EXCLUSIVE: More than three years ago, when writer-director Cameron Crowe appeared with David Crosby on NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon — the duo were plugging their documentary David Crosby: Remember My Name — Crowe made a casual pledge to his old Almost Famous actor Fallon that when the then-developing musical adaptation of the film makes it to Broadway, Fallon has an open invitation to reprise his role as harried (and hairy) band manager Dennie Hope.
“I’m speechless,” Fallon said at the time.
He’ll likely have more to say tonight when Crowe returns to the show to promote the musical Almost Famous, which opens at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on Broadway Thursday. Deadline hears from Crowe himself that Fallon will indeed drop by the musical on occasion — how often, and when, is under wraps for now — to take on his old role. The talk show host has even grown a beard to be ready at a moment’s notice.
“In the spirit of the musical and the cast being our ‘band,’ we love the idea of our favorites and future favorites dropping in to ‘jam,’” Crowe told Deadline. “The whole thing began with Jimmy — as the link between the two [film and musical] casts.”
Fallon won’t be the only special guest performer. Crowe confirmed for Deadline that MSNBC journalist John Heilemann has expressed interest in doing a drop-by as David Felton, the Rolling Stone reporter played in the film by Rainn Wilson. Again, no dates just yet, but it’ll happen.
The stage roles are usually portrayed by Jakeim Hart (who plays Hope) and Van Hughes (Felton). Safe to assume they’re OK with the jam.
Here’s Crowe’s July 17, 2019, appearance on Tonight:
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