# Roland has been cast - now for the rest of the Ka-Tet **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 31, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715 "2011-01-31T23:24:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/1 "2011-01-31T23:24:08Z")
According to Stephen [King.com](http://King.com) Javier Bardem has been cast as Roland for the Dark Tower movies. [Linky](http://www.deadline.com/2011/01/javier-bardem-wanted-for-the-dark-tower/). Not who I expected. Slee ---
**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:** [January 31, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/2 "2011-01-31T23:39:46Z")
INNNNteresting. I guess if you can’t get Clint Eastwood from 40 years ago, you gotta go in a different direction. 🙂 ---
**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:** [January 31, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/3 "2011-01-31T23:44:24Z")
Now, let’s see if they can get [John Malkovich](http://l.yimg.com/eb/ymv/us/img/hv/photo/movie_pix/miramax_films/no_country_for_old_men/_group_photos/javier_bardem3.jpg) for the role of Walter/The Man In Black. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/4 "2011-02-01T21:57:05Z")
> [@sleestak](#): > > According to Stephen [King.com](http://King.com) Javier Bardem has been cast as Roland for the Dark Tower movies. [Linky](http://www.deadline.com/2011/01/javier-bardem-wanted-for-the-dark-tower/). > > Not who I expected. > > Slee Not expected, no, but not bad. Not bad at all. I still kinda wanted to see Hugh Laurie in the role, but. . . 😉 ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/5 "2011-02-01T23:06:44Z")
I think this might work. Gah, I hope they don’t fuck it up!! Who will be Eddie… and Jake… man, they have such a specific look in my head. I’m half excited to see it on the screen, and half terrified they will ruin my vision. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/6 "2011-02-01T23:19:37Z")
When I saw “Roland” in the thread title, I was thinking headless Thompson gunner. But Stephen King’s good too, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/7 "2011-02-02T01:17:59Z")
I still think Viggo Mortensen was the better choice, but this is not bad. ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/8 "2011-02-02T01:33:06Z")
Oh… my. Bardem makes me fan myself in mock overwhelming passion. And I have always loved Roland, if only in my head. I never would have put the two together - but somebody had to mix delicious peanut butter with chocolate and I loved that too. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/9 "2011-02-02T01:33:13Z")
Maybe they’ll leave the lobstrosities out. **Did-a-CHICK**!😉 I love Stephen, and never miss a book of his, but I swear he musta been drinking Listerine when he came up with those guys! Q ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/10 "2011-02-02T01:44:20Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I still think Viggo Mortensen was the better choice, but this is not bad. Not unless you fugged him up – Roland is described as being ugly. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/11 "2011-02-02T02:08:34Z")
Will they have to sign up a double amputee for Odetta (& Detta)? The CGI costs to do what they did with Gary Sinise’s legs in _Forrest Gump_ might be prohibitive otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/12 "2011-02-02T02:41:23Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Maybe they’ll leave the lobstrosities out. **Did-a-CHICK**!😉 > > I love Stephen, and never miss a book of his, but I swear he musta been drinking Listerine when he came up with those guys! > > Q He wrote that book in the series in the 1980s, so he probably was. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/13 "2011-02-02T02:51:40Z")
I like the choice. He has a quiet intensity and unspoken air of bad-assery that I think can work quite well. For Eddie, I expect to se Michael Cera, just because he’s in everything now, and they would do that to us. In all seriousness, maybe Ryan Reynolds? ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/14 "2011-02-02T03:15:17Z")
This choice…is…not bad. Not who I would have thought, initially, but I can see the fit. Michael Cera as Eddie is an abomination and you have forgotten the face of your father with that suggestion 😉 I’m just not hip on the current young actors to make a suggestion about Eddie. On the one hand, it’ll have to be someone who initially seems to have a bit of weakness of character, but since the character transforms significantly, it’ll also have to be someone who can show strength of will and a badass-ness, as well. For Odetta, I REALLY hope they don’t go with “badass black chick of the moment” and cast, say, Zoe Saldana. Not that Zoe isn’t a decent actress, but I think having a relative unknown in that role would be better. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/15 "2011-02-02T03:32:29Z")
**Eddie:** [Aaron Paul](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666739/), who plays Jessie Pinkman on “Breaking Bad”. He’s the perfect choice. He can play a junkie, he can play charming, he can play surprisingly clever, and he can play protege. \*\*Jake: \*\* [Aidan Mitchell](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2006937/), who played the youngest kid on “The Riches”. \*\*Odetta: \*\* [Rutina Wesley](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2179180/) from “True Blood” would be a good choice, but probably doesn’t have time (unless she’s been killed - but I’m only halfway through season 2, so don’t spoil it for me). She may also be a bit too young for the role. Other obvious choices would be Gina Torres or Jada Pinkett Smith. Oy: Can they get away with just going with a regular dog? ---
**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:** [February 2, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/16 "2011-02-02T03:36:58Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > \ > In all seriousness, maybe Ryan Reynolds? I think Ryan Reynolds would be just perfect for Eddie - Eddie needs serious twinkle in his eyes as well as heaps of charisma. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/17 "2011-02-02T10:30:28Z")
I think [Jensen Ackles](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0010075/), AKA Dean Winchester from _Supernatural_, would make a good Eddie. He’s good at pulling off the whole sarcastic blue-collar bruiser thing. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/18 "2011-02-02T14:18:40Z")
Hmm. Javier Bardem doesn’t leap to mind when I think of Roland. I picture Roland as much more angular. And they’ll have to give him blue contacts. But he’s supposed to be a great actor. I’m willing to go with it. (Bonus: if he drops out, they can replace him with [Jeffrey Dean Morgan!](http://www.google.com/images?q=jeffrey+dean+morgan+javier+bardem&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rlz=1R1GGLL_en___US361&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=8WVJTYHANYj2gAeR9sEs&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CB8QsAQwAA&biw=1400&bih=819)) Rutina Wesley as Odetta/Detta intrigues me. I think she’s a pretty good actor - if only she were given something other than extreme fear, extreme sadness, extreme anger, and extreme intoxication to play. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/19 "2011-02-02T14:52:48Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > **Eddie:** > [Aaron Paul](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666739/), who plays Jessie Pinkman on “Breaking Bad”. He’s the perfect choice. He can play a junkie, he can play charming, he can play surprisingly clever, and he can play protege. I can see that. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715/20 "2011-02-02T14:55:50Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > **Eddie:** > [Aaron Paul](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666739/), who plays Jessie Pinkman on “Breaking Bad”. He’s the perfect choice. He can play a junkie, he can play charming, he can play surprisingly clever, and he can play protege. > \*\*Jake: \*\* > [Aidan Mitchell](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2006937/), who played the youngest kid on “The Riches”. > \*\*Odetta: \*\* > [Rutina Wesley](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2179180/) from “True Blood” would be a good choice, but probably doesn’t have time (unless she’s been killed - but I’m only halfway through season 2, so don’t spoil it for me). She may also be a bit too young for the role. > Other obvious choices would be Gina Torres or Jada Pinkett Smith. > Oy: Can they get away with just going with a regular dog? I think this would be some outstanding casting. Good job! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roland-has-been-cast-now-for-the-rest-of-the-ka-tet/569715.md?page=2)