Friday, October 7, 2016

Luke Evans: "At certain points, the loyalty to the original 25-year-old animation is staggering"

CBS News: Luke Evans wants more musicals, fewer superhero movies
You also have “Beauty and the Beast” next year, in which you play Gaston. How intimidating was it, going out for that part?

Amazing. Quite a responsibility, I have to say. But loads of prep. I rehearsed for quite a few weeks because it’s quite choreographed and took plenty of time to get into the character. I mean, my hair is longer than Emma Watson’s in it, I think. And also because I’m a singer, I finally got to do it. I finally got to sing on screen in such a brilliant role, so it’s gonna be great.

Do you often have people saying, “Oh, I didn’t know you could sing”?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Less and less because I seem to sing in every interview I do. But you know, people do ask.

Aside from “Beauty and the Beast,” are there other musical roles you’d want to do?

I hadn’t thought about it. I would definitely do another one, it was so much fun. Really, really fun. But they don’t come up all the time, and it needs to be the right one. Gaston was obviously a no-brainer for me, so it worked out. But yeah I’d love to do another one, I wouldn’t say no.
Cinemablend: Will Gaston Be Grounded And Real In Beauty And The Beast? Here’s What Luke Evans Says
There's definitely a theatricality that I can bring to this role that I don't usually get to do. There's a slight heightened reality to the film. It's Disney and we're re-creating a much loved Disney story. He's larger than life in every respect. No, it's definitely really fun to play, and I did get to do more theatricality.

It was really fun to play this character, because it's such a great arc, such a great like arc. He starts as a kind of lovable rogue - says all these self-absorbed egocentric phrases and has his crazy sidekick. And then once he starts to realize he's not going to get his own way, the facade starts to crack, and there's a monster appears, and he ends up being quite the villain.
Collider: Luke Evans on ‘The Girl on the Train’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, and Dracula’s Future


E! Live from the Red Carpet: Luke Evans Gushes Over Live-Action "Beauty and the Beast"


Harry: Luke Evans- Music Man

Interview: Luke Evans
BROWN: How did you get cast as Gaston in Beauty in the Beast? What was the process like?

EVANS: I had to audition. They wanted to hear everybody. I can tell you huge names that were in the room before me and after me. I was like, "Fuck." Everybody was being seen for these roles, and for Gaston especially. It's a great role, and he has this big song—well, there are a few big songs. I went in and met Bill Condon and it was quite nice. Sometimes when you audition it's quite a nerve wracking thing, you're quite exposed and maybe have only had the script for a few days before. I remember going in and I knew the song and I knew that I could sing it really well—that's what I've done my whole career up until this point. It was one of those moments where I could relax and thoroughly enjoy every minute of it, knowing that vocally I could do it. It was quite nice to see Mr. Condon's face at the end of it smiling away. I was like, "Okay, well I think I've done something right in this room." But I went back twice to try different things and it was great. It's quite nice to audition sometimes. I'm in a fortunate position that sometimes you just get offered roles—they're not necessarily the roles you take, but to get offered a film is amazing. I think the work you've done before that is why you get it. But when you audition for something you do feel a little bit more legit. It's a validation that you are the right person for the job because they've chosen and they've seen you do something connected to that role. I loved every second of [the film]. It was thrilling. You just felt like you were on a big MGM set of a musical. It's huge and it's breathtaking, some of the stuff that we shot. I can't wait to see the final cut.

BROWN: Do most people in the film world know that you come from a musical background?

EVANS: No. That's the best bit. Obviously more and more people will find out, [but] I don't think a lot of people know that I can sing. It's not common knowledge.

BROWN: I wonder how many people go in who really can't sing.

EVANS: I'm sure there's plenty. [laughs] I'm sure it happens a lot. Not everybody's a great singer, but people can get better at singing. There's great singing teachers out there. It's a muscle, you just have to train it.

Mr. Porter: Mr. Luke Evans
He can sing, too. This will be less of a secret come next March, when Disney releases its live-action Beauty And The Beast, in which Mr Evans plays the hulking, preening villain Gaston. It’s the sort of meaty musical role he’d been waiting for, and he backed out of an upcoming film by his friend (and High-Rise collaborator) Mr Ben Wheatley in order to do it. Ask Mr Evans whether seven years off the stage has weakened his vocal chords and he laughs indulgently. “They’re made of well-used leather,” he says. “They’ve never been out of use for long, in fact. It’s just that, as Gaston, I got to sing more often, and in front of people, instead of on my own in my living room.”

TFCBalitangAmerica: Luke Evans on playing Gaston

Yahoo! Movies: 'Beauty and the Beast' Live-Action Star Luke Evans Says the Loyalty to the Animated Version Is 'Staggering'
When Yahoo sat down with Luke Evans to talk about The Girl on the Train, we couldn’t resist asking him about the spring 2017 release of Disney’s new live-action version of the 1991 animated feature Beauty and the Beast.

“It was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my career so far, working with Bill Condon, who is an incredible director. He was thoroughly enjoying the experience as much as we were,” Evans said.

Evans plays the self-centered Gaston competing for Belle’s love, and his sidekick LeFou is played by Josh Gad, who also played Olaf in Frozen.

“I got to have banter with Josh Gad, who’s a very funny man. We worked very well as a duo, and it was really, really exciting. I loved every second of it.”

It’s been two and a half decades since the release of the original animated film, which was also nominated for best picture. So, when fans head to the theaters next year, how will the new film compare?

“They won’t just recognize it. They’ll feel like they’re watching the animation. At certain points, the loyalty to the original 25-year-old animation is staggering,” Evans said.

Just how loyal will the new film be? When we asked Evans if he’ll be ripping off his shirt like Gaston did in the original, this is what he had to say:

“You’ll just have to watch the movie, won’t you. I’m not going to give anything away.”

Source: CBS NewsColliderCinemablendE! Live from the Red Carpet, TFCBalitangAmerica, Harry, Interview, Yahoo! Movies, Mr. Porter

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