Mamma Mia!

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...indeed! ;D

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Broadway.com: Pierce Brosnan to Romance Meryl Streep as Sam in Mamma Mia! Film

by Broadway.com Staff

Pierce Brosnan will sing ABBA songs including "S.O.S." and "Knowing Me, Knowing You" as romantic lead Sam Carmichael in the upcoming Mamma Mia! movie, according to Variety. Brosnan will play opposite previously announced lead Meryl Streep in the film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, which is now set to start filming on June 25 in London and Greece.

"I saw the show with my family in London, and found it just so wonderfully happy and joyful, and so pitched in time forever in the 1970s," Brosnan told Variety. "What a kick in the pants, to be able to go off and spend time with Meryl on some Greek island, singing ABBA songs."

Brosnan is best known for his work as James Bond in four films of the popular film spy series: GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Die. A native of Ireland, he first got his start in Hollywood as the lead of the long-running 1980s TV-series Remington Steele. Films include Mrs. Doubtfire, The Mirror Has Two Faces, Mars Attacks!, The Thomas Crown Affair, The Tailor of Panama, Evelyn (in which he sang briefly), After the Sunset, The Matador, the current Seraphim Falls and the upcoming Butterly on a Wheel and Married Life.

In Mamma Mia!, Sam is one of three possible fathers summoned to the Greek resort of former lover Donna (Streep) on the occasion of her daughter Sophie's wedding. No further casting beyond Streep and Brosnan has been announced. Phyllidia Lloyd, who directed Mamma Mia! on Broadway, will helm the film from a script by librettist Catherine Johnson. The movie is being produced for Universal by stage producer Judy Craymer of Littlestar and Gary Goetzman and Tom Hanks of Playtone. Hanks' wife Rita Wilson will serve as executive producer with Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA fame.

Mamma Mia! is expected in theaters in 2008.

3/7/2007 - 08:11:22

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Shamelessly stolen from Ace:

Pierce Brosnan is thrilled to be working with Meryl Streep

March 26, 2007

Pierce Brosnan is thrilled to be working with Meryl Streep.

The former Bond actor is due to start shooting a film adaptation of the hit ABBA West End musical 'Mamma Mia' with the US actress later this year and he can't wait.

He is quoted by Britain's Daily Express newspaper as saying: "I'm more excited about this project than anything I have done in some time. The opportunity to work with Meryl Streep is amazing."

According to friends, Brosnan is also looking forward to showcasing his relatively unknown singing talent.

One friend said: "Earlier on in his career, Pierce actually had a quite good singing voice and performed on stage. He also sang in a film called 'Evelyn' a few years back, so he isn't going to have to need major vocal training for the part. The critics could be in for quite a surprise when they hear him."

The movie focuses on a bride-to-be and her rebellious mother, played by Streep, who refuses to disclose the identity of her father.

Brosnan is to play one of three men the bride has found who could be her possible father.

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This seems like it's going to turn out really well.

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Some more info I stole at Ace's.


Daily Mail: Mamma Mia, Meryl gets to snog Bond!

04/13/2007

MAMMA Meryl Streep starts learning the lip lock with Pierce Brosnan soon.

The Oscar-winning actress will begin crooning with the former 007 star in London at the begining of vocal rehearsals for the movie based on the mega-hit stage musical Mamma Mia!, featuring the songs of Abba, in which Meryl plays free-spirit Donna, whose daughter, Sophie, decides to get married.

One of the musical's main strands involves Donna's three former suitors, each of whom could be Sophie's father.

Brosnan will play rugged Sam and, I'm told, the film will focus more on his romance with Donna.

Colin Firth has been confirmed to play 'headbanger' Harry, while Stellan Skarsgard, a popular actor thanks to his Bootstrap Bill in the Pirates Of The Caribbean movies, is in final negotiations to play Bill.

Interestingly, the part was earmarked for his Pirates co-star Bill Nighy, but he has other plans.

An executive on the picture observed: 'You'll certainly be able to tell that Donna slept with all of them.' Meryl, a trained singer, will sing SOS with Brosnan, before going on to warble numbers with her character's close friends, and onetime pop group members, being played by Julie Walters (Rosie) and Christine Baranski (Tanya).

By the way, Ms Baranski played the harddrinking Maryann in the Nineties TV sitcom Cybill (opposite Cybill Shepherd) and I recall Mamma Mia! boss Judy Craymer, who is also producing the film, telling me how Maryann was the inspiration for some of Tanya's character traits.

Three songs from the stage show - still enjoying a moneymaking run in the West End, now with Linzi Hateley - have been dropped - Thank You For The Music, Under Attack and Knowing Me, Knowing You, although the movie introduces another Abba number, When All Is Said And Done.

Later this month, the whole cast of the film, including Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper, as the engaged couple, will be in London to record the score, then full rehearsals begin with director Phyllida Lloyd in May before ten weeks of filming at Pinewood in June, followed by five weeks' location shooting on a Greek island.

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Hollywood Reporter: Firth among the crooners for 'Mamma!'

By Borys Kit and Tatiana Siegel

April 17, 2007

Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard and Christine Baranski are joining the cast of "Mamma Mia!" -- Universal Pictures and Playtone's adaptation of the popular ABBA musical. Phyllida Lloyd is directing the musical, which is being produced by Playtone and Littlestar.

The trio join Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Amanda Seyfried in the production, which shoots from June-October in London and Greece.

The story revolves around a bride-to-be (Seyfried) and her formerly rebellious mom (Streep) who raised her on a Greek island and never disclosed the identity of her father. The bride locates three men who might be her father and invites them to her wedding. The musical features 22 ABBA songs, including "Dancing Queen," "Take a Chance on Me" and "The Winner Takes It All."

Firth is one of the three possible fathers, a British businessman. Firth previously sang, though briefly, in "The Importance of Being Earnest," but "Mamma Mia!" will be his first musical.

Skarsgard plays another possible dad. Baranski portrays a plastic surgery-loving party girl in her 40s who is bossy and boozy.

Producing are Playtone's Gary Goetzman and Littlestar's Judy Craymer. Tom Hanks, Goetzman's partner at Playtone, and Rita Wilson are executive producing along with ABBA members and songwriters Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus.

The movie's screenplay was written by Catherine Johnson, who wrote the show's book. Holly Bario is overseeing for Universal.

Brit actor Firth may be best known to American audiences for playing Mark Darcy in the "Bridget Jones" movies. He has completed production on Anaud Tucker's "And When Did Your Last See Your Father?"; "Then She Found Me," directed by Helen Hunt; and "The Accidental Husband," opposite Uma Thurman. Firth is represented by CAA and ICM London.

Skarsgard, repped by ICM, returns as Bootstrap Bill in this summer's "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End."

Baranski, whose credits include the Academy Award-winning "Chicago," is repped by UTA and Viking Entertainment.

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I loved Colin Firth as Mark Darcy! It's cool he's going to be in this, too!

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In his web site letter of April 22, 2007, Pierce tells us a bit about Mamma Mia!:

You may have heard that I have been cast in the film version of the popular musical Mamma Mia. The film, which begins principal photography this summer in London and Greece, is being directed by Phyllida Lloyd who also directed the original stage production in 1999. I saw the show in London and New York with my family and found it a joyful experience. Both shows played to packed houses and both casts brought the house down.

I start rehearsals this week with one of America’s most talented and beautiful actresses, Meryl Streep, whose work has always inspired me. I’m looking forward to spending time with the other gifted cast members too, including: Amanda Seyfried, Julie Waters, Christine Baranski, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard. All cast members are now in London to pre-record the film’s soundtrack.