Link Larkin — Nick Jonas
Okay, there are very few young actors who could bring as much charm to Link Larkin as Zac Efron once did, but my money is on Nick Jonas. He can sing, he can dance, and he’s sexy as heck. Signed, sealed, delivered!
Tracy Turnblad — Rebel Wilson
This one seems like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? Rebel Wilson showed the world she could rock the stage in Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect 2, so now it’s time for her to take it up a notch and go LIVE.
Corny Collins — Darren Criss, Zac Efron, Matthew Morrison
When it comes to the host with the most, Corny Collins, there are some options available. It would be awesome to see Zac Efron in the role, as if he was taking the next step in Hairspray history. But, there’s also Darren Criss, who would be a pure delight, especially after his time on Glee and his Broadway experience. Last but not least? Matthew Morrison, which is not an intentional attempt at putting the Glee cast back to work, but instead keeping the Hairspray history in tact. You may not know this, but Matthew played Link Larkin on Broadway back in 2002… so this could be his big return!
Velma Von Tussle — Leslie Mann, Kristin Chenoweth, Anna Faris
Who could possibly fit into the shoes of Michelle Pfeiffer as Miss Baltimore Crabs? Again, options! While I personally would love to see Leslie Mann in the role, I also know that both Kristin Chenoweth and Anna Faris would be pretty great choices. I’ll admit that Kristin might be too obvious of a choice, but Anna would be a real wildcard and could totally nail it.
Amber Von Tussle — Anna Camp, Chloe Moretz, AnnaSophia Robb
As Miss Baltimore Crabs daughter, the role of Amber Von Tussle is the ultimate mean girl — which means she has to have just the right amount of attitude. We’ve seen Anna Camp show off her sassy side in Pitch Perfect, but Chloe Moretz would also be a great choice, too. Can she sing? I have no idea, but I’m willing to bet she would try! I’m also throwing AnnaSophia Robb‘s hat into the ring because… well, because I feel like it.
Edna Turnblad — John Travolta, Dot Marie Jones, Eric Stonestreet
If anyone from the 2007 Hairspray cast is going to reprise their role for the live broadcast, it has to be John Travolta. he absolutely nailed the role of Edna Turnblad, and quite frankly I think it will be hard for anyone to replace him. But, in case he’s totally over it, I also think that Dot Marie Jones from Glee would make a great choice. If NBC wants to stick with the male actor in drag twist, then Modern Family‘s Eric Stonestreet is the only logical option. He would make a hilarious Edna!
Penny Pingleton — Abigail Breslin, Billie Lourd
Something tells me Amanda Bynes won’t be available to reprise her role as Penny, but I think we can definitely find a good replacement to carry the pigtails into the world of live performances. How about Abigail Breslin or her Scream Queens co-star, Billie Lourd? We already know both girls can play the slightly dizzy, charismatically dimwitted friend… which means they would both be equally good as Penny!
The Turnblads, Pingletons, Seaweed, & More
How about Ben Stiller as Wilbur Turnblad? His dad, Jerry, played Wilbur in the original, so it would make sense for his son to step into his shoes. If that doesn’t work, there’s always Ty Burrell!
For Seaweed I would love to see Jacob Artist from Glee, but I also think Jason Derulo could use his gorgeous voice to swoon Penny. Oh, and speaking of Penny, what about Kristen Wiig for Prudy Pingleton? I’m also throwing Kristin Chenoweth in the mix, especially if she doesn’t end up being Velma.
Motormouth Maybelle is an iconic role that Queen Latifah slayed in the 2007 film, so what if Laverne Cox were the actress to take her on LIVE? Another good choice for Maybelle could be Mary J. Blige.
Last but not least we can’t forget Little Inez, Seaweed’s adorable little sister and possibly the best dancer in the entire production. I think the best option here is Quvenzhane Wallis, especially after her turn as Annie on the big screen. If NBC decides to go a little younger, Ariana Neal, the actress set to play Nicki Minaj in an upcoming series about her childhood, could be the perfect choice.
Tell us, HollywoodLifers — Who do YOU want to see in Hairspray LIVE? Do you agree with any of my casting choices? Comment below with your thoughts!