Back in December one of the hottest casting races was launched. It was reported that King's Speech director Tom Hooper was on the lookout to find the proper actress to play Eponine in his adaptation of Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil's Les Miserables musical. Initial reports said that Taylor Swift, Lea Michele, Scarlett Johansson and Evan Rachel Wood were all up for the part, and a few weeks after that it looked as though Swift had become the frontrunner in the race. But now, out of nowhere, a newcomer has swept in and taken the role.
Producer Cameron Mackintosh announced today that Samantha Barks has landed the coveted role of Eponine in Tom Hooper's film, according to Deadline. She joins a stacked cast that includes Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried, and Aaron Tveit. Barks is a newcomer to the movie world - though she has done some television acting - but is not new to the spotlight. In 2008 she starred on the UK reality show "I'd Do Anything," a show that had unknown musical performers compete for a role in a West End revival of Lionel Bart's Oliver! This won't be the first time that Barks has portrayed the role of Eponine, as she starred in a London production back in 201o and last year performed in character at the 25th anniversary concert held at the O2 Arena.
The project is being produced by Working Title Films and distributed by Universal. Though the project is still in pre-production, it's scheduled to be released onDecember 7, 2012.
