NikkiBlonsky Tagged Articles at Cinematical

I'm trying to decide whether this Harold pic is getting pretty interesting, or teetering over the edge into cliche. Earlier this month, Erik Davis brought word that Abigail Breslin's big brother, Spencer Breslin, was going to star in the upcoming film as Harold -- a prematurely-balding kid who has trouble adapting to his new school. So far, so normal. There was also Cuba Gooding Jr., who is also one of the movie's producers, signed on as a janitor who helps the kid. Now we've got three more starring names -- two of which bring back lots of 80's memories -- Ally Sheedy, Colin Quinn and Nikki Blonsky.

Sheedy, who is probably best known for her too-cool klepto girl Allison in The Breakfast Club, is going to play Harold's mom, who tries to help her son cope with all the baldy teasing. So far - so normal. Now here is where I raise a brow: Quinn, who was the announcer years ago on MTV's Remote Control, will play "Reedy, a drunken barfly who's a regular at a strip club Harold frequents." So, the teased kid spends a majority of his time at a strip club -- I guess he gets in easily because of the baldness? Hopefully this won't fall in a cliche where the older, sexy women accompany him to the prom or something, showing his classmates that he's so cool, and assuring Harold that he'll find a special girl soon -- and then, well, then he finally notices his best friend, who loved him all along.

Nikki Blonsky, whose first role was in the recent Hairspray remake as Tracy Turnblad, will play Harold's nerdy best friend. Coincidentally, Harold has just began shooting in Blonsky's hometown of Great Neck, N.Y., at her old middle school to boot. She says of her role: "I'm playing an outcast again, but not necessarily because of the whole 'plus-size' thing. It's because my character marches to the beat of her own drummer." There's definitely a beat to this film, but hopefully one that won't fall prey to all the cliches spinning around in my head.

John Waters 1988 hit movie-turned-Broadway-musical is heading back to the big screen on July 20 -- this time as a musical -- with Adam Shankman (The Wedding Planner) at the helm and a bevy of A-list stars in the cast. We have an exclusive first look at 10 Hairspray character posters below, from an in-drag John Travolta to a still-smokin' Michelle Pfeiffer. Click on the images for larger versions.

Newcomer Nikki Blonsky stars as Tracy Turnblad, a chubby teen who wins a spot on the American Bandstand-esque Corny Collins Show in 1962 Baltimore. Amanda Bynes plays Tracy's saucy best pal Penny Pingleton.

John Travolta plays the plump Edna Turnblad, mother of the aforementioned aspiring dancer. Yes, that's correct: A virtually unrecognizable Travolta plays a woman. And he's married to Christopher Walken. Great stuff.