Scarlett Johansson Snubbed Lloyd Webber.

26 March 2008

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Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber was left devastated after Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson snubbed a starring role in his hit musical adaptation of The Sound Of Music.The musical maestro fell for the screen starlet's vocal talents after he spent hours on the roof of an exclusive Los Angeles hotel practicing show tunes with her.And he was eager for the Lost In Translation star to take the lead role of Maria in the musical - insisting Johansson is a "natural star" for the stage.However, their musical rendezvous was left tarnished - after the star had to decline the part due to her busy moviemaking schedule.The musical mogul tells Britain's Heat magazine, "She certainly has the voice to do it. She's terrific, a natural star for musicals".Meanwhile in seperate news the musical king Lloyd Webber is begging writing partner Sir Tim Rice to hurry up and finish the lyrics for the pair's Phantom Of The Opera sequel.Lloyd Webber boasts he's finished the score for the musical already - and claims Rice is holding up plans to get the show on Broadway, New York and London's West End.He says, "Tim is brilliant, but he likes to do whatever comes easily. I'm fond of him, but he's most irritating. Because really he should be doing the lyrics for the new Phantom. He knows he should phone me".

Lloyd Webber admits he is anxious about the sequel, claiming it has no hope of emulating the success of the original, which first opened in London in 1986.

He adds, "It's a great story and I think I've written a fairly strong score.

But this show will be the toughest thing I've ever done. Even if it is the greatest thing ever written, it will never come up to what the first one was commercially".

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