Jennifer Hudson wants to play Calliope, one of the Muses, in Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation of Hercules. Hudson previously got her start on the talent show American Idol where she placed seventh and has since gone on to become a household name, recently starring in the Aretha Franklin biopic, Respect, a role Franklin herself handpicked her for. Hudson’s stand-out debut performance as Effie White in 2006’s Dreamgirls also earned her the Oscar for Outstanding Supporting Actress.
The live-action adaption of Disney’s Hercules was announced back in early 2020, and following the announcement, fans immediately began to fan-cast who they would like to see play the Muses. The Muses are a Greek chorus of Goddesses: Calliope, Clio, Thalia, Terpsichore, and Melpomene, who narrate the story of Hercules through both storytelling and song. Hudson is a constant firm favorite to play one of the Muses, alongside the likes of Lizzo, Amber Riley, and Cynthia Erivo, to name a few.
Now, it appears as though the Cats star may have caught wind of this fan-casting and wholeheartedly agrees. In a recent WIRED autocomplete interview (via Cinemablend), Hudson was asked the question “Who is Jennifer Hudson playing in Hercules?” to which she joked that while she hadn’t been cast yet, she was ready for a specific role.
“Y’all listen close, all my Dreamgirls cast members, this is a fun fact, have been in Disney films. Anika [Noni Rose] Beyoncé, Jamie [Foxx], Eddie [Murphy] has done everything. Where’s my Disney role? But, I was Calliope, the head muse, on a Disney cruise ship, so that means I’m ready for my part. ‘We are the muses, goddesses of the arts and proclaimers of heroes. Who put the glad in Gladiators? Hercules!’ That was me, Calliope. So I’m ready, just roll the camera. You ain’t even got to send a script, I don’t need the music. I’m ready to shoot. So I’ll just wait for your call, thank you.”
Besides the announcement that Hercules is set to get a live-action remake, details have been sparse. Marvel veterans Joe and Anthony Russo will be producing the movie, but there haven’t been any official casting announcements and Disney still hasn’t found a director. Ariana Grande has had fans calling for her to be cast as Megara after she performed ‘I Won’t Say I’m In Love’ on a virtual Disney Sing-a-long event earlier this year, and fans are vying for Danny Devito to reprise his iconic role as Phil. As for Hudson, her previous experience with the character, as well as the number of fans who are keen to see her in the role as one of the iconic Muses, could get Disney’s attention. After all, it certainly couldn’t hurt Hercules to have an Academy Award winner among its cast.
While there is little information to go on, it could be sometime before Disney announces Hercules‘ cast or if Hudson will play Calliope. With Hudson having clear enthusiasm for the role and with her being a household name, Disney may seriously consider the actress. In addition to her Oscar win, Hudson is no stranger to musical adaptations, so she could be a worthy addition to the cast. Disney’s fan expo D23 was postponed until late 2022 due to COVID-19, but hopefully the highly-anticipated event will give some more insight on the live-action Hercules remake.