Jason Derulo will soon be a Jellicle Cat! The singer has joined Idris Elba and Jennifer Hudson in the film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Broadway juggernaut Cats.
According to Variety, Derulo will play one of the more popular characters from the musical, Rum Tum Tugger. If you’ve seen the Broadway show, you’ll know that Rum Tum Tugger is notorious for being contrary and forever changing his mind. But while the original story by T.S. Eliot, portrays Rum Tum Tugger as a simple, yet mercurial cat, the Broadway show turns the character into a rock star persona. This is perfect for someone like Derulo, who is trained in musical theater from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). Derulo is just one of many famous alumni from AMDA, including She-Ra and the Princesses of Power voice actress Krystal Joy Brown, Hamilton‘s Christopher Jackson, Empire‘s Trai Byers and Justice League‘s Ray Fisher.
Elba and Hudson are also playing standout characters from the production; Elba plays the villainous Macavity and Hudson plays Grizabella, a formerly glamorous cat who longs for her youth. Grizabella’s song “Memory” is the most iconic moment from the show. The cast also includes Taylor Swift, James Corden, Ian McKellen, Judi Dench and Royal Ballet principal dancer Francesca Hayward.
Cats will be directed by Tom Hooper. Hooper has also co-written the script with Lee Hall. Hooper will also produce along with Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of Working Title and Debra Hayward. The Really Useful Group and Monumental Pictures will also produce with Webber, Steven Spielberg and Angela Morrison as executive producers, according to Variety.
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Jennifer Hudson To Star With Taylor Swift And James Corden In Film Adaptation Of Hit Musical, ‘Cats’
