# Who would you cast in Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 27, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825 "2011-02-27T18:41:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/1 "2011-02-27T18:41:19Z")
> **[Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell | Film](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Strange_%26_Mr_Norrell#Film)** > > On 15 October 2004, New Line Cinema announced that it had bought a three-year option on the film rights to Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Clarke received an undisclosed "seven-figure sum", making the deal "one of the biggest acquisitions of film rights for a book in recent years". New Line chose Christopher Hampton, whose adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons won an Academy Award, to write it; New Line executives Mark Ordesky and Ileen Maisel were overseeing the production. On 7 November 2 I just finished the book and really, _really_ enjoyed it. I’d love to see a movie based on it, but suspect it would be better as a big-budget TV miniseries so that it wouldn’t have to be cut to ribbons due to time constraints. How would you cast the film? I can think of several people for many of these roles, but if I could have my dream cast, I think it would be: Jonathan Strange: Paul Bettany Mr. Norrell: Ralph Fiennes Childermass: Russell Crowe Lascelles: Stephen Fry Drawlight: Hugh Laurie The Gentleman with the Thistle-Down Hair: Rupert Everett Stephen Black: Chiwetel Ejiofor Vinculus: Gary Oldman Lord Liverpool: Jim Broadbent King George III: Nigel Hawthorne Duke of Wellington: Matthew McFadyen Lady Pole: Keira Knightley Arabella Strange: Emily Blunt John Segundus: Jim Carter What would be your dream cast? Have I left out any major roles? ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/2 "2011-02-27T18:46:38Z")
I came to suggest Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, but you’ve already got 'em. At this point I’m just going to start popping popcorn. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/3 "2011-02-27T19:15:28Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > [Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Strange_%26_Mr_Norrell#Film) > > I just finished the book and really, _really_ enjoyed it. I’d love to see a movie based on it, but suspect it would be better as a big-budget TV miniseries so that it wouldn’t have to be cut to ribbons due to time constraints. > > How would you cast the film? I can think of several people for many of these roles, but if I could have my dream cast, I think it would be: > > Jonathan Strange: Paul Bettany > Mr. Norrell: Ralph Fiennes > Childermass: Russell Crowe > Lascelles: Stephen Fry > Drawlight: Hugh Laurie > The Gentleman with the Thistle-Down Hair: Rupert Everett > Stephen Black: Chiwetel Ejiofor > Vinculus: Gary Oldman > Lord Liverpool: Jim Broadbent > King George III: Nigel Hawthorne > Duke of Wellington: Matthew McFadyen > Lady Pole: Keira Knightley > Arabella Strange: Emily Blunt > John Segundus: Jim Carter > > What would be your dream cast? Have I left out any major roles? What? Ralph Fiennes for old, short, beady-eyed Mr. Norrell? Has Ralph Fiennes gotten ugly and nobody told me? I humbly submit [Derek Jacobi](http://www.trailershut.com/actor-images/derek-jacobi-1755.jpg) for the role. I’m with you on Chiwetel Ejiofor as Stephen Black, though. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/4 "2011-02-27T19:31:51Z")
I think Fiennes would be fine with makeup, but Jacobi would be too old. Just IMHO. David Bamber, who played Mr. Collins in the 1995 TV version of _Pride and Prejudice_, was also a possibility I thought of, but probably not a big enough “name” to fill the role. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/5 "2011-02-27T19:37:02Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I think Fiennes would be fine with makeup, but Jacobi would be too old. Just IMHO. David Bamber, who played Mr. Collins in the 1995 TV version of _Pride and Prejudice_, was also a possibility I thought of, but probably not a big enough “name” to fill the role. Yes, I remember him! Good choice. He was also Hitler in _Valkyrie_ and Cicero in HBO’s _Rome._ But speaking of too old, Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry are now much too old to play Drawlight and Lascelles. They’re both in their 50’s. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/6 "2011-02-27T21:32:33Z")
