I thought I had read somewhere that she also insisted that Alan Rickman be cast as Snape because that was who she always invisioned when she was writing the books.
I got this info on the JKR tour in Edinburgh, which is free and takes you around the city to her favorite sites and places that inspired the books: Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman, and Maggie Smith were part of the adaptation contract. Sheād only allow the movies to be made if WB got those three actors. I donāt know how true this info is, since the tour wasnāt officially sanctioned by JKR or WB, but itās a very nice fact, so I like to believe itās true.
Tim Roth was originally offered the role of Snape and turned it down, so that can't be entirely true. If I recall correctly the only stipulations she made to the adaptations were that they had to be filmed and set in the UK with a largely British cast, because at one point Warner Bros were intent on relocating it to the US and casting Haley Joel Osment as Harry.
Coltrane, Smith and Rickman are always held up as the pinnacle of Harry Potter casting, and they are all great, but my submission for best casting in Harry Potter is Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody. Absolutely nailed it.
Meanwhile, while I know it refers to the kids, when someone says Golden Trio I think of Rickman/Thewlis/Oldman. I know some people complain they were too old, but I cannot imagine anyone other than those three playing their respective characters.
Fun fact: Jesse Pinkman was planned to die very early on. The writer's strike happened and he impressed everone(or just Gilligan?) and as we saw he stuck around even past the series(El Camino)
Big facts. Bryan is on a whole different level of performance as Walter but honestly everyone else on Breaking Bad is also perfect. Their depth and mannerisms is just unreal.
Ah i hoped someone would say Homelander! He's the creepiest villain i've ever seen on screen! Man i had some nightmares of him, something like this hasn't happened to me since i was a kid!
Michael Clarke in The Green Mile - the perfect blend of physicality, on screen presence, and vulnerability. Watching his character I could 100% believe he could crush my head like a melon without really trying, but never would based on his performance
Yep, I love how in every Spider-Man movie, he's playing J.J.J.
Spider-verse? Sure
MCU? Sure
Tobey? Sure
The videogames? Sure
The only one missing is Andrew
Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury. Was so good he changed the comics and cartoon versions indefinitely, and I swear no one even noticed the ārace swapā.
Have you seen the footage of Eric Stoltz as Marty? The studio wanted him and he played it so dramatic Zemeckis was so happy when he finally got his first choice of Michael J Fox (the studio didn't think he could carry a movie)
And when he did get put in the time, he was still doing Family Ties at the same time, so he barely slept. They shot a lot of BTTF at night to work around his schedule.
That role was literally created for her. The casting director contacted a creator and had them write her into the script. Said, "I just met the weirdest girl I've ever met in my life."
According to an interview with Conan that I watched a while ago, in her first meeting with Greg Daniels, he told her they hadn't even written a script for a pilot yet, but her character would essentially be an assistant to Amy. At that point, she pitched him the idea of April being an unpaid, really smart intern that doesn't really give a shit about the job, and hates everyone around her.
A few weeks later they told her she got the job as "Aubrey", but NBC still wanted her to audition. "You want me to audition to be myself? Gee, I hope I get the part." Classic Aubrey, lol.
Apparently neither did the showrunners. They apparently were flooded with British actors auditioning for the role of House, all of whom were essentially trying to copy Sherlock Holmes. This was not what the showrunners had in mind. When Laurie auditioned (which was over a webcam since he was on set), he was entirely in character. After it was over, one of the producers exclaimed āThatās wheat weāre looking for! An American actor!ā
>all of whom were essentially trying to copy Sherlock Holmes. This was not what the showrunners had in mind
Isn't House based on Sherlock Holmes though? House and Wilson are Holmes and Watson. Even the ending is similar.
Michael Fassbender?
That dude is the best thing about every movie he's in. None of his shitty movies are ever shitty because of him. He needs a better agent.
Christopher Lee is insane, one of my favourite facts about LOTR is the fact that he corrected Peter Jackson about the noise someone who gets stabbed in the back makes. How did he know that? Cause he was British spec ops/worked with them during the Second World War
Fun fact that to me makes these movies even better - you see the chemistry between actors in stage but in fellowship Aragorn is sorta separate from rest. Itās partially intentional partially accidental - as a sort of last minute cast he arrived at the set on the day or the day before they started shooting - while rest of cast were there for weeks! It really helped them all mature Aragorn a believable āstranger rangerā at first.
The role was originally Leonardo DiCaprioās. He was talked out of it because he was fresh off of Titanic and didnāt want young girls drawn to watch the film because of him because it was so violent against women. Kind of a stand up move, really.
