Casting Call for Discworld

Cafe Society
1

I know this has been done over on L-Space, but let’s do it here. So, you’ve been hired to be a casting director for a huge budget Hollywood production of a PTerry Discworld novel. Who would you cast for what role and why?

Patrician Vetinari - I’d want someone who can do evil with elegance. Alan Rickman or Christopher Walken

Commander Sam Vimes - He’s been around long enough to be tired of a lot of crap and has the scars to show it. Bruce Willis… maybe a 45 year old Clint Eastwood

CMOT Dibbler - An incessant, annoying ultra salesman - A young Michael Palin.

Ponder Stibbons - Daniel Radcliffe just looks the role. Too bad he probably wants nothing to do with another role where he’s a wizard.

Rincewind - Eric Idle with track shoes. He can bring the right amount of humor to the role, I think.

DEATH - John Cleese could carry it off.

Anyone else?

2

We’ve done this a few times before, but it’s always fun, so here are mine (a partial list):

Patrician Vetinari - Hugh Laurie

Which leads me to…

Archchancellor Ridcully - Stephen Fry

Which in turn leads me to…

**Nobby Nobbs - Alan Davies **and

Nanny Ogg - Jo Brand

And since we’re already on the BBC…

Moist von Lipwig - David Tennant and

**Angua von Überwald - Karen Gillain.
**

More to come when I think of them.

3

Captain Carrot – Brendan Fraser.

4

Carrot should be Chris Hemsworth, and I always see Vimes as more Gene Hackman than Clint Eastwood. BRIAN BLESSED was born to play Ridcully, and probably Sam Rockwell as Rincewind.

5

Granny Weatherwax – Judi Dench.

Agnes “Perdita X” Nitt – hm . . . no, not Melissa McCarthy . . . actually, we should probably be searching the opera stage for this one . . .

6

I believe Pterry 's choice for Vimes was Peter Postlethwaite as evidenced by the illustrations to * Where’s My Cow ? *

7

I always wanted Cloris Leachman for Granny Weatherwax.

8

I guess she would be a better choice as far as body-type goes. Perhaps Dench could be Nanny Ogg.

9

Granny Ogg is round and jolly. I don’t really see Judi Dench playing her.

Maybe she could play Lily Weatherwax.

10

That’s gonna be a tad difficult. Might be some way to get him to play Albert, though.

11

While we’re on QI alumni, Bill Bailey should be the Bursar and Phil Jupitus the Dean. If Tennant is unavailable, Jimmy Carr would make a pretty good Moist: he has that motor-mouthed but slightly hunted bit down pat.

12

I always have Charles Dance in my head as Vetinari when I’m reading Discworld novels.

I think he could pull off that “makes you uncomfortable just by looking at you” vibe.

13

I liked the Moist the BBC casted, Richard Coyle made an excellent Moist.

They have used Christopher Lee as the voice of Death and that cannot be improved.

I love the idea of Cloris Leachman for Granny Weatherwax. Good call.

14

Nah, AIRI, Esme and Lily are identical twins.

15

Could Judi Dench play Sybil Ramkin Vimes? Or does it need someone bigger and taller?

16

Sybil is a large lady by every description I can recall. Depending on which book this movie/series is starting with seem should be anywhere from mid 40s to early 50s. She should be on the tall side and look like she has lead an active life.

17

What? No, they’re not - Lily was older, but looked younger.

18

Catherine Tate may be a possibility for Sybil, she is 5’7" though a bigger actress would be better.

Could Rosie O’Donnell convince anyone? She is probably close the correct body type.

19

I could see Helen Mirren as Granny Weatherwax too.

I don’t think of Sybil as being particularly tall, but I don’t envision her as short either. Around 5’7" sounds right to me. I can’t see Rosie O’Donnell playing her, though. Lady Sybil has high class, even when she’s mucking out the dragon stable, and I don’t think Rosie is a good enough actress to do that. As for Rosie’s body type, close, but again, no.

Maybe Terry Gilliam as Sgt Colon? Wallace Shawn as Nobby?

20

He was Vetinari in one of the British TV movies, and was perfect.