Chance lost for perfect pairing
Scenario has finalised the cast for the upcoming "Si Phan Din: The Musical", the stage version of the much-admired novel by the late MR Kukrit Pramoj.
We earlier reported that director Takolkiat Veeravarn was eyeing Chatchai Plengpanich to portray Khun Prem, the husband of the lead female character, Mae Ploy.
That would have been great because his real-life wife Sinjai is doing Mae Ploy, and he's a good-looking guy and a talented actor and singer. And he once portrayed Khun Prem on a Channel 3 show!
Some dreams just don't come true, though. Chatchai declined to take the role, saying he'll be too busy keeping his and Sinjai's TV production company going while she's wrapped up in the musical.
By way of compensation, audiences will get to see veteran actor Kriangkrai Unhanand play Khun Prem instead, and he's certainly no slouch onstage.
And by way of compensation for Chatchai, the role is being split up between two actors. Kriangkrai will play the older Khun Prem and Napat "Kan The Star" Injaiuea will be the young Khun Prem.
Always nice when they discover they need two people to do your job.
Too much fun
Meanwhile we're getting to see how well actor Mario Maurer prepared for his role in Yuthlert Sippapak's latest movie, "Bangkok Kung Fu" that's just hit cinemas.
Mario plays a young man whose savage beating leaves him with mental problems, so the director had him visit disabled youngsters.
In fact, Maurio says, he didn't learn anything at the school for children with special needs.
"I guess I just spent all my time playing with the kids and forgot to memorise how they behave," he grins.
Yuthlert, not especially amused, sent him some videos to study instead. We're thinking he must have watched Sean Penn in "I am Sam" a few dozen times.
