While Anton Di Beke sadly doesn’t have a film career yet, in the US Hollywood seems keen to turn one of the professional dancers from the US version of Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing With The Stars, into a star. Julianne Hough’s had a small role in Burlesque, but she landed the lead female part in the Footloose remake and now she’s set for one of the main roles in Rock Of Ages.
Variety reports that Hough will play Sherrie Christian, who in the original musical by Chris D’Arienzo is a young singer fresh off the bus from Kansas who falls for aging rocker Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise). Mary J. Blige will play Justice Charlier, the owner of an exotic dance club called The Venus Club. And rather than singing original songs, the musical uses 1980s hair metal tunes to tell us the character’s thoughts and feelings.
Adam Shankman (Hairspray) will direct, and he’s currently polishing the script with Iron Man 2 and Tropic Thunder writer Justin Theroux. Production is slated to begin on May 19 in Florida.