Casting game

[Tracy]

We've been talking casting, so I thought it would be fun to have a proper thread. We've had some fun discussions in the past, but we have new members in the group and new shows and movies bring new actors to our attention.

Who would you cast in the Rannoch series? Don't worry about ages - it's fantasy casting so we can choose actors at age we like. Feel free to mention suggestions for as many characters as you like or just for one.

[Petra]

Okay, I have a couple:

Raoul: Pierce Brosnan
Julien: young Jude Law
Malcolm: Matthew from Downton Abbey? (Dan Stevens)
Francis: Lady Rosamund from Downton Abbey
Cordelia: Cate Blanchett, maybe

[Tracy]

Great suggestions, Petra! I could particularly see a young June Law as Julien!

[Patti]

I have a vague ideal of Malcolm and it tends to be someone from what I am watching at the time--at one point I really liked Nathan Fillion ((Firefly, Castle, the Rookie)) now I try to think of Alex Vlahos (from Versailles)) thought he is 30 has a baby face and I do not picture Mal that way
and with shorter hair Tygh Runyan would be a good Raoul

[Tracy]

Patti, I loved Firefly and Castle, and I always thought Nathan Fillion would make a good Malcolm, particularly from Firefly. When I was watching Firefly, I also thought Morena Baccarin would make a good Mélanie.

Based on Castle, Nathan Fillion was my image for Crispin.

[Lynne]

I think Petra has the right idea with the exception of Dan Stevens as Malcolm. I think Malcolm requires a bit tougher actor because his life has been hard. (Dan is just too gentle.) But of course, I don't have an alternate - have to think on it. Lady Rosamond - Samantha Bond - would be great as Aunt Francis! Terrific idea there.

[Tracy]

Samantha Bond would be a great Frances. In my personal casting, Samantha Bond is Rosamund Hartley from Duke's Gambit (interestingly the other woman in the series so far involved with Archie). I think Cate Blanchett could be Frances as well. To me Frances is a young Helen Mirren.

[Kimberly]

I love the idea of Helen Mirren as Lady Frances. I ham having a really hard time trying to picture Archie. Michael Kitchen is my ideal Carfax. I like Julianne Moore for Laura? I also like Eva Green for Suzanne. How about Daniel Craig as Harry?

[Kimberly]

Hugh Grant would make a good Crispin.

[Petra]

I'm for Hugh Grant in every role! :)

Also love a young Helen Mirren as Frances.

I'm having trouble picturing anyone for Simon and David. Tracy, do you have someone in mind when you write them?

Edit: I never watched that show but how about Gael García Bernal from Mozart in the Jungle for Simon?

[Tracy]

I haven't see Mozart in the Jungle either, but I just googled and Gael García Bernal does look like a good option for Simon, Petra!

In my mental casting, David is Jeremy Northam and Simon is Rupert Everett. I had just seen "An Ideal Husband" (five times) when I first wrote about them.

[Tracy]

Hugh Grant would make a Crispin!

Kim, it's funny as I've said before I see Michael Kitchen as Alistair, but he would make a good Carfax too. And I see Julianne Moore as Tatiana, but I could see her as Laura. I could also see Hayley Atwell o Emily Blunt as Laura, though to me she's Gillian Anderson.

I think Eva Green is a really good option for Mélanie. It's funny about Daniel Craig - he was actually my first image for Malcolm/Charles (way before he was James Bond) before Malcolm turned into David Duchovny in my head. So it's hard for me to see him as Harry. But I can how it could worjk.

As I posted in another thread, I watched the most recent Victoria episode last night, and I was thinking Laurence Fox would make a very good Harry.

[Petra]

I could see Laurence Fox as Harry! Seeing him in a more pleasant role would help.

I just looked up Jeremy Northam and was shocked to see he was in The Crown and looks really old now!

[Tracy]

Based on last night I actually find him fairly likeable as Palmerston - but not as likeable as Harry!

I haven't seen "The Crown." Another I'd love to catch up. Who does Northam play?

[Tracy]

Kim, I forgot to add, my image for Archie is Victor Garber.

[Petra]

Tracy wrote: "I haven't seen "The Crown." Another I'd love to catch up. Who does Northam play?"

He plays Anthony Eden, the prime minister that followed Churchill.

I like Garber for Archie! Though in my mind I picture him a bit nerdier.

[Tracy]

Victor Garber as Archie came his role on Alias. I'd say Harry's more the nerdy on in the family. Archie was quite a bon vivant, with a string of beautiful mistresses, gambling, out on the town. In some ways not unlike the Palmerston we're seeing on Victoria.

[Petra]

Tracy wrote: "Victor Garber as Archie came his role on Alias. I'd say Harry's more the nerdy on in the family. Archie was quite a bon vivant, with a string of beautiful mistresses, gambling, out on the town. In ..."

I forgot about Archie's wild younger days! I have this image that the first time we meet Archie he's a quiet professor type. But I could have that completely wrong. It's been a while since I read that scene.

[Tracy]

That's interesting! Archie's first scene is in The Berkeley Square Affair - quite a few books ago. But I think from the first he comes across a man about town. We hear how he used his social connections to get Cordelia through the scandal. At least that's what 'i thought I was writing :-). I've learned readers can read things very differently, which I find cool and totally fascinating!

[A.R.]

Tracy, since you mentioned your image of Malcolm morphing into David Duchovny, I though you might be interested in this article about a blind woman (mother of an avid fan) meeting him and getting to "see" his face. https://www.sfwa.org/2019/02/the-x-fa...

[Tracy]

Nice story, Alea! Thanks!

[Kimberly]

Tracy wrote: "Hugh Grant would make a Crispin!

Kim, it's funny as I've said before I see Michael Kitchen as Alistair, but he would make a good Carfax too. And I see Julianne Moore as Tatiana, but I could see he..."

I see Alistair more like Trevor Eve. I think of Alistair at a tall very severe man. That is part of why his affair with Lady Frances is so surprising because they seem to be such opposites. Lady Frances loves her children and is warm whereas Alistair is cold blooded and ruthless.

[Tracy]

Alistair is cold-blooded and ruthless but on the surface he's drily ironic and can be quite charming. I think the irony is something he and Frances share.

[Kimberly]

I can see that. I think Archie is ironic too, but he clearly warm and generous with his love and support. Alistair always seems to be judgmental maybe he was just unhappy that his brilliant "children" (Malcolm and Gisele) aren't his children...

[Tracy]

Yes, I think our images of Alistair are a bit skewed in that we've seen very little of him "on camera" and mostly we hear about his treatment of Malcolm, which was awful. But he was very successfu in society, without birth or to begin with fortune of his own. He made friends and is obviously a charismatic leader to have founded the League and he was very successful with women. Think of Anne Darlington's account of how he charmed her.

I think it's a spot on comment that he shares several traits with Archie - notably the wit and irony - but that Archie is warm and compassionate with Alistair wasn't at all.

[Lynne]

I think you're right, Tracy - we really don't know Alistair except from hearsay. Casting him could be very tricky. I think of him as a bit smarmy - charming when necessary but always with an ulterior motive for his own advantage. Trevor Eve might be a good call but it definitely calls for someone who can be awful one minute and then positively ooze with charm.

[Tracy]

It is tricky, Lynne, but I would go with someone who if charming on the surface but is a very good actor. A good actor can show the currents underneath, which mostly should show in his actions more than his demeanor. That's why Michael Kitchen seems right to me. Irony and wit and definitely key to Alistair's persona and Michael Kitchen has a lot of both.