Gaga is better suited for ASIB than Beyoncé

[YaaaasGaga 6,119]

Okay, so I know I may be preaching to the choir here, but I was just thinking about the fact that ASIB was originally meant to star Beyoncé in the leading role and the more I thought about it, the weirder that casting decision is. I mean, one obvious reason she was probably chosen first was because she was more established around the original time the remake was being put together a few years ago, and everyone knows this girl really can sing and act. 

However, when I contrasted her with Gaga for the role, Gaga just seemed like the better choice for the following reasons...

1) In the past 3 versions of the film, the leading ladies have never been the epitome of beauty. Janet Gaynor, Judy Garland, and Barbra Streisand were not known in their respective eras of being the most glamorous or beautiful when compared with their contemporaries. The fact that these women are not unrealistically beautiful makes them more relatable and likeable in a love story. Beyoncé in my opinion is too beautiful for this role and she's too afraid to be ugly. Gaga, on the other hand, is not necessarily ugly, but like the previous leading ladies she has a different kind of beauty that's different from the mainstream. Unique, individual and different. Plus, we all know Gaga isn't afraid to play ugly with her image.

2) With ASIB being a classic Hollwood movie with the earliest version being from 1937, this is a film that's going to spike a lot of interest from older generations wanting to see a newer version of an old classic. Beyoncé is very relevant rn, but mainly with younger audiences, whereas I think Gaga has really expanded her target demographic over the past few years and really drawn in the middle aged+ music lovers to join her younger fans. This will thus draw in a wider audience than Beyoncé may have done. (Plus, films that appeal to old people always win more awards )

3) This version of the film has obviously reworked the music into a country/rock style. In my opinion, Gaga is so much more better suited to this style of music. Whilst Beyoncé's 'Daddy Lessons' is my fave from Lemonade, Gags obviously gagged us all (almost ) with 'Joanne'. Her voice suits the style so much better with that husky quality of hers, plus she writes all her own music, including for this soundtrack, making it more authentic for her to perform. 

4) Beyoncé is a great actress as we all know from 'Dreamgirls', however, she's already played a singer in 4 films (Dreamgirls, Cadillac Records, The Pink Panther, Fighting Temptations) so to do another in a similar role would just be a bit overkill... Whereas Gaga has already shown a range of acting skills in AHS without having to sing, plus she is a much fresher face to the movie world than Beyoncé is, so that will draw even more attention. 

5) I said so fat 

What do you guys think?

[kuntdiva 133]

I totally agree. I can't wait to see her do this! In a way I feel like it's perfect for her and she was meant to play this role. The story of her character is pretty similar to her own..

And Beyonce a good actress?.. Debatable 

[Mario Salas 973]

Who cares, Gaga got the role.

[Xoxo Adriana 15,040]

So true, Gaga was meant to be with this role...Beyoncè can stick with her sugar daddy austin powers instead

[Ashley 9,275]

I do wonder if the genre of the film's music was decided after Gaga was cast though? Because I agree that it wouldn't suit Beyoncé very well.

[DeleteMyAccount 11,881]

Do you think that Joanne was somewhat like an audition considering the album had some country vibes in a couple songs?

Didn't Madonna do that with Take a Bow for Evita? Or am I wrong?

[Bebe 17,053]

I'd assume the script would have been different for Beyonce, I mean the reports linking her to ASIB started in 2011 and included reports that they wanted to pair her with Will Smith who eventually declines the role. Clint Eastwood was going to direct.

By 2015 Beyonce is out of the picture, Clint Eastwood has passed the role of director to Cooper and reports come out that he wants to pass on the original script and also co-produce and star.

He needs a new star and a new script.

Eventually Gaga is cast. She is not only the lead actress but she wrote/composed the music for ASIB so the country direction, I think, was a decision made between Cooper and Gaga.

I think Beyonce could have done well in the role, if the script was right for her - but I think that as of now the role is a better fit for Gaga due to changes in the direction. 

 

[Dorothy Gale 7,575]

I agree. Bey isn't that great of an actress, and is too much of a sex symbol tbh. 

[msisux 2,261]

1 minute ago, Bebe said:

He needs a new star and a new script.

Eventually Gaga is cast. 

