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Aaron Tveit set for iconic role of Danny Zuko in 'Grease: Live'

by jmaloni

Submitted

Thu, Jul 9th 2015 04:20 pm

Carlos PenaVega joins as Zuko's sidekick, Kenickie

"Grease: Live" airs Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, on FOX

Broadway star Aaron Tveit ("Graceland," "Les Miserables") has been cast as "Grease's" legendary leading man, Danny Zuko in Fox Broadcasting Company and Paramount Television's live production of "Grease: Live," airing Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016 (7-10 p.m. ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. Additionally, Carlos PenaVega ("Big Time Rush") will play Kenickie, Zuko's tough-guy sidekick.

Tveit and PenaVega join Julianne Hough ("Safe Haven," "Rock of Ages"), who stars as the angelic Sandy, Vanessa Hudgens ("High School Musical") as bad girl Rizzo, and Keke Palmer ("Scream Queens") as Marty.

"I'm thrilled and honored to be joining this incredibly talented team of actors in reimagining this classic and beloved musical," Tveit said. "Playing Danny Zuko is a dream role and I can't wait to be a part of all the fun that comes along with performing live on television."

Tveit is an American theater, television and film actor. Currently, he can be seen in his starring role in the cable series "Graceland," as FBI rookie Mike Warren. Prior to "Graceland," Tveit portrayed the character Enjolras in the 2012 film adaption of "Les Miserables." On Broadway, he starred in "Catch Me If You Can," and also created the role of Gabe in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical, "Next To Normal," which he developed off-Broadway at the Second Stage Theatre and won the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance.

Television audiences know him from his recurring role of Trip Van der Bilt on "Gossip Girl," as well as numerous guest-starring roles on "The Good Wife," "Ugly Betty" and "Law And Order: Special Victims Unit."

PenaVega is best known for starring as Carlos GarcĂ­a on the cable series "Big Time Rush." He also was a member of the band Big Time Rush. Other credits include the film "Spare Parts," in which he starred alongside George Lopez and Marisa Tomei, as well as television series' "E.R." and "Summerland." Having studied musical theater at the Boston Conservatory, PenaVega released his first solo single in Spanish, "Electrico," in 2014, which charted in the top 10 on the Latin iTunes songs charts.

"Grease: Live" is executive-produced by Marc Platt ("Wicked," "Into the Woods"). Thomas Kail ("Hamilton," "In the Heights") is the director overseeing the stage direction and Alex Rudzinski ("Dancing with the Stars") will serve as the live television director. Broadway writers Robert Cary ("Anything but Love," "Ira & Abby") and Jonathan Tolins ("Buyer & Cellar," "The Last Sunday in June") will write the live television adaptation. "Grease: Live" is based on the original musical "Grease" by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, and Paramount Pictures' 1978 feature adaptation. It is a Paramount Television production.

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