# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/81 "2013-04-09T00:21:20Z")
Best: Robert Downey Jr. in _Iron Man_ (and the subsequent films where he played Tony Stark, too). They nailed that one so hard that nobody’s ever going to be able to beat him as Stark. Nobody. Hugh Laurie as House. Ditto. David Hyde Pierce as Niles Crane. To me, he was the show, far more than Frasier was. Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka (the first and best): That’s my go-to for “absolutely knocked the casting out of the park.” David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor. (I’d also make an argument for Matt Smith as Eleven). Leonard Nimoy as Spock (and William Shatner as Kirk). William Petersen as Gil Grissom on _CSI_. He had the perfect combination of intelligence and quirkiness to play that role. Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in _Silence of the Lambs_. Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in _Pirates of the Caribbean_–but only the first one. After the first he became kind of a parody of himself. In the first, he was perfect. Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn. Miscast: Gary Oldman as Sirius Black. I’m sorry–I’m not arguing that he’s not a great actor. But Sirius was supposed to be extremely handsome. Even after he’d been in Azkaban for all those years, he should have looked like “extremely handsome guy who’s been languishing in prison for several years.” Not like some sort of wizarding porn producer. Seriously–who thought that mustache was a good idea? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/82 "2013-04-09T00:34:13Z")
> [@Mrs.Cake](#): > > Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston as Gomez and Morticia Addams. Special mention for Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams. Two movies that worked almost entirely because of casting alone. They did well enough (especially Christina), but who could possibly compare to John Astin and Carolyn Jones? And I may as well add Sir Derek Jacobi as **Brother Cadfael**. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/83 "2013-04-09T00:36:25Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > OTOH, Michael O’Hare was horribly cast as Sinclair. The bulkheads had more character. We called his character “Commander Wood”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/84 "2013-04-09T00:37:49Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Andreas Katsulas as G’Kar on **Babylon 5**. He had the gravitas to shine from behind the makeup, and nobody else could have pulled off the sheer joy of the part. OTOH, Michael O’Hare was horribly cast as Sinclair. The bulkheads had more character. 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.” R.I.P. Andreas. I’ll debate the Michael O’Hare choice. I think he was a good Sinclair - it’s just that Sinclair was sedate and mellow. I think he was cast because he fit the character as written, and they later realized an existentialist former Jesuit wasn’t the ideal lead character for an action-space series. And jumpin’ jeebus on a gasoline-powered pogo stick, [Michael O’Hare is dead](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_O%27Hare)! I didn’t know that! ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/85 "2013-04-09T00:54:22Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > And jumpin’ jeebus on a gasoline-powered pogo stick, [Michael O’Hare is dead](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_O%27Hare)! I didn’t know that! Yeah, some call it the B5 curse. We’ve lost Richard Biggs, Tim Choate, Andreas Katsulas, Jeff Conaway, and Michael O’Hare. ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/86 "2013-04-09T01:12:32Z")
Best: Clint Eastwood “Unforgiven”. This was the perfect “epilogue” to all those “man with no name” movies, and only Clint could play that role. Raymond Cruz “Clear and Present Danger”. From reading the Clancy books, Cruz’s “Domingo” was exactly as I’d pictured him. Hillary Swank “Million Dollar Baby”. Can’t imagine any other actress giving the character more “authenticity”. Al Pacino “Godfather” and “Godfather Part II”. Never read the book, but Al’s portrayal of going from the “above board son” to following in his father’s footsteps, and realizing he is the best one to do so, is amazing. Worst: Arnold “Conan the Barbarian”. Read the books or the comics - Conan has a brain ! Michael Keaton “Batman” (and sequel). Wrong for Bruce Wayne, even more wrong for the dark knight. 'nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/87 "2013-04-09T01:55:31Z")
Woody Harrelson in _Rampart_, as well as most other parts he’s had. Either he picks his roles well, or he’s a helluvan actor. Or both. ---
**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 9, 2013, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/88 "2013-04-09T01:56:05Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > \ > As for bad choice Hayden Christensen as Anakin/Vader. That should be a walkaway win. As was mentioned, I don’t think Hayden was to blame for that. I’ve liked him just fine in other movies where he wasn’t being directed by a director who hates actors. 🙂 > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > \ But what the producers didn’t know was that you have to cast the leads in a superhero movie with actors who can be convincing as the secret identity. Robert Downey Jr. is great as Tony Stark, Tobey Maguire was convincing as Peter Parker, Christoper Reeve worked as Clark Kent. Anybody can put on the suit; Jessica Alba failed because she couldn’t (or the director didn’t tell her to) play an astronaut. That makes sense. I thought Jessica Alba was just kind of a sucky actor, but maybe that’s why. My nom for worst casting was Molly Ringwald as Fran Goldsmith in “The Stand” mini-series. The rest of the casting was surprisingly strong - Gary Sinise as Stuart Redman, Ossie Davis as the Judge, Ruby Dee as Mother Abigail, Ray Walston as Glen Bateman, Jamey Sheridan as Randall Flagg - the list goes on. The glaring exception was Molly - she wasn’t right as Fran, and she wasn’t right as Stu’s lover, and she wasn’t right as one of the leaders of the new community. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/89 "2013-04-09T02:04:43Z")
> [@](#): > > Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs. Actually, I much preferred BrianCox as Lektor (the way they spelled it then) in Michael Mann’s _Manhunter_, before Hopkins ever played the role. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/90 "2013-04-09T02:38:13Z")
