Trivia for
Dreamgirls (2006)

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• Loretta Devine, who plays the jazz singer in the wake scene, created the role of Lorrell Robinson in the original Broadway production of "Dreamgirls" in 1981. Actor Hinton Battle, who plays Curtis' aide Wayne, was also a replacement for the role of James "Thunder" Early in the original production.
  
  
• Beyoncé Knowles auditioned in full costume and performed with choreography. She has said she considers this her first film as an actress.
  
  
• Cameo: [Debra Zane (casting director)] Upset White Woman in Miami Beach club
  
  

• After the original stage production proved successful, the film version went through several incarnations. In the late 1980s Whitney Houston was considered for the role of Deena, but negotiations fell through when Houston insisted that Deena sing some of Effie's songs, specifically, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", as well. In the early 1990s, after the success of What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), Joel Schumacher was set to direct, with Lauryn Hill set to play Deena and Kelly Price to play Effie. However, after the box-office failure of several other musical biopics, the project was again shelved. After the success of Chicago (2002), the producers approached Bill Condon, who had long considered an adaptation his dream project.
  
  
• Beyoncé Knowles lost twenty pounds on a diet of water and cayenne pepper both to appear younger (as her character is only a teenager when the film begins) as well as to better match the petite female styles of the film's era.
  
  
• Bill Condon specifically scheduled "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" as the last scene to be filmed to give Jennifer Hudson the most time possible to grow into her character.
  
  
• Both Will Smith and Terrence Howard were considered for the role of Curtis Taylor, Jr.
  
  
• Singer Usher Raymond was the first choice for the role of C.C. White, but turned it down due to scheduling conflicts. R&B singer Omarion Grandberry was also briefly considered before Keith Robinson was cast.
  
  
• Bill Condon attended the opening night performance of the original Broadway production of "Dreamgirls" at the Imperial Theatre, New York City, on 20 December 1981.
  
  
• Dreamgirls opened at the Imperial Theater on December 20, 1981 and ran for 1521 performances.
  
  
• Jennifer Hudson is said to have gained twenty pounds in order to play the role of Effie White.
  
  
• Jennifer Hudson beat out 782 other actresses for the role of Effie White, including her former "American Idol: The Search for a Superstar" (2002) rival Fantasia Barrino.
  
  
• Jamie Foxx is said to have declined to play Curtis Taylor Jr. because the salary offered was insufficient. Denzel Washington is said to have been offered the part after Foxx, but to have declined because he cannot sing. Once Beyoncé Knowles and Eddie Murphy were attached to the production, Foxx accepted the role.
  
  
• Shipped to theaters under the code name "Drama".
  
  
• Cameo: [Fatima Robinson (choreographer)] one of the Stepp Sisters
  
  
• In the scene where "The Dreams" stand in front of a huge replica of their first album entitled "Meet The Dreams", the cover art is an almost identical replica of The Supremes 1965 album called "More Hits by the Supremes". On the other hand, the photos of "The Dreams" on that cover are near identical poses from another Supremes album from 1966 called "The Supremes A Go-Go".
  
  
• The jokes that Bobby Slayton tells in the Miami night club were taken verbatim from Don Rickles's 1968 album "Hello, Dummy!"
  
  
• Effie walks in with an album on "Rainbow Records" of Martin Luther King's "Great March To Freedom" record, recorded in Detroit, June 23, 1963. This is one of the few actual record covers in the movie; it was actually released as Gordy 906 (a Motown label).
  
  
• Anika Noni Rose had to wear six inch heels while filming the title musical number as to appear in frame with Beyoncé Knowles and Jennifer Hudson. Rose is 5'2", while Knowles is 5'7" and Hudson is 5'9".
  
  
• Effie (Jennifer Hudson) is supposed to be older than Michelle (Sharon Leal). In real-life Leal is 9 years older than Hudson.
  
  
• Cameo: [Shutchai Tym Buacharern (makeup department head)] drag queen with fan during "One Night Only (Disco)" sequence
  
  
• Cameo: [Durrell "Tank" Babbs (R&B singer, associate music producer)] one of the chorus singers for the "Patience" recording session.
  
  
• 'Beyonce Knowles' lost weight during a break in filming to make herself look older for the more mature Deena Jones.
  
  

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