Funny Girl producers say they were 'not blindsided ' by Beanie Feldstein's early exit
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"Don't tell me not to fly" to the latest news story on the Funny Girl casting drama. "I've simply got to."
Until the saga of Beanie Feldstein and Lea Michele's involvement with the musical becomes a season of Ryan Murphy's Feud, we'll have to make do with the disputable stream of intel on the Broadway production.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images; Arturo Holmes/Getty Images Lea Michele is taking over the role of Fanny Brice in Broadway's 'Funny Girl' from Beanie Feldstein.
In the wake of Feldstein's sudden departure from the show, which she announced on social media, rumors emerged that producers were blindsided by her decision to leave earlier than first announced. But it appears Act II of this story has begun, with the chatter now being denied.
In a joint statement provided to PEOPLE, Feldstein's reps and producers for the revival insist the team behind the show were not "blindsided" by the Booksmart star leaving the role, as has been alleged by some media outlets.
"The producers of Funny Girl were not blindsided by Beanie's social post," the statement reads. "The producers decided to take the show in a different direction and end Beanie's contract on September 25th, six months earlier than anticipated. A month after that decision, Beanie decided it was best for her to leave on July 31st. The producers were aware of and in support of her decision. The producers and Beanie worked on this together professionally, respectfully, and graciously."
If you need a quick recap, here goes. Previously on the Funny Girl Broadway blowup:
Feldstein made her debut as Funny Girl's iconic Fanny Brice in April. Even before the curtain went up, social media had been abuzz with talk that Michele was disappointed by not being a part of the show which she has a long history with - something Michele herself denied.
Matthew Murphy Beanie Feldstein in 'Funny Girl'
The run, which also featured Michele's Glee costar Jane Lynch, faced a few blows after it was mostly snubbed at the Tony Awards, and Feldstein had to miss a number of performances due to testing positive for COVID-19. In that time, her standby, Julie Benko, stepped into the role and quickly generated a fanbase, along with vocal supporters on TikTok.
It didn't help that the reviews were lackluster, including toward Feldstein's performance.
"It's hard to escape the feeling that Feldstein, for all her fourth-wall winks and bright enthusiasm, is fundamentally miscast," wrote EW critic Leah Greenblatt. "This Girl needs a force majeure, not a light breeze, to make it sing."
Feldstein's return to the show came with an announcement that she would be leaving at the end of September, breaking what was initially a one-year commitment. News Lynch would also suddenly be stepping away from the stage venture broke shortly thereafter. But just a month later, the 29-year-old shocked many, when she revealed she would be stepping down at the end of July instead. She cites the show's "different direction" as the reason.
Michele's name instantly surfaced as her possible replacement. The Glee alum, herself a Broadway veteran, was later officially confirmed to be the new Fanny Brice. The decision comes with its own controversy.
We don't know about anyone else, but we're getting some series Smash vibes. The short lived 2012 series, starring Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty as two Broadway performers vying for a signature role, had just as much drama behind the scenes as on screen and the recent Funny Girl makes one want to revisit the musical series, which has gained a cult following over the years.
Michele's first performance is slated for Sept. 6. In the meantime, Benko will take the stage as the beloved character.
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