Inspired by this thread:http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=677281
What are some roles you think are perfect for an actor or actress?
Seeing Hal Holbrook in Lincoln ( http://d2om8tvz4lgco4.cloudfront.net/archive/x2112090098/g15e15e000000000000580f9d0f8f83587c112c47c6920383b98a289201.jpg), he so strongly resembled the late Ted Kennedy that I found his presence almost anachronistic in the film.
I thought Kevin Spacey was perfect for Bobby Darin except by the time Beyond The Sea was filmed he was way too old.
Shelley Duvall was born to play Olive Oyl.
I still think David Wenham should play Danny Kaye.
Paul Bettany as John Constantine/Hellblazer.
Matthew Lewis is, I presume, going to be the next Bond. However many years away that may be, it’ll be him.
Tom Cruise would be perfect for Gollum
I was blown away by Ben Kingsley playing Gandhi – the resemblance both in youth and old age was phenomenal
From all accounts, Val Kilmer was perfect as Jim Morrison (I haven’t seen The Doors, myself) Apparently he not only really looks the part, but performs the music perfectly.
I’ve seen other people in the role, but Paul Scofield still seems the perfect Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons, even resembling the man.
If you couldn’t get Boris Karloff to play the part of Jonathan Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace (He played it on Broadway, and was unavailable for the filom version), would it be possible to do better than Raymond Massey?
Speaking of Boris Karloff, one of his lesser-knowmn roles was as Peter Cauchon in the onstage version of Jean Anhouilh’s The Lark/l’Alouette, about the trial of Joan of Arc. I would’ve loved to have seen him playing the part of Cauchon in George Bernard Shaw’s play about her, Saint Joan. He would have been perfect.
Heath Ledger and The Joker
Johnny Depp and Captain Jack Sparrow
Stephen Fry as Oscar Wilde. Not just an uncanny physical resemblance, but in terms of sophistication and wit, he is the modern equivalent in every way.
Except that he was also the perfect Doc Holliday. Offscreen, Kilmer is definitely not my type. But he’s really an excellent actor who is able to lose himself in a role.
Robert Duvall…Augustus McRae; Lonesome Dove
The original Captain Haddock, as drawn by Herge.
Captain Haddock, from the recent Tintin CGI movie.
Walter Matthau in Pirates.
Yes!
Also: Dan Ackroyd as Jack Webb (as Joe Friday) in Dragnet. I read somewhere that Harry Morgan got teary-eyed the first time he saw Dan’s impression of JW.
Also some more: David Carradine as Cole Younger in Long Riders.
Edit: forgot this one: Arnold Scharzenegger as a robot in The Terminator. Perfect casting.
Robert Downey Junior as Tony Stark.
Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook.
Ron Perlman as Hellboy.
Two actors that always struck me as born to play their parts:
Richard Chamberlin as Father de Bricassart in The Thorn Birds, and also as John Blackthorn in Shogun.
Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. Pity contractual obligations kept him from playing the role until he was almost too old. Also that the series had gotten so silly by that point.
Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier.
this was the first thing that popped into my head for whatever reason.
mickey rourke in the wrestler
arnold as the terminator which is pretty much the only movie role he has ever been suitable for.
God yes. And I know I’ll probably get lambasted for this but Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men.
tom cruise in Magnolia is the only movie where casting tom cruise has made sense to me. under appreciated film.
philip seymour hoffman in Happiness
jeff bridges in the big lebowski… actually that whole movie is gloriously cast
