If we were doing this 30 years ago, Bud Cort would have made an awesome Charles Hamilton. Today I’d give it to Frodo …what’s his name? Elijah Wood.
I want Queen Latifah for Prissy’s mother, Dilcey. Halle Berry’s way too skinny. We need someone with presence. Steve Buscemi was born to play Jonas Wilkerson.
Here’s an idea: Marcia Cross for Mrs. Tarleton. She’s the redhead from Desperate Housewives. She looks gorgeous and capable … and just ready to wig out at the slightest provocation.
For Ellen O’Hara, Cate Blanchett. Fragility over steel; she has it. I like Sampiro’s choice for Gerald O’Hara. Whiney sister Suellen … I can’t think of anyone bitchy enough. Careen: Mischa Barton?
I pick Brittany Spears for Cathleen Calvert, the former belle who’s last seen in the novel with dirt under her nails. And for Emmy Slattery, Juliette Lewis. She can do white trash better than anyone I’ve ever seen (though she might be a tad old for the role at this point.)
Ashley Judd for India Wilkes (just watch her cut Scarlett down when she catches her in Ashley’s arms at the mill!). Maggie Gyllenhaal for Honey Wilkes.
How about David Ducovney for Ashley?
Someone dangerous for Rhett: Viggo Mortensen. And someone with lots of fire for Scarlett …someone like Jennifer Lopez?
Yeah, baby! I really like the idea of Clooney as Rhett, too. Jude Law as Ashley Wilkes, mebbe? I could easily see that. And for Miss O’Hara… Scarlett Johansson?
[Dave Chappelle’s review of the remake]“Wayne Brady’s so white he makes Prissy look like Angela Davis.”[/Dave Chappelle’s review of the remake]
Scarlett would almost have to be an unknown.
The absolutely ideal casting would be if Olivia de Havilland is still healthy and hearty enough to play Grandma Fontaine (as a sort of continuity), but at 92 and having not worked in 20 years I’m doubting she’d be terribly interested or up to the challenge.
Trivia: the role of Ellen O’Hara almost went to Joan Fontaine [de Havilland’s younger [by 1 year] sister to whom she has famously not spoken in decades.
More trivia: Thomas Mitchell (no relation to Margaret) who played Gerald O’Hara had a phobia of horses and had to have hours of “quality time” with the horses on the set to relax him enough to do the scenes. You’ll notice that there are cutaways whenever he’s on horseback- he did none of his own riding. He won an Oscar the year GWTW was released, but it was for Stagecoach.
Late in his career Mitchell originated the role of Detective Columbo (on stage).