Michelle Pfeiffer Joins Hairspray Film as Velma Von Tussle

Michelle Pfeiffer is set to play bigoted schemer Velma Von Tussle in the film adaptation of Hairspray. She joins previously reported stars Nicole Blonsky, John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Amanda Bynes, Zac Efron and Elijah Kelley in the film. The release date for the film has also been pushed from summer 2007 to December 21, 2007, according to Variety.

This is not the first time Pfeiffer will appear in a musical film—early in her career, she starred in Grease 2. Pfeiffer also sang in The Fabulous Baker Boys, for which she received an Oscar nomination. She also received Oscar nominations for her work in Dangerous Liaisons and Love Field. Her other film credits include Scarface, Ladyhawke, The Witches of Eastwick, Married to the Mob, Tequila Sunrise, Frankie and Johnny, Batman Returns, The Age of Innocence, Dangerous Minds, Up Close & Personal, One Fine Day, A Thousand Acres, The Deep End of the Ocean, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Story of Us, What Lies Beneath, I Am Sam and White Oleander.

In Hairspray, Velma Von Tussle is a former beauty queen who now runs the station that airs The Corny Collins Show. In the stage musical, that character's big number is "The Legend of Miss Baltimore Crabs," however that song will not be featured in the film; instead a new showcase number for Velma is being written by Hairspray songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

The big screen adaptation of Hairspray will begin filming on September 5. Plans to shoot in Baltimore, where the story takes place, have been cancelled. All filming will now be done in Toronto.