Re: Who would you cast?- A fun thread to discuss alternate casting, no limitations.

[Mrs Figg]

he may have looked the part in Mohicans but he doesn't have the mystery or the fey element.

[Forest Shepherd]

That's a rather vague quantifier really. Unlike, say, the length of his nose, it's not something that can be clearly and reliably said to be true of a certain actor. I think "mystery" in an actor is simply the ability to represent multi-layered emotions. This is something that Day-Lewis can do very well with his intensely studied and well-crafted performances.

As for a fey element, I think that he lacks the whimsicality of the soft-spoken Mortensen. But that does not mean that he is a brusque actor incapable of conveying inexpressible mythic longings or whatever it is that fey really means.

Take, for example, the scene from Last of the Mohicans where Day-Lewis is talking to Cora after they had found the burnt-out cabin and the murdered Cameron family. In a quiet moment between them both, he talks about the mythos of the stars and how his adopted people believe that those who die take their place in the night sky. I couldn't find a clip of it, but it's a good scene and is certainly elven enough in certain respects.

I really think there are several excellent things going for Daniel Day-Lewis in this casting. A good choice to my mind!

[ElendilTheShort]

 he may have looked the part in Mohicans but he doesn't have the mystery or the fey element.

He's shown a broad range of acting capability, better than Viggo, who I thought capably acted Aragorn as far as he was allowed to given the shite film Aragorn storyline, and the fact PJ and the coven had him behead the Mouth of Sauron. I think he (day-lewis) could have very well bought the Numenorean bloodline to life on screen. The whole elven bloodline/fey aspect of characters was so poorly done in these 6 movies, from grumpy, pessimistic, with the wisdom of a brick Elrond who was meant to love Aragorn like a son, to stoned Galadriel that turned into Samara from the Ring through to the camp a-hole that was meant to be Thranduil. These films really needed a Numenorean that could intimidate the Mouth of Sauron with a stare, not have to sneak up on him and cut the head off a herald unawares like a coward.

[Pettytyrant101]

Very much agree Elendil on all counts-

'Aragorn said naught in answer, but he took the other's eye and held it, and for a moment they strove thus; but soon, though Aragorn did not stir nor move hand to weapon, the other quailed and gave back as if menaced with a blow. 'I am a herald and ambassador, and may not be assailed!' he cried. '- RotK

[Forest Shepherd]

Heheh, craven.

I've always enjoyed that bit.

[Radaghast]

 he may have looked the part in Mohicans but he doesn't have the mystery or the fey element.

I don't know what "fey element" means. I think there's plenty of mystery to DDL, though.

[Radaghast]

Very much agree Elendil on all counts-

'Aragorn said naught in answer, but he took the other's eye and held it, and for a moment they strove thus; but soon, though Aragorn did not stir nor move hand to weapon, the other quailed and gave back as if menaced with a blow. 'I am a herald and ambassador, and may not be assailed!' he cried. '- RotK

Way better than the stupid beheading.

[Mrs Figg]

well boys I stick to my guns on this one. DDL just isn't cutting the mustard as Aragorn.

[halfwise]

Been so busy the last couple of weeks (running a summer camp) I just saw this.

I long ago cast my vote for Daniel Day Lewis, and never understood Figgy's exception to him. I think he would have conveyed inner power better than Mortensen.

I had never thought of Stewart as Denethor, and can't believe I missed the thought. He would have been absolute perfection, and likely would not have bowed to Jackson's batty tendencies.

[ElendilTheShort]

well boys I stick to my guns on this one. DDL just isn't cutting the mustard as Aragorn.

Oh he'd cut the mustard as Aragorn all right, he'd cut the mustard all damn day with Anduril.

[halfwise]

ETS - good to have you on here. Haven't seen enough of you since you first signed on.

[malickfan]

Who would you cast as Faramir?

Despite the arguable character assassination of Faramir in the films, I think David Wenham gave a rather good performance, if the script veered closer to Tolkien's version of events I think he'd do a good job at showing the nobility and bravery of the character, without any hamfisted character arc getting in the way...

For some reason I picture Colin Farell in the role...

[Radaghast]

I imagined Ralph Fiennes as Faramir while reading the book.

[malickfan]

I imagined Ralph Fiennes as Faramir while reading the book.

Hmm, Fiennes as he was 15 year ago yes...

[Mrs Figg]

well boys I stick to my guns on this one. DDL just isn't cutting the mustard as Aragorn.

