Wouldn't It Be AbFab?! Madonna, Emma Watson, Billy Porter & More Make the Cut for Our Fantasy Musical Cast

Now that Absolutely Fabulous’ creator Jennifer Saunders is officially working on a movie version of the classic 1990s sitcom about a champagne-guzzling, drug-abusing, chain-smoking publicist and those (un)fortunate enough to be in her orbit, we think the show is ripe to be a musical. Saunders already has some experience writing a tuner with the Spice Girls extravaganza Viva Forever!, so imagine the girl-power fireworks that would be on display if she teamed up with Kinky Boots’ Tony winner Cyndi Lauper! We're sure the TV show would make an absolutely fabulous Broadway show, especially with our fantasy cast. Take a look.


Madonna as Edina "Eddy" Monsoon (played onscreen by Jennifer Saunders)
Eddy is on a constant quest to remain young and cool despite being middle-aged and twice divorced. For some reason the Grammy-winning Madonna came to mind. She’s got Broadway experience (from her long ago gig in Speed-the Plow), is "familiar" with British accents, has musical know-how from her Golden Globe-winnng performance in the Evita movie and can definitely keep a live audience entertained.


Billy Porter as Patsy Stone (played onscreen by Joanna Lumley)
A former model, the always chic Patsy is well-known for her love of a party and the outrageous antic or two. However, she also has a sensitive side. Lumley's portrayal has become an icon for drag queens the world over and there's only one person on the planet who could step into Patsy's Kinky Boots: Tony winner Billy Porter!


Emma Watson as Saffron "Saffy" Monsoon (played onscreen by Julia Sawalha)
Watson’s Harry Potter co-stars Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe have already appeared onstage and we think it's high time Watson tread the boards. The popular star might have to tone down her English rose looks, but she would be perfect as the polar opposite of her wild-child mother Eddy. And since Radcliffe won a Broadway.com Audience Choice Award for his turn in musical theater, we only think it's fair that a girl Gryffindor does as well!


Maggie Smith as Mother (played onscreen by June Whitfield)
Dame Maggie recently complained that she was looking for theater work but doesn’t get any offers. We'd like to change that. Given the jolt of humor she weekly pumps into Downton Abbey, Smith would be superb at stirring up the tension between Edina and Saffy with Mother's “helpful” comments. Can she sing? Who cares! She's Maggie Smith!


Jessie J as Bubble (played onscreen by Jane Horrocks) 
Eddy’s personal assistant Bubble favors flamboyant outfits, is fluent in French… and slightly lacking in common sense. Jessie J undeniably has the musical theater chops to nail the role—she made her West End debut at the age of 11 in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Whistle Down the Wind. Sure, casting directors would pick Annaleigh Ashford, Alli Mauzey and Leslie Kritzer for this (they'd be great!), but we also think Jessie J would be—wait for it—absolutely fabulous!