Jim Broadbent has been added to the cast of Hairspray as Wilbur Turnblad, father of lead character Tracy Turnblad, which is being played by newcomer Nicole Blonsky.
On top of Broadbent and Blonsky the cast is made up of John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Amanda Bynes, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Michelle Pfeiffer and James Marsden.
The film is set to start lensing Sept. 5 in Toronto for a Dec. 21, 2007, release.
Hairspray, which is being directed by Adam Shankman and produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the producers of the Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning Best Picture Chicago, is originally based on Waters’ 1988 comedy about star-struck teenagers on a local Baltimore dance show. The new version of the film will be based on New Line’s hit Broadway adaptation of the film which debuted in 2002, and went on to win eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book and Best Director.
Many of the key contributors to the Broadway show will also be involved in the feature film adaptation. Marc Shaiman (music and co-lyricist) will serve as the film’s music supervisor who will compose the score for the film as well as produce its songs. Co-lyricist Scott Wittman and Shaiman will also be the film’s executive producers. The play’s book writers, Thomas Meehan & Mark O’Donnell, are set to adapt the screenplay.
