It’s official: Jimmy Fallon and his beard are taking a stroll from 30 Rock over to Broadway. When chatting with Cameron Crowe during The Tonight Show, Crowe invited Fallon to reprise his role as Dennis Hope for select surprise performances of the musical. Is this why Fallon grew out his beard? Was he preparing to play the manager Dennis again and knew he had to look the part? Originally, Fallon said his time with Dolly Parton inspired his bearded look. Sure. But after rumors of Almost Famous making its Broadway debut this November, perhaps he was getting ready to hang with the band and become Dennis Hope again.
Crowe wanted to bridge the gap between the old cast and the new cast, as well as adjust the story to feature a more adult Fallon. “I rewrote the scene for an advanced Jimmy fever. I really wanted to get a scene worthy of you,” explained Crowe. During their chat, he showed an old note that Fallon wrote when he asked the cast and crew for suggestions on what to name the film. Suggestions included: What Music Can Do…, I’m With the Band, The 33 1/2 Incher, and Doin’ It. None of them saw the light of day, but Fallon still had an influence on the legacy of Almost Famous 20 years later. While Fallon and beard are officially ready to rock, the show is still waiting to hear back if Fallon’s old glasses have signed their contract.
