Fox has announced the lineup for its live musical version of Rent. Vanessa Hudgens, who starred as Rizzo in Fox’s Grease Live, will play Maureen Johnson, a performance artist protesting a real estate development plan to evict the homeless. Maureen’s girlfriend, Joanne, will be played by Kiersey Clemons. Dancing With the Stars winner Jordan Fisher will appear as aspiring filmmaker Mark Cohen while Brennin Hunt and singer Tinashe will play star-crossed lovers Roger Davis and Mimi Marquez, a musician and a dancer respectively who are both HIV positive. RuPaul’s Drag Race favorite Valentina will take on the role of Angel and Brandon Victor Dixon, who played Judas in last spring’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, will play Tom Collins. Finally Mario rounds out the cast as Benjamin Coffin III. Jonathan Larson’s Tony- and Pulitzer-winning rock musical follows a group of New York City artists dealing with the HIV/AIDS crisis in 1989. Rent will air live Jan. 27, 2019 at 7 p.m. on Fox.
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