Season 4 semifinalist Constantine Maroulis returned to the "American Idol" stage this year, and while audience reactions to his "Unchained Melody" performance were mixed, there was still one consensus among "Idol" fans: Hollywood bar-back/aspiring rock star Drew, the part Constantine originated in the '80s-metal-themed Broadway musical Rock Of Ages, is the role he was born to play. He even received a Tony Award nomination for Best Male Lead and won Broadway.com's "Broadway Star of the Year" award in 2009. So this is why many fans were confused, and disappointed, when they learned that Constantine was never even in the running to play Drew in the upcoming film adaptation (the role went to relative newcomer Diego Boneta instead; Constantine will merely get a cameo).
So when I attended the "So You Think You Can Dance" callback auditions in Vegas earlier this year, I had to ask "SYTYCD" judge Adam Shankman, who directed the Rock Of Ages movie musical--which also stars Russell Brand, Julianne Hough, Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Alec Baldwin--why Constantine was passed over. The bottom line? Adam thought Constantine, who is now 35, was a little too long in the tooth for the role of the young, starry-eyed Drew.
"I have a philosophy about casting, and I want people to be able to play as close to the movie's truth as possible....I try to be as age-exact as possible," revealed Adam. "[I don't want to feel sad that] Drew's been banging around for too long....I think musicals should be full of joy and hope and all of that."
Added Adam: "Constantine Maroulis is the perfect, quintessential stage Drew, and then I needed to find the movie Drew....I believe that Constantine would have had to act like he was 25 and had never been through anything, and I didn't want to add that layer onto it."
Our discussion of the movie did get me excited, especially when Shankman namechecked Adam Lambert as the caliber of vocalist he was searching for during casting calls. So since he implored fans to be "open" to Diego, I will indeed try to be. I must admit, the new trailer for the movie DOES look awesome. But I'm still a little bummed that Constantine's famous bedroom-eyed stare won't be plastered across a multiplex silver screen any time soon.
Check out the new Rock Of Ages trailer here:
So, do you think Constantine should have been considered for the role? Or do you agree that he was just too, well, aged to be in Rock Of Ages?
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