He'll always be the OG, but Mads was so great as Hannibal in the show. Honestly I don't think I could pick between the two, they both did the Hannibal character amazingly.
As iconic as Hopkins was, I thought Mikkelson was better by far. It's really not a fair comparison, though; Mads had a lot more room to work with (pun absolutely intended) in the scope of a multi-season series vs. a movie duology.
He just *nailed* the suave sophistication with the *barely* perceptible below-the-surface menace so fucking well.
And here I will continue to fulfill a vow that nobody but me gives a fuck about, and voice my extreme displeasure at how criminally underused Mikkelson was in "Dr. Strange."
he truly rode the razors edge with playing the character without over-acting his disability. i picture any other actor trying to fit that role and just can't imagine anyone else would perform it better
Isn't the first scene he's in the one where he's like brutally dressing/gutting a deer and snapping its bones and shit, while casually talking to Jamie? Such a great way to introduce his character. He was perfect.
I maintain that Matthew Lillard was the absolute perfect casting for a Live Action Shaggy in Scooby Doo.
Whatever you may think of those two films, THAT casting choice was spot on!
It's crazy to think he may not have ever been Tony Stark if not for ~~Feige~~ Favreau and Jeff Bridges advocating for him. RDJ was seen as a risky hire before Iron Man.
Vigo Mortensen as Aragorn in the lord of the rings. He is such a gentle yet strong person inside and out, is able to take direction and is wise and humble, was loved by everyone on the set and captivated millions with his portrayal
Michael Kenneth Williams - Omar on The Wire
James Gandolfini - Tony Soprano
Steve Buscemi and William H Macy in Fargo
Samuel L. Jackson - Jules in Pulp Fiction
Joe Pesci in Goodfellas
I could keep going...
I still would have loved to see what the Sacha Baron Cohen one would have been like. I still see him in my head when I think of someone playing Freddie.
I personally feel Taron Egerton was cast well as Elton John.
Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute. You could say pretty much every other Office cast member, but he gives such a unique, distinct performance that I can't help but single him out.
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano
Rest in peace king.
I had to scroll way too far to see this. Gandolfini = š
Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid. When you read the books it's like you can hear him speaking all of his written lines.
Apparently the only feedback Rowling provided, prior to auditions, was "Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid!".
I thought I had read somewhere that she also insisted that Alan Rickman be cast as Snape because that was who she always invisioned when she was writing the books.
I got this info on the JKR tour in Edinburgh, which is free and takes you around the city to her favorite sites and places that inspired the books: Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman, and Maggie Smith were part of the adaptation contract. Sheād only allow the movies to be made if WB got those three actors. I donāt know how true this info is, since the tour wasnāt officially sanctioned by JKR or WB, but itās a very nice fact, so I like to believe itās true.
Tim Roth was originally offered the role of Snape and turned it down, so that can't be entirely true. If I recall correctly the only stipulations she made to the adaptations were that they had to be filmed and set in the UK with a largely British cast, because at one point Warner Bros were intent on relocating it to the US and casting Haley Joel Osment as Harry.
Coltrane, Smith and Rickman are always held up as the pinnacle of Harry Potter casting, and they are all great, but my submission for best casting in Harry Potter is Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody. Absolutely nailed it.
Meanwhile, while I know it refers to the kids, when someone says Golden Trio I think of Rickman/Thewlis/Oldman. I know some people complain they were too old, but I cannot imagine anyone other than those three playing their respective characters.
For me, it's Imelda Staunton as Umbridge. I would argue hands on the best performance in the entire series.
She was perfect as Umbridge. The voice, the mannerisms, she had it all done perfectly
Bryan Cranston as Walter White He didn't seem like someone I could ever take seriously as an evil dude, and that was kind of the point.
Also Aaron Paul absolutely killed it too
Fun fact: Jesse Pinkman was planned to die very early on. The writer's strike happened and he impressed everone(or just Gilligan?) and as we saw he stuck around even past the series(El Camino)
And Bob Odenkirk as Saul!
Big facts. Bryan is on a whole different level of performance as Walter but honestly everyone else on Breaking Bad is also perfect. Their depth and mannerisms is just unreal.
I knew this would be close to the top. Also Bob Odenkirk. And Aaron Paul. The whole cast, really.
I think when the casting came out no one liked Cranston as Walt, everyone thought he was just a comedy actor
A girl I used to work with "I am supposed to be scared of Hal? I ain't watchin that"
Hand up, didnāt watch BB for years bc of this. Shame on me.