 

A Star is Cast 

It's news to me that Beyonce was originally considered for the film. This thread does make a lot of interesting points. 

20 minutes ago, YaaaasGaga said:

1) In the past 3 versions of the film, the leading ladies have never been the epitome of beauty. Janet Gaynor, Judy Garland, and Barbra Streisand were not known in their respective eras of being the most glamorous or beautiful when compared with their contemporaries. The fact that these women are not unrealistically beautiful makes them more relatable and likeable in a love story. Beyoncé in my opinion is too beautiful for this role and she's too afraid to be ugly. Gaga, on the other hand, is not necessarily ugly, but like the previous leading ladies she has a different kind of beauty that's different from the mainstream. Unique, individual and different. Plus, we all know Gaga isn't afraid to play ugly with her image.

 

I'm going to be thinking about this one, specifically, for days.  For years now, a lot of media outlets praise her every move to the highest levels, making it seem like she is the gold standard of music, beauty, fashion, etc. It's at a level sometimes that she doesn't even seem human. (She's not just a person, she's Beyoncé )

Since Gaga doesn't always follow the "traditional" beauty standards (even though she looks lovely in the pics we've seen of filming ), it might make the story a little more relatable to the average viewer. 

Plus, since she ditched the blonde hair we're used to, maybe people watching it will forget about the 6 time Grammy® and Golden Globe® winner for a moment, and just see Ally

[hELXIG 42,752]

I don't think either is necessarily a better choice, just different. They both have different things to bring. We know that Beyonce is a talented actress, and it would've been a cool modern take to have the lead actress be a black woman. But Gaga has her own passion and acting skills to bring, as well as her own life experience to draw from as her story is similar to Ally's. And obviously hey're both amazing vocalists.

You've made some really good points, but I just wanna say about these things that:1

1. Either Gaga or Beyonce would probably be similar in terms of marketting due to a lot of factors. One being that Gaga actually doesn't appeal anymore to a lot of the younger-middle aged demographic, which I think this film is more aimed towards, whereas Beyonce definitely does. And the older demographics are actually more likely to go see a film based on reviews, word of mouth, and curiosity, rather than by who is in it.

2. I'm pretty sure the whole story was re-worked when Gaga was introduced. I don't think it's any coincidence that the musical theme became country right when Joanne dropped. Also, Gaga is writing the music. And we know that her and Bradley have been working very closely for quite some time, maybe even before he had fully fleshed out the script and musical direction himself. I'm 90% sure it was her decision/idea to go country, and Bradley was on board. If Beyonce came on board, I'm sure the musical direction would've been completely different, and would've suited her own style.

[blackcoffee 1,264]

26 minutes ago, ZacharyMark said:

Do you think that Joanne was somewhat like an audition considering the album had some country vibes in a couple songs?

Didn't Madonna do that with Take a Bow for Evita? Or am I wrong?

I remember posting this thought after hearing some of the music from the movie. I feel it could be one of two things:

1. Gaga was inspired by her work writing country-rock music for ASIB that she decided to embed some of that sound in her pop music with a few songs on Joanne

2. Joanne was, like you kinda said, practice playing around with that genre before she began work writing the material for ASIB

Either way, we got an amazing album out of it!

That said, I always think Joanne/LG5 was supposed to ballad heavy and kinda folksy...the pictures with RedOne she was always folksy vibes and he had a guitar, the one song that came to fruition from them is a ballad, and Elton John was quoted calling the album her "Tapestry" (quintessential album by folk singer-songwriter Carole King) and saying the songs were similar to Yoü and I.

Gaga has always been a rock girl at heart and into country too...I really hope the Joanne documentary happens because I'm super interested in how she came into the creation of my favorite album of hers. 

[JustAnotherDay 8,402]

I feel like one of the most simple reasons that Beyonce wouldn't work is because she could never fit the character. We know Ally is supposed to be nervous and relatable and Beyonce has such an image of godliness and superiority, I don't see her ever fitting it. Gaga's image is much more relatable.

[He8MyHeart 9,761]

I totally agree. From what we've seen and learned so far about the movie, I don't think Beyoncé is suited to the role or would do it justice.

[VTV 12,772]

plus they dont look good together. like, there's no chemistry between them imo

i mean

 

#nohate

[Wolf 1,328]

And basically, it's gaga's life story