# Cast the HBO Series: Under the Dome by Stephen King **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 2, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645 "2009-12-02T00:30:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dementedsodcan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f19dbf/32.png) [@dementedsodcan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dementedsodcan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/21 "2010-03-17T15:35:51Z")
I had been envisioning Ryan Kwanten (Jason Stackhouse of True Blood fame) as Barbie the entire time I read the book. Might be a tad too babyfaced, though. How old was Barbie supposed to be, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/22 "2010-03-17T15:42:01Z")
> [@dementedsodcan](#): > > I had been envisioning Ryan Kwanten (Jason Stackhouse of True Blood fame) as Barbie the entire time I read the book. Might be a tad too babyfaced, though. How old was Barbie supposed to be, anyway? Late 20s early 30s I believe. I know it’s mentioned for sure at once. ---
**Author:** ![MedicineMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@MedicineMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MedicineMan)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/23 "2010-04-25T03:48:43Z")
This is the cast I sort of envisioned in my read. Quite a bit different than most peoples, but here it is. Big Jim … [Gregg Henry](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001344/) / [Ian McShane](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0574534/) Junior …[Ryan Kwanten](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0477127/) / [Ben Foster](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004936/) Barbie … (No Name) Rusty … [Callum Keith Rennie](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0719678/) Julia … [Natalie Portman](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000204/) Carter … [Keanu Reeves](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000206/) / [Jeremy Renner](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0719637/) Andy Sanders … [William Sanderson](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0761836/) / [William H. Macy](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000513/) Cox … [Brian Cox](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004051/) Burpee … [Garret Dillahunt](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0226813/) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/24 "2010-04-26T16:24:21Z")
Dale Barbara is an interesting role - it’s actually a fairly small role for a male lead as written, but the actor who plays it has to have a, what, quiet dignity? _Gravitas_? Believability as a former hero who wants to walk away from that life and the person it turned him into, yet still wants to do the right thing when forced into the situation…I actually think Keanu Reeves wouldn’t be a bad choice for it. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/25 "2010-04-26T19:42:18Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR NEWLY PUBLISHED BOOK LIE AHEAD: > > Yes, it will be a 12-hour mini series on HBO, so every little nuance/tidbit/nugget will get in. > > Julia Shumway: Janeane Garafalo, if only because I want to see her head explode as she plays a conservative. 😛 I pictured Laura Linney as Ms. Shumway the entire time I read the book. > [@ivylass](#): > > Rose Twitchell: It’s already stated in the book she looks like Michelle Pfieffer, so we’ll give Steve-o a bone there. > > Dale Barabara: That’s a toughie. Do you think [Vincent Kartheiser](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0440229/) can pull it off? Good god, NO! All due respect, but I never _once_ got the sense from reading the novel that Dale Barbara was supposed to look all of twelve years old. > [@ivylass](#): > > Colonel Cox: I’ll pencil in F. Lee Ermey, but I’m not married to that choice. Nah, too old. I’ll now lay my own odd casting choice on you, for this role: [Dirty Job’s own Mike Rowe](http://anotherkcblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/mike_rowe1258384367.jpg). He is an actor, after all. > [@ivylass](#): > > Rennie: John Goodman, of course. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/26 "2010-04-26T19:44:43Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > John Goodman is a worthy contender, but how about Gary Busey? I think we have a winner! ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/27 "2010-04-26T19:50:38Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Junior has got to be played by Keiffer Sutherland. He may be a bit too old for the part, but makeup can help out. The guy I pictured as Junior the entire time I read the book is [Eddie Malavarca](http://devonleigh90069.tripod.com/devons_most_wanted/peter2.JPG). He had a fairly small, but _extremely_ memorable role as Peter Schibetta on HBO’s **Oz**. He could do Junior in his sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/28 "2010-04-26T19:54:59Z")
At 39, he might be a bit old, but I can see Nathan Fillion as Barbara. ---
