High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens will join actress Julianne Hough in Fox's planned TV adaptation of the 1978 classic Grease. Although the special won't air until 2016, Grease: Live is the network's answer to NBC's The Sound of Music and, more recently, Peter Pan. The pair will portray Sandy and Rizzo, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"Grease is one of the most treasured and favored pop culture phenomenons of our time. It's fun, it's endearing and we are so excited to reimagine this iconic story with a shared entertainment event suited for today's audience," executive producer Marc Platt, who worked on movies like Into the Woods and Drive, said.
The beloved musical, which starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, is a wise pick-up for the network. The Sound of Music brought in 18.5 million viewers and NBC is planning to begin work on a live version of The Wiz or The Music Man later in 2015.
The stars shared their excitement in separate statements.
"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. 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," Hough, who worked on Rock of Ages and the Footloose reboot, said.
"Being Rizzo is something I've never imagined, and I love that because it will be a new challenge," Hudgens added. "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!"
Grease: Live is scheduled to premiere next January.
