# The best casted role TV or film or biggest casting mistake **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 8, 2013, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139 "2013-04-08T07:23:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**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:** [April 11, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/181 "2013-04-11T00:10:49Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > I’m surprised not to have seen some truly iconic casting triumphs mentioned yet: > > Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes\ Oh yeah. In spite of them not being a gay couple, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman have astounding chemistry as the two leads. > [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > The casting director of The Green Mile must have fallen off the chair when Malcom Clarke Duncan walked in. John Coffey was not an easy role to cast.\ He was amazing as John Coffey - I can’t imagine anyone else in that role now. > [@Fair\_Rarity](#): > > The casting was up and down for me in The Stand. Trashy was awesome, I thought Flagg was off, but the absolute best casting in the whole King 'verse to me is M-O-O-N, and that’s how you spell Tom Cullen. Another good one. > [@Ms.Pumpkin](#): > > I agree about San Giacomo being miscast, but feel the need to point out that “Movie-Nadine” was actually a combination of two characters from the book (a bad decision right there). Nadine (of course), and the woman Larry left NY with (Rita?), who _was_ kind of a drugged out psycho(she ended up OD-ing shortly after they made it through the tunnel, IIRC). That’s a good point - they blended two characters and ended up with one that pleased no one. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/182 "2013-04-11T00:42:15Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > Holy Cow, how was G’Kar still on the board? That’s an early first-round pick! Peter Jurasik as Londo Mollari is an early second rounder, or a sandwich pick. I’d watch those two do anything . . in B5 character, of course. Of Mice and Men: “Tell me again about the spoo, G’Kar.”! Oooh! **Of Mice and Men** (1992) Gary Sinise was awesome as always but **John Malkovich** as Lennie was perfect casting. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/183 "2013-04-11T01:02:57Z")
Nobody but _nobody_ could have done a better job than John Malkovich in the titular role in 1999’s **Being John Malkovich**. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/184 "2013-04-11T01:29:44Z")
As far as the best casting, I’ve got to go with Charlton Heston as Ben Hur. Probably his best role, and he could act when he wanted to! ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/185 "2013-04-11T02:38:16Z")
I hated January Jones as Emma Frost, and I’ve never even read the comics. She just seemed all wrong. I suppose she was trying to come across as icy but she just ended up being wooden and stilted. I am still not happy with the casting of Jon Snow. He is supposed to be long and lean. And the curly hair really bugs me. I loved all the casting in Rome. Everyone was so perfect. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/186 "2013-04-24T13:19:46Z")
I could sing the praises of casting in **The Brady Bunch Movie** all day, but Gary Cole still manages to stand out. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/187 "2013-04-24T13:39:41Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > The casting director of The Green Mile must have fallen off the chair when Malcom Clarke Duncan walked in. John Coffey was not an easy role to cast. > > _snip_! I also think that Doug Hutchison was perfect as Percy. Then again, Doug Hutchison is kind of creepy anyway, so it may not have been much of a stretch. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/188 "2013-04-24T15:50:05Z")
The worst casting that comes easily to my mind come from the Coppola nepotism machine. The only good one I can come up with is Talia Shire as Connie Corleone Rizzi throughout the franchise. Sofia Coppola was good as Connie and Carlo’s infant son being baptized in GF I, but she was terrible in GF III. Okay, she was a last minute substitute, but still, she was wrong. And in a double header, both Sofia and Nick Cage were terribly cast in “Peggy Sue Got Married”. For good casting: The entire casts of “RED” and “The Princess Bride” John Astin and Carolyn Jones as Gomez and Morticia Addams. Zero Mostel as Max Bialystock Nick Searcy as Deke Slayton in “From the Earth to the Moon” Ken Osmond as Eddie Haskell This probably belongs in another thread for missed casting opportunities, but imagine: Clint Eastwood as The Waco Kid in Blazing Saddles. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/189 "2013-04-24T20:07:22Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I could sing the praises of casting in **The Brady Bunch Movie** all day, but Gary Cole still manages to stand out. This is a great call. I thought Christine Taylor as Marcia was spot on, as well as Shelly long as Carol. They really did a nice job casting that movie, and it really surprised me as to how good it was. It didn’t break any records, but when I first hear they were making a BB movie, I thought it would be a dud. It was actually entertaining. Gary Cole is an undr-rated actor. His “Bill Lumbergh” from Office Space was played perfectly. Ummmmm, yeah… ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/190 "2013-04-24T20:12:46Z")
