I just finished the book and really, really enjoyed it. I’d love to see a movie based on it, but suspect it would be better as a big-budget TV miniseries so that it wouldn’t have to be cut to ribbons due to time constraints.
How would you cast the film? I can think of several people for many of these roles, but if I could have my dream cast, I think it would be:
Jonathan Strange: Paul Bettany
Mr. Norrell: Ralph Fiennes
Childermass: Russell Crowe
Lascelles: Stephen Fry
Drawlight: Hugh Laurie
The Gentleman with the Thistle-Down Hair: Rupert Everett
Stephen Black: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Vinculus: Gary Oldman
Lord Liverpool: Jim Broadbent
King George III: Nigel Hawthorne
Duke of Wellington: Matthew McFadyen
Lady Pole: Keira Knightley
Arabella Strange: Emily Blunt
John Segundus: Jim Carter
What would be your dream cast? Have I left out any major roles?
What? Ralph Fiennes for old, short, beady-eyed Mr. Norrell? Has Ralph Fiennes gotten ugly and nobody told me? I humbly submit Derek Jacobi for the role.
I’m with you on Chiwetel Ejiofor as Stephen Black, though.
I think Fiennes would be fine with makeup, but Jacobi would be too old. Just IMHO. David Bamber, who played Mr. Collins in the 1995 TV version of Pride and Prejudice, was also a possibility I thought of, but probably not a big enough “name” to fill the role.
Eh? Derek Jacobi is too old for Mr. Norrell, but Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry are not too old for the roles of two young socialites? The other problem I see with Fry and Laurie is that they are comedic actors (or at least, I’ve only ever seen them in comedic roles). Drawlight and Lascelles start off seeming sort of inconsequential and comedic, but they become much darker characters.
As far as recommendations, hmm. Despite my participation in this thread, I am not really a person who casts whole movies in her head. I think Ed Westwick would work as either Drawlight or Lascelles.
Everyone mentioned by Elendil’s Heir is good, though I might substitute Jonathan Rhys Meyers for Jonathan Strange… The Gentleman With the Thistledown Hair has always been, to me, David Bowie (though HE’S too old now, too). How about Robert Pattinson?
I’d always imagined Jim Broadbent as Mr. Norrell – I think he could pull off that “Yes, I am very intelligent and knowledgeable, but I will slam your fingers in this book” thing off. Hugh Bonneville would make a good Lord Liverpool, as a replacement.
What about Alan Cumming for Lascelles or Drawlight?
Just the casting I came in to suggest. I pictured Ejiofor in the role when I was reading the book - that sort of quiet intensity he has would be perfect. I also second Jim Broadbent as Mr Norrell (or maybe Ian Holm if “old, short, beady-eyed” is a requirement).
But Rupert Everett? While he does foppish malevolence well, not only would it be a bit of a cliche but his looks have changed quite a lot in recent years, especially now that he’s off the botox. I’d suggest Johnny Depp if Tim Burton hadn’t already ruined him for such roles. Hmmm.
You know, I thought of Johnny Depp too, but after seeing him in both Alice in Wonderland and The Tourist recently, I’m coming to realize that, as good as he is, his bag of tricks is only so deep. Inevitably something he does reminds me of an earlier character of his, and I’d want The Gentleman with the Thistle-Down Hair to be uniquely memorable.
James McAvoy is very good - I could see him as Strange, Lascelles or Drawlight.
