New Line Cinema is launching a nationwide open casting call for the role of Tracy Turnblad in "Hairspray," which is expected to shoot in the summer in Toronto and Baltimore reports Variety.
Open calls for Tracy, as well as Seaweed and Li'l Inez, are set for Feb. 4 in Atlanta, Feb. 11 in Gotham and Feb. 18 in Chicago. Tracy was portrayed by Ricki Lake in the 1988 film and by Marissa Jaret Winokur in the musical onstage.
As reported, studio's in talks with John Travolta, Billy Crystal and Queen Latifah. Travolta's been expected to play Edna Turnblad, the role Harvey Fierstein originated onstage, with Crystal as Wilbur Turnblad. Latifah, who worked with director Adam Shankman in "Bringing Down the House," is expected to portray Motormouth Maybelle.
The film will be released Summer 2007.
