Friday, August 24, 2007

Out in Film: John Barrowman

A huge star in the United Kingdom, John Barrowman is fast becoming one to watch on this side of the pond as well.

A consummate triple threat, Barrowman began his stage career opposite none other then Elaine Paige in Cole Porter's Anything Goes. Leading roles followed in such West End hits as Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera and Sunset Boulevard (with Betty Buckley and, later, Paige again). He would later reprise his Joe Gillis on Broadway, where he also starred in the Stephen Sondheim review Putting It Together with Carol Burnett.

A fixture on the "telly" in Britain, Barrowman appeared on American screens in the short-lived prime time soaps Central Park West and Titans. On film, he has had memorable musical roles in De-Lovely and The Producers.

But it is his role as the sexy, outspoken Captain Jack Harkness on the BBC's Doctor Who reboot that has truly made him a star. The bisexual space adventurer proved so popular that a successful spin-off series, Torchwood, was soon launched (don't worry; the series will make its way to US DVD early next year).

Considering all the movie musicals in the works of late, somebody needs to snatch up Barrowman for a major role to show America what England has known all along: this guy has got it.

Links via Imdb.com and TVShowsOnDVD.com.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

He would be great in the remake of Sunset Boulevard.