Instead of the excellent HBO production, A Song of Ice and Fire is going to be adapted by a major movie studio into a long series of big budget, blockbuster movies. You’re the casting director.
**Rules: **
You can keep four actors from the actual cast. In this hypothetical the show doesn’t exist, and yes, we all know how great and irreplaceable they are and blah blah blah… You get to keep four. That’s it.
The big roles should be A list actors. Fill out the rest with “that one guy” character actors or stunt casting if you like. Yes, it’s fine to consider Sean Bean A list for this game.
Spoiler Policy:
Don’t write about any plot points that haven’t happen on the show yet. Don’t write about how _______ is different in the book IF it relates to plot points. Daario is different in the book, but that’s not a plot point, so that discussion is fine.
If you could make him pale enough,** Mel Gibson** as Roose Bolton. Just show old torture-obsessed Mel the Bolton Banner, and he’s in.
Heath Ledger would have been an ideal Jon Snow. He could walk that line between naive and idealistic yet tough.
In the show, I always wanted Robert Carlyle as** Davos Seaworth**.
I guess the Fanning sisters would’ve been an A list Sansa and Arya (stunt casting too.) You’d have to rub some dirt on the younger one in order to buy her as Arya though.
I want to think of a role for Daniel Radcliffe. He’s the perfect age, and he’s got chops. He’s also tiny. Jon Snow, maybe? Too big of a name to waste on Jojen or the like. He could play against type as Theon Greyjoy. I would love both seeing his Reek.
Young Leonardo DiCaprio would’ve been the Loras Tyrell. These days though… Maybe Jamie Lannister if you get Leo into the gym.
Of course Liam Neeson has to be in movies like these, so the best part for him is Tywin Lannister.
And I’m suddenly flashing on Tom Cruise as Littlefinger. Tom Cruise is perfect as the guy with the friendly affable and open demeanor who’s your best friend but who is actually utterly self-centered and dead inside. Because, you know.
Shia LaBeouf as Joffrey. I know he’s too old, but he’s so hateable that I think people would look the other way. Or hey, cast him as Theon for much the same reason. Natalie Portman could play either Margaery or Cersei even though both of those roles make the LaBeouf age thing worse. She might be more interesting as Cersei because of the implied age disparity with Robert.
I think that’s a waste of his physicality. Tywin is a part for a more cerebral actor. At the risk of the most obvious possible piece of typecasting, I’d suggest Gary Oldman. Liam would be better as Ned - although if you pick A-list actors you probably wouldn’t recast that role - or The Hound. He could even play Robert Baratheon, assuming he didn’t mind gaining some weight or wearing a fat suit. And if you cast Neeson as either Ned or Robert, you can give the other role to Alec Baldwin.
I think we need to clarify that this movie is going to be made in 2014. So casting has to take into account the actual appearance of the characters. Heath Ledger, even if we were alive, would not be able to play a credible 16 year old John Snow, he was waaay to old for that. Heath Ledger as Ned Stark, sure. Especially the being dead part.
Chloe Grace Moretz as Arya, she has bad ass little girl already perfected. Elle Fanning as Sansa. Charlize Theron and Orland Bloom as Cersei and Jamie.
Nicole Kidman as Melisandre. I was disappointed in the TV version because in the books she is strikingly beautiful, while the TV version is just okay with a nice rack.
I totally envisioned Daniel Radcliffe as Jon Snow. That we would also be interesting to see his take on Joffrey.
I would cast everybody in the Daenerys plotline with A-list Muppets. When I character goes from one plotline to the other, such as Ser Barristan Selmy, they transform to a muppet.
Has anybody watched THE WRITERS ROOM? The show riders said that Jamie was the hardest role to cast because anybody who is as good looking, as good at combat, as good an actor as needed, and old enough for the role was probably already working full time if not A list and thus either too expensive or unavailable. That’s why they went with a Danish actor, whose career since his exposure on the show has exploded.
I pictured both Anthony Hopkins and Sean Connery as Tywin, but ultimately like Dance better. I pictured Katharine Hepburn as Eleanor of Aquitaine as Grandma Martell, and apparently so did Diana Rigg.
Clint Eastwood as Walder Frey
Natalie Portman (now) as Margaery Tyrell
Natalie Portman (then) as Arya Stark
James Caan as Ned Stark
Sigourney Weaver as Caetlyn Stark
Orson Wells as Robert Baratheon
Gary Oldman as Jaime Lannister
Christina Hendricks as Cersei Lannister
Wil Wheaton (young) as Joffrey
Brian Blessed as Robert Baratheon
Liam Neeson as Ned Stark
Daniel Craig as Jaime Lannister? (maybe not good looking enough?)
Angelina Jolie as Cersei Lannister
Clint Eastwood as Ser Barristan Selmy
Gary Oldman as Littlefinger
I don’t think you guys are properly channeling Hollywood casting directors:
Seth Rogen IS whoever the hell it was Sean Bean was playing!
Jack Black is Robert Baratheon!
Zach Galliafanakis IS John Snow!
Gwyneth Paltrow IS Cersei!
Lindsay Lohan IS Daenerys Targeyran or whatever the hell that last name is!
Carrot Top IS the Hound!
Joan Rivers IS whoever the hell Diana Rigg thought she was playing!
Danny DeVito IS Tyrion Lannister!
Andy Dick IS Joffrey Lannister!
Rihanna IS Sansa Stark!
Miley Cyrus IS Arya Stark!
Burt Reynolds IS Tywin Lannister!