The Sound of Music (film) of the film; the actor accepted after being assured that he could work with Lehman to improve the character; Plummer later described himself as having become quite arrogant at the time, "spoiled by too many great theater roles". Wise also spent considerable time and effort on casting the secondary characters. For the role of Max Detweiler, Wise initially considered Victor Borge, Noël Coward, and Hal Holbrook among others before deciding on Richard Haydn. For the character of Baroness Elsa Schraeder, Wise looked for a "name" actress—Andrews and Plummer were not yet widely known to film audiences—and decided on Eleanor Parker.
The Sound of Music Live! that Anne Hathaway, who played Fantine in the 2012 film adaptation of "Les Misérables" for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, would have been a better choice. "The Sound of Music Live!" received mixed reviews from entertainment critics, commending the show for its scope and supporting cast while questioning Underwood's acting capabilities. Kevin Fallon of "The Daily Beast" wrote: "Naturally, Underwood sounded astounding, as alive as those damned hills, every time she was asked to stand on top of things and belt. But whether it was because of nerves or lack of experience, her acting was