When Lifetime announced that it was undertaking a Beaches remake with Frozen’s Idina Menzel in the Bette “C.C.” Midler role, we joked that the Tony winner would be the wind beneath the project’s wings. But fans of the original movie will recall that it was actually C.C. who needed help remaining aloft, which she got from her best friend Hillary, who was played with beaming beauty and waxen distress by Barbara Hershey. The young pen pals became single ladies in the big city together; and even though a rift kept them apart for years, C.C. dropped everything to be at Hillary’s side when her friend fell ill.
Now we know who will send Menzel running from the Hollywood Bowl in a mad dash to the airport. TV Line reports that Nia Long (The Best Man Holiday) has been cast as the human rights attorney whose life is cut tragically short, though not before inspiring her chanteuse friend. Long’s previous TV project, the Uncle Buck remake, wasn’t long for the (broadcast) world either. She was set to reprise her role as the ambitious Jordan in The Best Man Wedding, but production on that film has been delayed.
Allison Anders (Ring Of Fire) is directing the remake, which will feature new versions of old songs—we can’t wait to hear what Menzel does with the original’s most famous track—as well as some new additions. Production is already underway, and Lifetime’s eyeing a 2017 premiere date.