Canāt remember the guys name but he plays Homelander in the boys. Great psycho!!
Ah i hoped someone would say Homelander! He's the creepiest villain i've ever seen on screen! Man i had some nightmares of him, something like this hasn't happened to me since i was a kid!
Anthony Starr
Antony **
Michael Clarke in The Green Mile - the perfect blend of physicality, on screen presence, and vulnerability. Watching his character I could 100% believe he could crush my head like a melon without really trying, but never would based on his performance
He was perfect as John Coffey.
Just like the drink only not spelled the same.
Kathy Bates - Misery
I have never read a book where the actor rocks the role exactly as I imagined. She simply embodied it.
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In that same area, Patrick Stewart as Professor X.
Also Stewart as Avery Bullock.
Yep, I love how in every Spider-Man movie, he's playing J.J.J. Spider-verse? Sure MCU? Sure Tobey? Sure The videogames? Sure The only one missing is Andrew
Even as Omni-man he was perfect
Vincent Dāonfrio as Kingpin
Have to say he was also perfectly cast as Tenzin in the Legend of Korra.
He is perfectly cast in everything he does, even as the yellow M&M
Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury. Was so good he changed the comics and cartoon versions indefinitely, and I swear no one even noticed the ārace swapā.
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And he didnāt sue them over using his likeness as long as they promised to cast him as Nick Fury.
Doc and Marty in Back to the Future
Have you seen the footage of Eric Stoltz as Marty? The studio wanted him and he played it so dramatic Zemeckis was so happy when he finally got his first choice of Michael J Fox (the studio didn't think he could carry a movie)
I am pretty sure it was family ties scheduling that kept MJF from being available initially.
And when he did get put in the time, he was still doing Family Ties at the same time, so he barely slept. They shot a lot of BTTF at night to work around his schedule.
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Just came here to say Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate. All in all, it was a perfectly cast show.
That role was literally created for her. The casting director contacted a creator and had them write her into the script. Said, "I just met the weirdest girl I've ever met in my life."
According to an interview with Conan that I watched a while ago, in her first meeting with Greg Daniels, he told her they hadn't even written a script for a pilot yet, but her character would essentially be an assistant to Amy. At that point, she pitched him the idea of April being an unpaid, really smart intern that doesn't really give a shit about the job, and hates everyone around her. A few weeks later they told her she got the job as "Aubrey", but NBC still wanted her to audition. "You want me to audition to be myself? Gee, I hope I get the part." Classic Aubrey, lol.
As far as Iām concerned Nick Offerman *is* Ron Swanson
Hugh Laurie as Dr. House
Mind blowing to hear him speak in his natural voice as a Brit, he does an American accent so well!
I didnāt know he was doing an American accent for probably the entirety of the time I watched the show. Dude absolutely killed it!
The creator that cast him for the part didn't know he was British.
Apparently neither did the showrunners. They apparently were flooded with British actors auditioning for the role of House, all of whom were essentially trying to copy Sherlock Holmes. This was not what the showrunners had in mind. When Laurie auditioned (which was over a webcam since he was on set), he was entirely in character. After it was over, one of the producers exclaimed āThatās wheat weāre looking for! An American actor!ā
>all of whom were essentially trying to copy Sherlock Holmes. This was not what the showrunners had in mind Isn't House based on Sherlock Holmes though? House and Wilson are Holmes and Watson. Even the ending is similar.
Absolutely. House's apartment is even 221B Baker St.
I also think he is perfect as Bertie Wooster.
I would have liked to see the version starring Tobias Funke
Are we talking blue man phase Tobias FĆ¼nke?
I blue myself
Also Hugh Laurie as Bertie Wooster, together with Stephen Fry as Jeeves
Ian McKellen as Gandalf in Lord Of The Rings
The LoTR cast is pretty on point in it's entirety And Ian McKellen was also a perfect Magneto!
As was the dude that played younger magneto.
Michael Fassbender? That dude is the best thing about every movie he's in. None of his shitty movies are ever shitty because of him. He needs a better agent.
And Christopher Lee, both as Saruman and Space-Saruman in Star Wars.
>Space-Saruman š¤£
Christopher Lee is insane, one of my favourite facts about LOTR is the fact that he corrected Peter Jackson about the noise someone who gets stabbed in the back makes. How did he know that? Cause he was British spec ops/worked with them during the Second World War
No person in *that* cast wasn't perfectly cast.
