HAIRSPRAY - HAIRSPRAY SAYS GOODBYE TO BALTIMORE

The producers of much-anticipated movie musical HAIRSPRAY have upset film fans in Baltimore, Maryland by deciding to shoot the project in Canada. The original Hairspray movie and hit Broadway musical were set in Baltimore, where quirky film-maker JOHN WATERS, the creator of the concept film, hails from. It even features the song GOOD MORNING, BALTIMORE. But the new movie, starring JOHN TRAVOLTA, QUEEN LATIFAH and BILLY CRYSTAL, will turn its back on Maryland and take advantage of tax breaks and studio space in Toronto, Canada. Producer CRAIG ZADAN says, "No offence to Baltimore is intended." Zadan tells newspaper the Baltimore Sun that he had hoped to shoot parts of Maryland for background shots in the film, but that was abandoned and now the US city will be rebuilt on a sound stage in Toronto. Waters, who is a consultant on the new movie, says, "Do I wish the film was shot in Baltimore? Yes. But I'm not going to go against the film because of that... They certainly didn't change the name of the song to Good Morning, Toronto." Meanwhile, blonde actress BRITTANY SNOW has been added to the star-studded cast. MICHELLE PFEIFFER was also added earlier this week (beg17JUL06).