Channel Hop: Both the 1988 and 2007 films are owned by Warner Bros. through New Line Cinema, but the Live show, being produced for NBC, is distributed by Universal Television. However, Warner Bros. Television and New Line were still involved, as was Sony Pictures Television, Universal's partner on the previous live shows.
Cut Song: "The New Girl in Town" was cut from the stage musical, but reinstated in the 2007 film.
Dawson Casting: Although Tracy is a teen, Maddie Baillio was 20 when she got the role for Hairspray Live!.
Production Posse: NBC reunited at least four of the people behind their critically-acclaimed The Wiz telecast to adapt Hairspray for television: producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (who produced all of the musicals NBC aired during The New '10s, and also did the same for the 2007 Hairspray film), director Kenny Leon (who collaborated with Zadan and Meron three times before Hairspray), and scriptwriter Harvey Fierstein. The actress cast as Velma, Kristin Chenoweth, had also previously appeared in three other productions produced by Zadan and Meron.
Promoted Fangirl: Ariana Grande has admitted to wanting to play Penny Pingleton for years by the time she landed the role in the TV version. Dove Cameron was a fan of the 2007 film version and had a poster of it in her bedroom.
Role Reprise: In addition to Fierstein as Edna, Broadway's original Dynamites, Kamilah Marshall, Judine Somerville and Shayna Steele, reunited for the 2016 TV adaptation.
to wanting to play Penny Pingleton for years by the time she landed the role in the TV version. Dove Cameron was a fan of the 2007 film version and had a poster of it in her bedroom.