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2020 has been an unprecedented time for the film world, as countless projects were pushed back amid global health issues. And with such limited released over the course of the year, 2019's movies have remained at the top of audience's minds. That's certainly the case with Tom Hooper's infamous Cats movie, which arrived last Holiday Season and quickly went viral for all the wrong reasons. And it turns out that Hamilton's Anthony Ramos auditioned for the ill-fated movie musical, and he released his audition tape.
While there were limited movie options this year, Disney+ put out the Hamilton movie early-- to delight of subscribers. This helped Anthony Ramos become a household name, thanks to his duel performance as John Laurens and Phillip Schuyler. And it turns out that he submitted a tape for the Cats movie, auditioning to pay Jason Derulo's role Rum Tum Tugger. He recently posted that self-tape, showing off some killer vocals and dance moves in the process. Check it out below.
While Anthony Ramos didn't end up getting the role in Cats, the Hamilton actor definitely didn't throw away his shot. He showed off the talents that landed him on the great white way, eventually leading to a career that includes, TV, film, and original music. And given Cats' reception upon hitting theaters last December, there's no telling how Ramos feels about the missed opportunity.
The above video comes to us from the personal Instagram of Anthony Ramos. Self-tapes are a common occurrence for both the stage and film world, especially now that people are spending more time in isolation. And when Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper was assembling an all-star cast for the Jellicle Ball, Ramos put his name in the running for none other than Rum Tum Tugger himself.
Cats is currently available on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
While Anthony Ramos would have brought a ton of charisma and stellar vocals to the role of Rum Tum Tugger, Cats director Tom Hooper and company ultimately gave the role to recording artist Jason Derulo. While he's not necessarily known as an actor, Derulo gave a standout performance and was one of the few roles that wasn't immediately made into a meme. That is, until Derulo claimed that his package was edited out via visual effects. As a reminder, you can check out his song from Cats below.
As for Anthony Ramos, he's managed to keep plenty busy despite not landing the role of Rum Tum Tugger. His performance in Hamilton was recently shared around the world, while he kept busy with other projects. He's playing the lead role of Usnavi for the In The Heights movie, and was seen in projects like Honest Thief and Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It.
Cats already has a place in film history thanks to its wild visuals and the general public's shocked reaction to its contents. While Tom Hooper was given massive acclaim for his work on Les Miserables, adapting Andrew Lloyd Webber's feline-focused musical had a unique share of challenges. But it also has the potential to gain a cult following as years go by, especially given its initial reception.
Anthony Ramos can be seen in In The Heights, which set to hit theaters June 18th, 2021 after a year-long delay. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the new year.
