When I was a kid, my father gave me good books that he'd finished. He'd toss one to me and say, "You'll like this one!" We shared a lot of westerns, mysteries, thrillers and science fiction books. I credit my great love of reading to the fact that my parents were BOTH avid readers.
As we drove across long distances, we played a game. We'd talk up a great book that we enjoyed, then we'd cast the movie. We would cast the characters from all the actors we knew, living or dead. A lot of the time, we would try to explain to each other who we wanted to cast in a part, just by trying to describe other parts they played. Because we didn't even know all the actors' names.
Today, I'll pull up www.imdb.com and look up a movie, find the cast and immediately have the name of the actor. If only I could 'cast the movie' with my dad again. Good times.
Probably the fact that I've always done this for fun (after reading the books) makes it a little harder for me when I see a cast announcement. Sometimes, I am thrilled with the actors selected, even if I wouldn't have cast them in that role. For instance, I wouldn't have cast Robert Pattinson for Edward in the Twilight movie after reading the books--but he's done a very creditable job in the role.
Recently, I heard that almost 15 years after the film rights were purchased, Janet Evanovich's One for the Money was finally in production. I was thrilled. I've been reading the Stephanie Plum novels for years and I can SEE those characters. Here's what I read recently: "What's going on with the One For the Money movie?
Katherine Heigl has been cast as Stephanie, Jason O'Mara as Joe Morelli and Daniel Sunjata as Ranger. Janet sold the movie rights to One For the Money in 1993, and has no involvement or influence in the making of the movie...casting, directing, the script, editing, etc. We have not heard about any other casting that has been done."
Katherine Heigl as Stephanie Plum? She's a great actress and has the name recognition to carry a movie. But to play a Jersey girl? Whose dark, curly locks are always teased up into 'big hair'? It boggles the mind. I pulled up pics of the actors cast as Morelli and Ranger and I can see the possibilities. I sure wish I had a vote in this. I want to know who they've cast as Grandma Mazur and Lula. I'm also hopeful that the script is good. It's such a great read, I'd hate for Hollywood to spoil it.
When you read a book, do you cast the movie in your mind? Do you imagine some man from print or film and watch him progress through the book? Or do you create the character from the descriptions and get through the book with only that image? Do you ever cast the whole book with actors? It's actually a lot of fun.
--Sandee Wagner
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6 comments:
I try not to picture known actors in the books I read--I've found that it distracts me from the character that I'm reading and choices or actions will surprise me... I do, however, see the actors that have been cast in the movies when I re-read a book. In the Twilight books/movies, I've always been dissatisfied with the casting of every character EXCEPT Bella; and in the Harry Potter series it's the opposite, I'm happy with the casting of every actor EXCEPT Harry...
And this is a weird HP connection, but my capcha to post this is "mudblood"
That's just funny, Emm!! I guess if you don't picture someone before the movie, then you're kind of stuck with them after the movie...
I didn't mind the HP cast, I guess because they were so young in the first book, I didn't really focus on any one look/actor/person.
For Twilight, I definitely had a different TYPE pictured for Edward and Jacob. spw
Edward and Jacob don't bother me as much as the rest of the Cullens. They are all just *wrong* for me--especially Peter Facinelli as Carlisle (he's a great actor, but *shrugs* off).
Emm,
I guess the Cullens didn't really 'register' with me like the three main characters. I thought Jasper was completely off... but he also was a cipher in the first movie and the second. Completely written out of the script actually. spw
About the only time I tried casting was on SEASON FOR MIRACLES, and all I can remember is that I liked Thomas Gibson (from Criminal Minds) as Nathan. I don't know enough actors to cast. Seriously, I pick up a People or In Style and don't have a clue who those people are.
I sure as heck wouldn't have cast Heigl as Stephanie. She'll have to do her best work ever to make that fly.
I'll have to check out the Joe and Ranger guys.
I remember back in high school after handing you the first R.A. Salvator book and you chewing up the series faster than I did... then you and I casting the movie on the way somewhere. I still think Dolph Lundgren would make a great Wulfgar!!
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