Disney executives reportedly want Grammy Award-winning singer Adele to audition for the role of Nancy in the reboot of musical Oliver!
British newspaper The Sun first revealed in 2017 that Adele and Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne were the top choices to play Nancy and rogue Fagin in the movie, which will be produced by West End maestro Sir Cameron Mackintosh and Working Title Films, the team behind the three-time Oscar-winning 2012 film version of Les Miserables.
However, despite her world-class credentials, bosses in charge of remaking the musical Oliver! want the Hello singer to audition for the part of Bill Sikes' prostitute lover, alongside the rest of the cast, to test out her ability to act.
“Bosses are still really keen to get Adele on board but they will not be seen to be giving her preferential treatment," a source close to the Disney production told The Sun. “They know she has a world class voice but want to see if she can sustain that while also acting and dancing.
“It’s going to be a huge production and they need to cast the right people with enough stamina.”
The 1968 film version of Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist, featuring the songs of Lionel Bart and starring Ron Moody as Fagin and Shani Wallis as Nancy, was nominated for 11 Oscars and won six. Adele herself already boasts an Oscar which she collected for Original Song for Bond theme Skyfall in 2013.
“There’s been a few bumps in the road on the project but everybody is quietly hopeful that once they get Adele in front of the panel they can move forward," continued the source. “If it gets anything like the success of Cameron’s Les Miserables remake, everybody will be chuffed.”
Toby Haynes, of hit BBC drama Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, will direct the remake.
"She's talked about (her son) Angelo being her number one priority and she sees this as a role that he could appreciate too," a source told The Sun last September. "It would be a new challenge for her but one she would definitely be up for."
