'Demands' scupper Scarlett stage role
Scarlett Johansson’s starring role in a West End revival of The Sound Of Music fell through thanks to her team’s “ridiculous” demands, Andrew Lloyd Webber has claimed.
The 21-year-old Lost In Translation actress successfully auditioned to step into Julie Andrews’ shoes and play Maria von Trapp.
But when it became clear she would require minders and other trappings of Hollywood stardom, the deal fell through.
Instead, Lloyd Webber will choose an unknown for the role through new BBC reality show How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?
The producer was initially impressed by Johansson’s singing talents.
“We were at the top of the Peninsula Hotel and she sang in front of everyone, which was fantastic.
"She can really sing. I said to her: ‘Do you want to do Sound Of Music?’ She said: ‘Yes.’ We started planning things,” reported The Times.
“Her people were not pro the idea. It became clear that it wasn’t going to work because the demands were so ridiculous. They wanted two minders backstage at all times and that sort of thing.
“They couldn’t understand why she would want to appear in the West End for £10,000 (€14,600) a week when she could be earning $10m (€7.9m) for a movie. It was annoying because she really wanted to do it.”
A spokesman for Johansson said: “It is true that there were some discussions regarding Scarlett and the production of The Sound Of Music, but Mr Webber’s statement regarding the ‘demands’ is extremely exaggerated.
“Her management team was simply asking for terms that an actress of her stature would ask for.
"The real reason why the negotiations stopped was the run of the play interfered with the production of one of the films she was slated to accomplish.”
How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria will go out on Saturday nights and will be hosted by Graham Norton.
Every week viewers will vote a hopeful out and the winner will receive a six-month contract to star in the West End production.