_Third Rock from the Sun_ was brilliantly cast, especially Sally (Kristen Johnston), Harry (French Stewart), and Officer Don (Wayne Knight). Wayne Knight was also the perfect Newman. And Michael Richards was the perfect Kramer. The casting of _Barney Miller_ was inspired. Roles and actors are inseparable. Abe Vigoda _is_ Fish, Jack Soo _is_ Yemana, Max Gael _is_ Wojciehowicz, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/91 "2013-04-09T02:49:51Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Frankly, I don’t expect Oscar worthy acting in a comic book movie nor am I much of a hard core geek. (How dare you! :D) But if fidelity to the original looks aren’t that important then why the need to transform her into a blond Nordic. Why not just say Susan Storm is now a brown-eyed brunette? Although, if we are to go with the comic-book description of Sue Storm, then [Elisha Cuthbert](http://adserv.fansshare.com/gallery/photos/348968/Elisha-Cuthbert-My-Sassy-Girl/) would have been my choice. ---
**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 9, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/92 "2013-04-09T02:52:09Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Although, if we are to go with the comic-book description of Sue Storm, then [Elisha Cuthbert](http://adserv.fansshare.com/gallery/photos/348968/Elisha-Cuthbert-My-Sassy-Girl/) would have been my choice. That’s fine, but Reese Witherspoon exists. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/93 "2013-04-09T02:58:00Z")
True. Never considered her as Sue Storm before. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/94 "2013-04-09T03:00:22Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > OTOH, Michael O’Hare was horribly cast as Sinclair. The bulkheads had more character. In his favor, he made Boxleitner look animated by comparison. > [@CalMeacham](#): > > Actually, I much preferred BrianCox as Lektor (the way they spelled it then) in Michael Mann’s _Manhunter_, before Hopkins ever played the role. Yeah, but it was a better movie than _Silence,_ too. As for Shelley Long’s acting ability, her pre-Cheers [furniture ads](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b82Sdo_2TA) could run non-stop on their own cable channel and I wouldn’t complain. _le sigh!_ ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/95 "2013-04-09T03:09:50Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > My nom for worst casting was Molly Ringwald as Fran Goldsmith in “The Stand” mini-series. The rest of the casting was surprisingly strong - Gary Sinise as Stuart Redman, Ossie Davis as the Judge, Ruby Dee as Mother Abigail, Ray Walston as Glen Bateman, Jamey Sheridan as Randall Flagg - the list goes on. The glaring exception was Molly - she wasn’t right as Fran, and she wasn’t right as Stu’s lover, and she wasn’t right as one of the leaders of the new community. Absolutely. I’m pretty sure that even people who haven’t read the book can watch that series and still see that she’s wrong for the role. Jamey Sheridan, on the other hand, is perfect for Flagg. His pointy chin gives him a particularly demonic look. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/96 "2013-04-09T03:29:28Z")
Tom Baker was perfect as The Doctor. Just the right mix of intense, whimsical, eccentric, goofy, serious, frustrating, and adorable. (I also liked Colin Baker, so go figure) Mrs Columbo as Janeway left me wanting. It was the right role for a woman, just not for _that_ woman. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/97 "2013-04-09T03:40:11Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > As for Shelley Long’s acting ability, her pre-Cheers [furniture ads](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b82Sdo_2TA) could run non-stop on their own cable channel and I wouldn’t complain. _le sigh!_ Ever seen [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u58TKioxsVs)? ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/98 "2013-04-09T04:05:49Z")
For recent casting missteps, I gotta say: James Franco in “Oz.” He wasn’t really “The Wizard,” just…James Franco. In an old-timey suit. That really seems like a role best played by a Bridges. Jeff or Beau. Maybe even Lloyd. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I’m willing to give Christensen a certain amount of slack on this one, since he was having to act under the direction of George Lucas, who is pretty well-known to provide his (flesh and blood) actors with very little in the way of useful direction. I’ve always thought [Crispin Freeman](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCrispin_Freeman&ei=NI5jUfiDPeHgiAKUoIGYAg&usg=AFQjCNHjf3Qu76nLolTF1sLHyY1tNzhPXg&sig2=SDzROjdn04Dcl46dzf95wA) would have made a good Anakin—he’s a few years older than Hayden, but still looks the part (even today!), and he’s the same height (though not as tall as Prouse). I don’t think he’s done much live-action acting, true, but he seems dynamic enough in person…and that _[voice](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4ugVkQUboM)_. _That_ sounds like “General Skywalker,” something that could become Vader…Christensen just, well, sounded like a snarling teenager. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I believed Brandon Routh as Clark Kent. I didn’t believe him as Superman. What’s odder is that he plays a [character with superpowers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPUqNFEGPMQ) in _Scott Pilgrim vs. the World_…and actually comes off as _impressive and imposing_. ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/99 "2013-04-09T04:11:03Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > … That really seems like a role best played by a Bridges. Jeff or Beau. Maybe even Lloyd. Reminds me: _The Big Lebowski_. Jeff Bridges as The Dude and John Goodman as Walter. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139/100 "2013-04-09T04:25:49Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Ever seen [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u58TKioxsVs)? How about [this](http://youtu.be/Ra7z21ZTVRc)? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-casted-role-tv-or-film-or-biggest-casting-mistake/655139.md?page=6)