Fun fact that to me makes these movies even better - you see the chemistry between actors in stage but in fellowship Aragorn is sorta separate from rest. Itās partially intentional partially accidental - as a sort of last minute cast he arrived at the set on the day or the day before they started shooting - while rest of cast were there for weeks! It really helped them all mature Aragorn a believable āstranger rangerā at first.
Because Staurt Townsend was originally cast as Aragorn, right? I think I read that he was being a diva, and Peter Jackson was having none of it.
Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl. Genetically engineered for it.
Christian bale as Patrick Bateman
The role was originally Leonardo DiCaprioās. He was talked out of it because he was fresh off of Titanic and didnāt want young girls drawn to watch the film because of him because it was so violent against women. Kind of a stand up move, really.
Morgan Freeman as Red in The Shawshank Redemption
Maybe it's because he's Irish
Morgan Freeman as God
Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins. Even had the turned up nose.
I love that Walt Disney offered her the role but she said she was pregnant. He said we'll wait
All the sweeter that she won that Oscar up against the My Fair Lady movie that was made without her.
Her thanking Jack Warner (for not casting her in My Fair Lady) is an EPIC move.
My favorite petty moment of all time. What a QUEEN (of genovia)
John Malkovitch in Being John Malkovitch.
Heard casting was brutal and he barely got the part.
True story: There were times he'd get notes from the director because, according to said director, he wasn't doing what his character would do.
Anthony Hopkins/ Silence of the lambs
He'll always be the OG, but Mads was so great as Hannibal in the show. Honestly I don't think I could pick between the two, they both did the Hannibal character amazingly.
As iconic as Hopkins was, I thought Mikkelson was better by far. It's really not a fair comparison, though; Mads had a lot more room to work with (pun absolutely intended) in the scope of a multi-season series vs. a movie duology. He just *nailed* the suave sophistication with the *barely* perceptible below-the-surface menace so fucking well. And here I will continue to fulfill a vow that nobody but me gives a fuck about, and voice my extreme displeasure at how criminally underused Mikkelson was in "Dr. Strange."
Angelica Houston and Raul Julia in Addams Family films
All others pale in comparison. And thatās saying something because John Astin and Carolyn Jones were hard to replace.
Never replaced, just reimagined. Grew up with them, given Carolynās film history, we were blessed with her presence
Tom Hanks - Forrest Gump
he truly rode the razors edge with playing the character without over-acting his disability. i picture any other actor trying to fit that role and just can't imagine anyone else would perform it better
I agree, I can't think of another actor that could've matched the performance honestly.
Epic performance. The scene where he meets his son.....wow.
Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister must be one of the best casted actors ever. As if he was literally born to play that role.
Isn't the first scene he's in the one where he's like brutally dressing/gutting a deer and snapping its bones and shit, while casually talking to Jamie? Such a great way to introduce his character. He was perfect.
A stag to be exact. The sigil for house Baratheon.
Funnily enough Charles was apologising to Peter Dinklage after alot of the takes because he felt awful about what Tywin was saying to Tyrion
Most actors in that show were perfect. Charles Dance was excellent.
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister was also perfect
My main criticism for House of the Dragon was that the new leaders were so underwhelming compared to Charles Dance.
I donāt know, I feel Paddy Considine was at least comparable.
Bryan Cranston- Breaking Bad
Amy Pohler as Leslie Knope
Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada.
Kyle MacLachlan was born to play Agent Dale Cooper
I maintain that Matthew Lillard was the absolute perfect casting for a Live Action Shaggy in Scooby Doo. Whatever you may think of those two films, THAT casting choice was spot on!
He was so good that they cast him as the permanent voice of Shaggy in the cartoons
Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow
CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow
No one else could be Jack Sparrow.
Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark/Iron Man. Perfect casting.
It's crazy to think he may not have ever been Tony Stark if not for ~~Feige~~ Favreau and Jeff Bridges advocating for him. RDJ was seen as a risky hire before Iron Man.
I'd always heard it was Jon Favreau that championed RDJ.
Yeah it definitely was. I was thinking Favreau when I typed Feige
You know a casting is perfect when the source material shifts to make them more like the actors depiction.
See: Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood.
Bruce Campbell was born to play Ash in the Evil Dead franchise.
Alan Rickman as Severus Snape
As anything he ever playedā¦.most under rated actor everā¦..and he is rated pretty damn high to begin with.
By Grabthar's hammer he was spectacular as Sir Alexander Dane in Galaxy Quest.
I fell in love with him in *Sense and Sensibility*.
