Jennifer Lopez To Star In NBC’s ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ Live Special

Carl Williott | October 28, 2016 11:18 am

Despite the diminishing returns, the major networks have no plans to stop producing musical specials, because in Hollywood once a concept works it becomes an unkillable Michael Myers blood menace. NBC’s 2016 iteration, Hairspray Live!, hasn’t even aired yet, but they’ve already announced that Jennifer Lopez will star in the network’s 2017 Bye Bye Birdie production.

She’ll play Rosie, the role that originated with Chita Rivera on Broadway in 1960 and was played by Janet Leigh in the 1963 film. JLo will also be one of the executive producers. In fact, according to Deadline, NBC Entertainment chariman Bob Greenblatt said JLo brought the idea to him in the first place because she performs a Birdie number in her Vegas show. Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein will write the script.

Bye Bye Birdie Live! will air next December.