Julianne Hough and Vanessa Hudgens Starring in 'Grease Live!' on NBC as Sandy and Rizzo
FOX has announced that Julianne Hough and Vanessa Hudgens will be playing Sandy and Rizzo in the upcoming live staging of Grease.
Sandy was originally played by Olivia Newton-John while Rizzo was played by Stockard Channing in the 1978 movie of the same title.
"Grease is one of the movies that made me want to be an entertainer, and I have literally been waiting my whole life to play Sandy," Hough said in a statement on Saturday, Jan. 17. "My siblings and I watched it and played it out over and over when we were kids. This is my dream role and performing it live on television will be one of the most thrilling opportunities I've had in my career so far," according to a report by US Weekly.
Hudgens is just as excited to belt it out at Rydell High School. "Being Rizzo is something I've never imagined, and I love that because it will be a new challenge, she is such an iconic character that continues to transcend generations. I cannot wait to bring her to life on live television. I'm going to be a Pink Lady!"
This new project is a follow up after Carrie Underwood's Sound of Music Live! and Allison Williams' Peter Pan Live! on NBC.
Hough and Hudgens have been veterans with musical castings. Hough was a wannabe singer for Rock of Ages and a dancing child of a Pastor for the Footloose reboot. While Hudgens came from the highly successful High School Musical, which has catapulted her to international stardom.