Oh he'd cut the mustard as Aragorn all right, he'd cut the mustard all damn day with Anduril.

[Mrs Figg]

Ralph Fiennes no way jose

[Radaghast]

Yeah, because David Wenham is just so great

[halfwise]

I actually think Denzel Washington is one of the few actors who could have carried off the full dignity and subtly of Faramir as written in the book. Sure, he doesn't look the part, but he would have carried the part.

I thought David Wenham did pretty well with the twisted part he was given. I saw flashes of the real Faramir coming through.

[Forest Shepherd]

What about Tony Curran as one of the Rohirrim? Not Eomer, I don't think, but what about replacing that one guy who looked like he was too fond of pastries?

Mmm, oh yes, just look at those locks!

[Forest Shepherd]

Hm.. An idea just struck me. All the Doctors as Lord of the Rings characters!
William Hartnell



I think Gandalf is the obvious choice here. Or Saruman.

Patrick Troughton


I don't know! Gimli? I haven't seen any Troughton Who yet, so I can't speak to his acting. Perhaps a Butterbur?


John Pertwee


He just looks so much like Bernard Hill that I'd say he should be Theoden for that reason. But that's not quite right. He would play Bilbo quite nicely I think!

Tom Baker


Gollum of course!

Peter Davison


He shall be a hobbit. Samwise perhaps.

Colin Baker

Bombadil!

Sylvester Mccoy

Hm... Radaghast?  
He's also darn hobbitish. I'm not sure.

Paul McGann

Elrond? Faramir? He's certainly more on that side of things.

Christopher Eccleston

Boromir (because of.. well... his and McGann's matching probosces and the fact that I've seen him play villains before and Boromir needs to be a little edgy in that way).

David Tennant

Frodo of course!

Matt Smith

Denethor I say, because of certain.. erm.. common family traits...

But really he's too young. So perhaps another one of those hobbits. Or an orc or something!

Peter Capaldi

Hm... Another Gandalf/Saruman? I wonder what he looks like with a big bushy beard...

[Forest Shepherd]

A little grey in the hair and we're good to go!

[malickfan]

Hm.. An idea just struck me. All the Doctors as Lord of the Rings characters!
William Hartnell
...

Hartnell-Saruman
Troughton=Tom Bombadil I know he dosen't really look it but as I wrote in the Who thread recently:

With the exception of

SPOILERS-not sure If you have watched Day Of The Doctor:

I'd still rank Troughton as the best actor to play the role (with Mcoy being the worst), and I think he established the character model for most of the other doctors that followed much more so than Hartnell (taking nothing away from Hartnell's performance-he's tied with McGann as my fave actually). I liked the way Trougton undersells the Doctors cleverness, on the surface he's happily bumbling along as a very approachable, but eccentric and sometimes ineffectual  or impish 'cosmic hobo' , but contrasts this with a level of deep intelligence and morose trickery that comes out of the blue when the moment calls for it, you never doubt he's the cleverest and oddest man in the room, but unlike some of the later Doctors he never acts like he's the most important man in it, making it all the more interesting when he proves it, he's never striving to prove himself as the Doctor...he just instantly seems like he is.

Trougton (much like Hartnell) acts less outwardly Alien and Eccentric, but ends up all the more convincing for doing so, it's a very clever duality and I can see clear echoes of it in Smith's performance.

Pertwee-Agreed, Theoden

Tom Baker-Agreed again, those staring yes coupled with that slighty pery voice  he's unsettling enough to pull off Gollum without the use of prosthetics

Peter Davison-Frodo

Colin Baker-Beorn

Sylvester Mcoy-Bilbo (he was actually Jackson's first choice at one stage back in the 90's)

Paul McGann-if you are looking at the TV Movie verion  of his Doctor-scatter brained romantic, then I'd say Elrond or Thrandypants, but if you look at the more battered and angry Doctor he plays in Dark Eyes onwards:




I think he'd pull off Aragorn  really well.

Eccleston-Boromir or Bard

Tennant-Thranduil

Matt Smith-Pippin or Merry

Peter Capaldi-Radagast or Denthor

Spoiler if you haven't watched Day Of The Doctor:

[Eldorion]

I've enjoyed reading through this thread but haven't had many ideas to add (though as I've said before I agree with Ian McShane as Thorin). That said, I didn't imagine Capaldi with the beard would look quite so fitting, but there it is.

[Mrs Figg]

Jerome Flynn for Bard

[Mrs Figg]

John Lynch Theoden

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