Becoming Apart of the Rent Family

Rent got a film adaptation in 2005, three years before it closed on Broadway. Even though the majority of the was the original Broadway actors for Rent, there were still some new faces to be seen.

Rosario Dawson as Mimi
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Rosario Dawson was cast as Mimi Marquez, “a beautiful dancer who happens to be a hopeless heroin addict who is also HIV-positive.” She mentioned in her interview with Jet Magazine that she wanted to audition because “the show can change lives as well as attitudes about AIDS, homosexuality, poverty and illness.” She also felt drawn to the character because she could identify with the setting of Rent. Jet Magazine describes the setting as “...an area populated by homeless drug addicts, drag queens, musicians, and actors. Many illegally live as squatters in buildings scheduled to be renovated and, for many months, haven't paid any rent.” She mentioned in her interview that, “...she knew she could play Mimi was that she had grown up squatting in the same area the show is set- the lower east side of Manhattan.” This shows how much she wanted this role and felt that the movie had an issue that needed to be addressed.

Tracie Thoms as Joanne
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Another actress compelled to audition was Tracie Thoms. She landed the role of Joanne, a lawyer
who is dating Mark’s ex-girlfriend, Maureen. Thoms is a huge rent fan (otherwise known as a Renthead) and landing this role was a dream come true for her. She mentioned in her interview with Jet that “Rent was a little bit of an obsession for me for a while...So, to actually be a part of it now, for someone to say to me, 'Okay, you, the big fan of these actors ... come be in the movie with there'--it was great and really scary at the same time.”

Many may wonder what the rest of the cast thought of these actresses entering the Rent family. Jet Magazine sat down with Jesse L. Martin, who portrays Tom Collins, says, “Rosario and Tracie found a way to become part of our family almost instantaneously...They fit like a glove. I'm so glad they were there because I got to make two new friends as well.”

With two new faces entering the family of Rent actors, this makes for a compelling new adaptation of the Broadway hit musical

(2005). Rosario Dawson: gets to show her singing and sexy dancing skills in movie version of ‘Rent’. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T003&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm¤tPosition=32&docId=GALE%7CA139434580&docType=Biography%2C+Cover+story&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodId=ITOF&contentSet=GALE%7CA139434580&searchId=R2&userGroupName=azstatelibdev&inPS=true

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