Maybe it is just my lack of knowledge when it comes to the musical “Hairspray,” but for some reason every time a new name is added to the cast it seems like a celebration. First there was the search for Tracy Turnblad, which was ultimately scored by Nicole Blonsky and now the role of Link has been filled by little known Zac Efron.
Efron will play Link, the hunky heartthrob of “The Corny Collins Show,” in the screen adaptation of the Broadway musical spawned by the John Waters film and to be directed by Adam Shankman for New Line Cinema.
Efron got the role after trying for several other studio films.
“I’ve gotten as far as the fifth or sixth callback on movies, but it is more than I could imagine to get the role in a film like this,” Efron told Variety.
Hairspray is currently set for a summer 2007 release, with director Adam Shankman, who is also choreographing, starting rehearsals this summer.
