It was reported late last year that Taylor Swift had beaten Lea Michele and Scarlett Johansson to the role of Eponine in the Les Miserables film adaptation, but it would appear they’ve all been beaten by Samantha Barks.
Sam is best known to the masses for finishing in third place on Andrew Lloyd Webber talent show I’d Do Anything in 2009, which was won by Jodie Prenger.
She was apparently told the news live on stage by Cameron Mackintosh last night, with theatregoers saying the “look on her face was priceless”.
Though she didn’t win the role of Nancy in the West End production of Oliver!, she has been playing the role in the nationwide tour. Mackintosh appeared during last night’s curtain call in Manchester to reveal the exciting news.
She told BBC Breakfast today that the casting in Tom Hooper’s (director of The King’s Speech) adaptation of the West End favourite is the “highlight of her career”.
Eponine is a role she has played before – on the West End stage from June 2010 to June 2011.
X Factor‘s Lucie Jones, who starred alongside her as Cossette at the time, tweeted: “I’ve never been so proud I’m literally BURSTING!!! TEARS and everything!!!”
Samantha’s rather famous co-stars will be Hugh Jackman (Valjean), Russell Crowe (Javert), Amanda Seyfried (Cosette), Anne Hathaway (Fantine) and Eddie Redmayne (Marius), and the to-be-confirmed combo of Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen as the Thenardiers.
