry character in "Glee." So it makes it seem extra manipulated and weird. The whole thing is a mess!

Apparently, Lea Michelle and Beanie Feldstein have the same talent agent. Lord knows how he is handling this debacle.

Good Gawker article goes into how Lea Michelle has essentially been publicly auditioning for Funny Girl for over a decade: https://www.gawker.com/celebrity/lea-michele-has-been-publicly-auditioning-for-funny-girl-since-the-dawn-of-time

My hunch is that the producers probably wanted to do Funny Girl for a long time with Lea Michele. But then the rumors of her treating black co-stars poorly on set in 2020 made her radioactive. The producers wanted to catch wave of the post-COVID "Broadway REOPENS" momentum, so they went with Feldstein as she was repped by the same guy who reps Michele.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What amazes me is that Feldstein got cast in the first place. What were the producers thinking? Does anyone know if she was cast and her casting announced before the producers and director really heard her sing? Were they hoping that vocal training and help between her casting and the opening would be enough, combined with her acting and genuine sweetness, to pull the performance through?

I'm not snarking, I'm asking for real--does anyone know if that was the backdrop?

This is NOT a diss on her as an actress or a person or someone who seems to possess a ton of charm on stage. It's about the initial decision to cast someone who clearly was not up to the vocal challenge of a role where everyone in the audiences knows the songs already, everyone has heard them sung many times already. Some roles, people can come to the theater open to a new kind of voice or a new interpretation. This one, not so much.. So of course there was going to be a reviewer blowback because everyone has such expectations about the songs in that well-known show.

And I say this as someone who is a big fan of what I'd call "quirky" vocalists who have their own individual sound that I know others dislike--for instance, I like Lin-Manuel Miranda's singing in "Hamilton" and "In the Heights," because it's not another cookie-cutter perfect Broadway voice, but a "character" voice with warmth and realism. But those shows were new when they premiered and he could build the characters around his voice. "Funny Girl" is way too well-known for producers and the director to cast someone who wasn't up to the perhaps overblown expectations that come with the show. And I feel bad for Feldstein because the producers should have been realistic so, so much earlier and saved her all the heartache.

Family connections.

She's been building a nice career as an actress, but this role was WAY too big for her as a singer. It's a case of failed nepotism.

Wanting to play this part was literally part of Lea's Rachel Berry character in "Glee." So it makes it seem extra manipulated and weird. The whole thing is a mess!

All of this. I couldn’t figure out how she got the role on American Crime Story playing the role of Monica Lewinsky either. She might be a lovely person, but not everyone is talented in the right ways. She was pretty distracting (in a negative way) for me while watching her try to portray Monica. If she can’t sing, she shouldn’t be given a role where a strong voice carries the role. Just find her casting so bizarre. They should have replaced her quickly, but the act of replacing her should not be a controversy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
What amazes me is that Feldstein got cast in the first place. What were the producers thinking? Does anyone know if she was cast and her casting announced before the producers and director really heard her sing? Were they hoping that vocal training and help between her casting and the opening would be enough, combined with her acting and genuine sweetness, to pull the performance through?

I'm not snarking, I'm asking for real--does anyone know if that was the backdrop?

This is NOT a diss on her as an actress or a person or someone who seems to possess a ton of charm on stage. It's about the initial decision to cast someone who clearly was not up to the vocal challenge of a role where everyone in the audiences knows the songs already, everyone has heard them sung many times already. Some roles, people can come to the theater open to a new kind of voice or a new interpretation. This one, not so much.. So of course there was going to be a reviewer blowback because everyone has such expectations about the songs in that well-known show.

And I say this as someone who is a big fan of what I'd call "quirky" vocalists who have their own individual sound that I know others dislike--for instance, I like Lin-Manuel Miranda's singing in "Hamilton" and "In the Heights," because it's not another cookie-cutter perfect Broadway voice, but a "character" voice with warmth and realism. But those shows were new when they premiered and he could build the characters around his voice. "Funny Girl" is way too well-known for producers and the director to cast someone who wasn't up to the perhaps overblown expectations that come with the show. And I feel bad for Feldstein because the producers should have been realistic so, so much earlier and saved her all the heartache.

From the comments I read elsewhere, no one really was able to stage a revival of this show because so much hinged on Streisand's voice, physique, etc. So, apparently they thought that the only way to do it was to move as far from Streisand as possible. Kind of what was done with Alan Cumming when he was cast as MC in Cabaret because otherwise you can't get away from Joel Grey. Beanie was supposed to be a very different Fanny. But looks like they underestimated the importance of vocal chops.

[Anonymous]

I love that Jane Lynch, who's in Funny Girl, went "Wait, Lea's coming? Hell no!" and noped the heck on out of there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What amazes me is that Feldstein got cast in the first place. What were the producers thinking? Does anyone know if she was cast and her casting announced before the producers and director really heard her sing? Were they hoping that vocal training and help between her casting and the opening would be enough, combined with her acting and genuine sweetness, to pull the performance through?

I'm not snarking, I'm asking for real--does anyone know if that was the backdrop?

This is NOT a diss on her as an actress or a person or someone who seems to possess a ton of charm on stage. It's about the initial decision to cast someone who clearly was not up to the vocal challenge of a role where everyone in the audiences knows the songs already, everyone has heard them sung many times already. Some roles, people can come to the theater open to a new kind of voice or a new interpretation. This one, not so much.. So of course there was going to be a reviewer blowback because everyone has such expectations about the songs in that well-known show.

And I say this as someone who is a big fan of what I'd call "quirky" vocalists who have their own individual sound that I know others dislike--for instance, I like Lin-Manuel Miranda's singing in "Hamilton" and "In the Heights," because it's not another cookie-cutter perfect Broadway voice, but a "character" voice with warmth and realism. But those shows were new when they premiered and he could build the characters around his voice. "Funny Girl" is way too well-known for producers and the director to cast someone who wasn't up to the perhaps overblown expectations that come with the show. And I feel bad for Feldstein because the producers should have been realistic so, so much earlier and saved her all the heartache.

Family connections.

She's been building a nice career as an actress, but this role was WAY too big for her as a singer. It's a case of failed nepotism.

Wanting to play this part was literally part of Lea's Rachel Berry character in "Glee." So it makes it seem extra manipulated and weird. The whole thing is a mess!

All of this. I couldn’t figure out how she got the role on American Crime Story playing the role of Monica Lewinsky either. She might be a lovely person, but not everyone is talented in the right ways. She was pretty distracting (in a negative way) for me while watching her try to portray Monica. If she can’t sing, she shouldn’t be given a role where a strong voice carries the role. Just find her casting so bizarre. They should have replaced her quickly, but the act of replacing her should not be a controversy!

How are her "family connections" even this strong? Her brother, Jonah Hill, is a B-list actor. The movies he's produced or directed have not had much success. Sure, he got some Oscar nods 10+ years ago but he hasn't had a decent high-profile role since War Dogs in 2016.

She gets roles that are way too high-profile for her talents or her family connections.