**Author:** ![WAAAAALT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@WAAAAALT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WAAAAALT)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/29 "2010-07-15T20:09:26Z")
These are the actors I envisioned while reading: Big Jim Rennie - John Goodman Dale Barbara - James Badge Dale Julia Shumway - Annette Bening Peter Randolph - Bill Paxton Rusty Everett - Michael C. Hall Linda Everett - Vera Farmiga Jackie Wettington - Edie Falco Romeo Burpee - Martin Sheen Colonel Cox - Ed Harris Andy Sanders - Stephen Tobolowsky Norrie Calvert - Chloe Moretz Brenda Perkins - Helen Mirren Thurston Marshall - Peter Fonda Andrea Grinnell - Beth Grant Rose Twitchell - Kathy Bates Chef - Ty Burrell I had Paul Dano as Joe McClatchey, Ryan Hurst as Junior Rennie, and Eric Balfour as Carter Thibodeau, but they’re all probably too old now. BTW, the actor from “Northern Exposure” some of you mentioned is Barry Corbin. Also a good choice. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/30 "2010-07-15T20:40:41Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Rose Twitchell: It’s already stated in the book she looks like Michelle Pfieffer, > [@WAAAAALT](#): > > These are the actors I envisioned while reading: > Rose Twitchell - Kathy Bates You think Kathy Bates looks like Michelle Pfeiffer?!? :eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WAAAAALT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@WAAAAALT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WAAAAALT)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/31 "2010-07-17T22:03:26Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > You think Kathy Bates looks like Michelle Pfeiffer?!? :eek: 😃 No, I think that was a joke in the book. ---
**Author:** ![Flissy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Flissy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flissy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/32 "2010-08-21T17:28:56Z")
Big Jim i always saw as Alec Baldwin but less groomed. He manages to carry off smart and scary pretty well. Plus he’s physically pretty imposing! Rose or Julia i’m reckoning a bit of Catherine O Hara… Junior…i’m havin problems with but maybe Tom Felton not for any previous work but purely because i think he could pull off crazy quite well while still havin that pretty boy mr popular vibe that made him partly what he is. Barbie - Andrew McCarthy? He was in Kindom Hospital. Norrie - same train of thought as McCarty because she was in King Hosp but Jodelle Ferland if she could play younger…not a problem for her! These are just a couple of thoughts 🙂 Fliss ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Weapon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f04885/32.png) [@Johnny\_Weapon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Weapon)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/33 "2010-10-10T02:43:55Z")
I think a lot of people have a skewed perception of the characters… I’ve read the book a few times (yes, obsess much) and let me remind everybody of a few key things: Dale Barbara is 30 years old. I’ve seen, on some other boards, recommendations for people like Bruce Willis to play him. What? I had a tough time picturing him throughout the book because SK doesn’t really give us a detailed description. He’s fit and moderately attractive, that’s about all we know. Julia Shumway is 43 years old. She’s pretty and conservative. And I always got the impression that she looked younger than her years. She may have acted prissy, but I never pictured her as LOOKING prissy. Rusty is BIG. Like, husky. And tall. Keep that in mind. Rose is also big. She doesn’t look like Michelle Pfeiffer, it was a joke after Julia put her on the front page of the Democrat. The only person I clearly pictured while I was reading was John Goodman as Big Jim. I actually LOVE Clifton Collins, Jr as Chef. And I think William H. Macy could really pull off Andy Sanders. As for Barbie… I kind of see Gabriel Macht. Not a huge fan of him, but looks and attitude wise, I could see it. Maybe even Seann William Scott. I also like Robert Carradine to play Peter Randolph. And, I’m not joking, Gene Simmons as Lester Coggins. Stana Katic (of Castle fame) maybe as Linda Everett. Does anybody think that Haley Williams of the band Paramore could pull of Norrie Calvert? I don’t know… she’s probably too old. ---
**Author:** ![Zuko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/bcef8e/32.png) [@Zuko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zuko)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645/34 "2013-02-11T15:28:24Z")
It looks as though they be having a hard time casting Barbie. To fill those shoes is tough. I think that the character of Barbie should be someone with a look of strength, confidence. I’m sure could be many named actors out there who could do the job but maybe they should go with a no name. I did notice this Canadian actor from Toronto Lee Rumohr who has great acting credits under his belt. I’ve seen some of his film and TV stuff and his latest roles carry the strength that Barbie needs. I see John Goodman’s name thrown around here and I agree that he would be a great addition to this mini series. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-the-hbo-series-under-the-dome-by-stephen-king/519645.md?page=1)