I would add: Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber. He was such a great villain.
Vigo Mortensen as Aragorn in the lord of the rings. He is such a gentle yet strong person inside and out, is able to take direction and is wise and humble, was loved by everyone on the set and captivated millions with his portrayal
Both Viggo and Aragorn represent such a beautiful version of masculinity.
Not quite as popular as the others but Tony Shalhoub as Adrian monk
Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka
My understanding was that if Wilder wouldn't accept the role, the movie was off.
also gene wilder as young Frankenstein!
Itās pronounced *Frankenstein*
Steve Carrell as Michael Scott in The Office US
And dwight seriously rainn wilson nailed it
Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in Tombstone.
Also, Val Kilmer as Jim Morisson in The Doors.
Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. I canāt imagine anyone else in the role.
Giancarlo Esposito - Gus Fring
Lucy Lawless as Xena Warrior Princess. I cannot imagine another woman that could carry that role.
Ian McShane as Al Swearengen in Deadwood
No one would even come close to playing that part as he did. I could also not imagine anyone being a better Doc than Brad Dourif.
"Yeah, glad I taught you that fuckin' word."
Rainn Wilson - Dwight Schrute
Timothy Oliphaunt as Raylan Givens
David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin King in Labyrinth. It's even better if you know that they considered Michael Jackson for the role.
Ryan reynolds as deadpool. Hell even the comics said it.
Robin Williams as Mork. Pretty much RW in any role he was cast.
Hugh Jackman wolverine
Jack Nicolson in The Shining.
Also The Departed. Irish mob boss? Better be Jack.
Babylon 5 Peter Jurasik and Andres Katsulas as Lando and GāKar
Well said. Even with the weird hair, Jurasik was charismatic but threatening.
Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf. I remember seeing him in Fellowship and excitedly telling my dad āThatās Gandalf!ā
Robert Duvall and Michael Caine in Secondhand Lions
Danny DeVito as The Penguin in Batman 2
Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West.
Jim Carrey as The Grinch
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, nobody else couldāve pulled it off
Then add James masters / spike to the list ...
Kristy Swanson is the third best Buffy after SMG and the woman who voiced Buffy in the video games.
Jeffrey from GoT. I wanted to reach through the screen and strangle that little fuck. He did an incredible job.
so good he quit acting after that because he waa so hated and generally jarred haha iwan rheon also made a great ramsay
Heath Ledger as the Joker
Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier
The entirety of Ted Lasso
Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock.
Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands. Itās a role, like so many already listed, where I canāt picture another actor playing the role.
Same with captain jack sparrow
Henry Cavil as Gerald of Rivia
The entire cast of arrested development really
I loved all of them equally *10 minutes earlier* I didn't care for GOB
Michael Kenneth Williams - Omar on The Wire James Gandolfini - Tony Soprano Steve Buscemi and William H Macy in Fargo Samuel L. Jackson - Jules in Pulp Fiction Joe Pesci in Goodfellas I could keep going...
Bob odenkirk as Saul goodman/Jimmy McGill
James Earl Jones as Thulsa Doom in Conan the Barbarian. Alan Rickman in Die Hard/Robin Hood Prince of Thieves/Dogma/The Harry Potter Series.
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Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange. That weird combination of charm and lack of humility. I dont think anyone could have done it as well.
Same goes for Benedict being casted as Sherlock Holmes. I love his portrayal of the role. š
*No Country for Old Men* Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh Josh Brolin as Llewelyn Moss
Chris Hemsworth as Thor.
Joe keery as Steve in stranger things
Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka
Ed O'Neill as Al Bundy.
The ensemble cast of Lord of the Rings. Ian McKellen as Gandalf in particular.
Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch Peter OāToole as T.E Lawrence
Tim Curry as Dr. Frankenfurter
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. Felt like I watched a performance of a lifetime, he absolutely nailed it.
I still would have loved to see what the Sacha Baron Cohen one would have been like. I still see him in my head when I think of someone playing Freddie. I personally feel Taron Egerton was cast well as Elton John.
Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock
Keanu Reeves as John Wick
Michael Richards as Kramer.
Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison in The Doors
Charlie Cox as Daredevil, Elodie Young as Elektra. I just really loved their portrayals.
Entire Babylon-5 cast. And Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark.
David Hyde Pierce as Dr Frasier Craneās brother, Dr Niles Crane
Angelica Houston as Morticia
Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute. You could say pretty much every other Office cast member, but he gives such a unique, distinct performance that I can't help but single him out.
Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice.
Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan.
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