> [@Pyper](#): > > …But speaking of too old, Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry are now much too old to play Drawlight and Lascelles. They’re both in their 50’s. I don’t think that’s necessarily a problem. But if so… who do you see in the roles? ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/7 "2011-02-27T22:43:19Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I don’t think that’s necessarily a problem. But if so… who do you see in the roles? Eh? Derek Jacobi is too old for Mr. Norrell, but Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry are not too old for the roles of two young socialites? The other problem I see with Fry and Laurie is that they are comedic actors (or at least, I’ve only ever seen them in comedic roles). Drawlight and Lascelles start off seeming sort of inconsequential and comedic, but they become much darker characters. As far as recommendations, hmm. Despite my participation in this thread, I am not really a person who casts whole movies in her head. I think [Ed Westwick](http://www.nresimleri.com/photo2/Ed-Westwick46837.jpg) would work as either Drawlight _or_ Lascelles. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/8 "2011-02-28T00:34:34Z")
Everyone mentioned by Elendil’s Heir is good, though I might substitute Jonathan Rhys Meyers for Jonathan Strange… The Gentleman With the Thistledown Hair has always been, to me, David Bowie (though HE’S too old now, too). How about Robert Pattinson? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/9 "2011-02-28T01:10:43Z")
Without proper casting of Footnotes, I’m not sure how the movie could possibly capture the book’s aesthetic. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/10 "2011-02-28T02:58:58Z")
> [@Pyper](#): > > …I think [Ed Westwick](http://www.nresimleri.com/photo2/Ed-Westwick46837.jpg) would work as either Drawlight _or_ Lascelles. Linky no worky. Try this one: [http://cdn.imnotobsessed.com/wp-content/uploads/2008-08-24%20PHOTO-EdWestwick.jpg](http://cdn.imnotobsessed.com/wp-content/uploads/2008-08-24%20PHOTO-EdWestwick.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/11 "2011-02-28T03:50:09Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Without proper casting of Footnotes, I’m not sure how the movie could possibly capture the book’s aesthetic. The Footnotes will be played by Emma Thompson. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/12 "2011-02-28T04:18:52Z")
> [@Pyper](#): > > The Footnotes will be played by Emma Thompson. You know, I could just see that… ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/13 "2011-02-28T04:44:49Z")
I’d always imagined Jim Broadbent as Mr. Norrell – I think he could pull off that “Yes, I am very intelligent and knowledgeable, but I _will_ slam your fingers in this book” thing off. [Hugh Bonneville](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/downtonabbey/bonneville.html) would make a good Lord Liverpool, as a replacement. What about [Alan Cumming](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Cumming) for Lascelles or Drawlight? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/14 "2011-02-28T06:11:04Z")
Ooo, yes, Alan Cumming would be very good indeed - as Lascelles, I think. ---
**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 28, 2011, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/15 "2011-02-28T06:25:19Z")
Ricky Gervaise as Norrell, Stephen Merchant as Strange. Alternately: Anthony Hopkins as Norrell, Daniel Day-Lewis as Strange. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/16 "2011-02-28T08:57:14Z")
Stephen Black- [David Oyelowo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Oyelowo). I thought Andrew Lincoln or Jack Davenport would also work as Norrell. Could anyone else see Alan Cummings and Andy Serkis as Drawlight and Lascelles? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/17 "2011-02-28T13:01:45Z")
> [@Pyper](#): > > I’m with you on Chiwetel Ejiofor as Stephen Black, though. Just the casting I came in to suggest. I pictured Ejiofor in the role when I was reading the book - that sort of quiet intensity he has would be perfect. I also second Jim Broadbent as Mr Norrell (or maybe Ian Holm if “old, short, beady-eyed” is a requirement). But Rupert Everett? While he does foppish malevolence well, not only would it be a bit of a cliche but his looks have changed quite a lot in recent years, especially now that he’s off the botox. I’d suggest Johnny Depp if Tim Burton hadn’t already ruined him for such roles. Hmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/18 "2011-02-28T14:15:05Z")
You know, I thought of Johnny Depp too, but after seeing him in both _Alice in Wonderland_ and _The Tourist_ recently, I’m coming to realize that, as good as he is, his bag of tricks is only so deep. Inevitably something he does reminds me of an earlier character of his, and I’d want The Gentleman with the Thistle-Down Hair to be uniquely memorable. James McAvoy is very good - I could see him as Strange, Lascelles or Drawlight. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/19 "2011-02-28T14:16:21Z")
Argh- Lincoln or Davenport as STRANGE, not Norrell. brainfart ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825/20 "2011-07-01T17:59:11Z")
Any other thoughts? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-cast-in-jonathan-strange-mr-norrell/572825.md?page=2)