Hairspray Live! Taps the Disney Channel for Its Link Larkin and Amber Von Tussle
(© Disney Channel/Image Group LA)
According to various reports, NBC has tapped the Disney Channel's well of stars to lead the cast of its December 7 Hairspray Live! broadcast.
Dove Cameron, star of the Disney series Liv and Maddie, has been cast as resident mean girl Amber Von Tussle while Garrett Clayton of the Teen Beach films will star opposite newcomer Maddie Baillio as heartthrob Link Larkin.
The pair join a cast that will also feature original Broadway Hairspray leading man Harvey Fierstein, who reprises his Tony-winning performance as Edna Turnblad, as well as Ariana Grande (Penny Pingleton), Jennifer Hudson (Motormouth Maybelle), Martin Short (Wilbur Turnblad), Derek Hough (Corny Collins), and Kristin Chenoweth (Velma Von Tussle). Chenoweth and Cameron reunite as onscreen mother-and-daughter after playing Maleficent and Mal in Disney's Descendants.
Hairspray features a Tony-winning score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and a Tony-winning book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan. Based on the film by John Waters, it tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, an overweight Baltimore teen with dreams of landing a spot on a TV dance show and bringing racial integration with her.
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who produced the 2007 movie-musical version of Hairspray, will produce the live television edition. The Wiz Live! director Kenny Leon will take the helm, with Alex Rudzinski (Grease Live) directing for television. Jerry Mitchell will repeat his duties from the Broadway mounting as choreographer. Original Hairspray composer-lyricists Shaiman and Wittman are also on the team for the live work.
