Like Batman reboots, but not quite as often as Dracula, “A Star Is Born” returns to movie screens with regularity. Now Bradley Cooper is meant to make his directorial debut with the fourth version of the tragic story paralleling the rise of a star and the fall of her lover/mentor.
The key role of Esther was played by Janet Gaynor in 1937, Judy Garland in 1954 and Barbra Streisand in 1976.
Beyoncé was attached to a remake to be directed by Clint Eastwood, but they both eventually bailed out. It’s not impossible for Bey to circle back to Esther, but let’s look at other contenders — and they have to be stars already, because plucking an unknown just doesn’t work for this role.
Alicia Keys
Keys hasn’t done much acting, but anyone who’s seen her perform wouldn’t be surprised if she turned out to be a natural.
Mariah Carey
Her cult bomb “Glitter” was basically “A Star Is Born” under another name, and she’s sharpened her acting chops since then — remember “Precious”? Some may argue she may be a little, er, ripe to play the young Esther, but there’s an easy fix for that: Cast a kid who looks like her.
Jennifer Lopez
It would be a savvy career move: Esther is the Oscar-bait part that would finally exorcise decades of crappy rom-coms and prove “Selena” wasn’t a fluke.
Pink
Pink only has one real acting gig under her belt, “Thanks for Sharing” (credited under her real name, Alecia Moore). She can do a lot more — call it a hunch — and certainly has the charisma required to carry a movie.
Natalie Portman
Who said “A Star Is Born” must be a musical? The 1937 version wasn’t, after all. Portman can play vulnerable, she can play strong, she can play cray-cray. She can play Esther.
Channing Tatum
Who said “A Star Is Born” must be straight?