The books thread reminded me of the steaming pile of awfulness that was Keanu Reeves in **Much Ado About Nothing**. Especially up against all the terrific people in that movie. He’s a stick in quite a few movies but that was the worst offense. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/191 "2013-04-24T20:24:31Z")
Alec Baldwin in … everything. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/192 "2013-04-24T23:34:43Z")
**David Carradine** as Cole Younger in “Long Riders.” Perfectly cast, he stole the movie from a bunch of far better actors. > [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > **Hugh Laurie** WAS House. Nobody else could have done that role. > [@bump](#): > > For a kind of strange, but perfect role, **Stephen Fry** as the voice of the Guide in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. **Fry and Laurie** as “Jeeves and Wooster.” Beyond perfect. > [@Battle\_Pope](#): > > **Robbie Coltrane** in _Cracker_ was bloody amazing. No one else could play that role… > **Val Kilmer** in _Tombstone_ > [@CalMeacham](#): > > **Jeremy Brett** as Sherlock Holmes. Amen, Amen, Amen. ---
**Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/193 "2013-04-24T23:40:37Z")
> [@cinnamontictacs](#): > > Obvious one but Natalie Portman in V for Vendetta was a terrible decision. Billie Piper would have made a terrific Evie. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/194 "2013-04-25T01:05:07Z")
**Lily Tomlin** as **Reba** ’s mother in [Malibu Country](http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/malibu-country/bios) - thats inspired casting right there. ---
**Author:** ![stoplight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@stoplight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stoplight)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/195 "2013-04-25T02:28:46Z")
The Good Just about anything Denzel stars in but his best yet Whip Whitaker in Flight Dan Blocker as Hoss Cartwright Johnny Carson as Johnny Carson Robert Shaw, Quint in Jaws the Worst Brad Pitt, as Achilles in Troy…he hacked that role to pieces ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/196 "2013-04-25T03:04:26Z")
I’ll agree with Jack Gleason as Joffrey Baratheon in Game of Thrones as being an example of superior casting. My nominee for worst, most miscast, totally sucked in the role, what-in-the-world-were-they-thinking, casting choices is: Rosie O’Donnell as Betty Rubble in the first Flintstones movie. Seriously? SERIOUSLY?? One of the hottest cartoon characters in the universe and you pick Rosie O’Donnell? ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/197 "2013-04-25T03:05:11Z")
In roles they were born to play: Frank Langella as Richard Nixon in **Frost/Nixon** (did it on stage, too). Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison in the tv series **The Odd Couple**. In interviews he said it was the easiest role he ever had–he had all of the vices and foibles of the character he played. Steve Carrell as Maxwell Smart in the movie **Get Smart** (pity they killed off The Rock, he was good, too). Woefully miscast: Gwyneth Paltrow in **Hard Eight**. She played a prostitute :rolleyes:. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/198 "2013-04-25T03:28:18Z")
Two of the best but only one actress. Glenn Close as Cruella De Vil - when I heard about her being cast i thought it was a good decision. It was a great decision. Glenn Close as Jenny Fields - I’ll give the entire cast in that one a nod as being well cast but theres no doubt she was Jenny Fields. Choices not named Glenn Close Shelly Duval as Olive Oyl - Just saying. Carroll O’Conner as Archie Bunker - I know he’s been mentioned but he is the model for this question. Christopher Lloyd as Reverend Jim Ignatowski - the lovable burnout character is so hard to play and you couldn’t watch that show and not only laugh at but get to know and care about Jim Ignatowski. I’m not sure anybody else could have pulled that off as well. ---
**Author:** ![Noel\_Prosequi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Noel\_Prosequi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noel_Prosequi)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/199 "2013-04-25T03:57:51Z")
Good - Edward Winter as Colonel Flagg in MASH. Bit role, but nails it. Bad - A movie called The Holiday from the mid2000s had absolutely everything going for it. RomCom of sustantial cuteness, adorable English settings contrasted with flash LA settings. Eli freakin’ Wallach playing the Yoda. There were four romantic leads. Jude Law, Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet and… Jack Black. Black utterly killed the movie stone deader than the universe after the decay of the protons. He just doesn’t have the face to do warm and engaging. Terrible, terrible casting choice. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/200 "2013-04-25T04:08:53Z")
Keanu Reeves for both best (Ted in _ **Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure** _) and worst (the FBI agent in _ **Break Point** _). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139.md?page=11)