Casting Characters
Okay, so I love movies–especially romantic comedies. Growing up — and okay still now — I love, love, love Molly Ringwald movies… Pretty in Pink was always my favorite. I mean, what’s not to love about the movie? Eccentric girl who nabs the rich boy’s interest. Even though I still think Andie (Molly Ringwald) should have ended up with her best friend, Ducky (Jon Cryer), instead of the rich boy at the end.
So, lately, one of my secret dreams is to have Take A Chance On Me be made into a movie. When I write, I’m a visual person, so often I think of what actors “fit” or would play my characters. Besides being an area of “research”, it has also provided me my favorite means of activity… procrastination.
But like the typical Virgo I am, I can’t make decisions. And for Take A Chance On Me, I’m stuck with certain people for the roles. I have a couple of choices and will show you my reasons why I think these people could play these parts, but I need help. Plus, well… this is a fun exercise to do with your own story or even when you’re reading. I often try to match up actors with books that I read. For example when I read An Affair Before Christmas by Eloisa James, I kept picturing Daniel Day Lewis as Fletcher.
So without further ado, here’s my choices:
SAM BRODY: Sam is an arrogant, pompous Brit who’s a makeover guru. He says things that are mean and hurtful. He also regrets those things he says, and well, he’s got an ego to boot. Plus, he’s definitely a metrosexual but Alpha at the same time… he loves his suits and definitely is into images.
One actor that I keep going back to for Sam is JUDE LAW.
I mean… it’s Jude Law. He’s British. He’s got the blonde hair. The deep blue eyes. He’s British. Plus, he has that charm and that hint of ruthlessness about him that is so Sam. Plus, look at these photos. He’s just… Sam.
Also, Jude was the sexiest man alive… a title that my Sam has also gotten in Take A Chance On Me.
But then I’ve also thought that VIGGO MORTENSEN can make a great Sam. Besides being an actor, Viggo is an artist — something that my Sam also does. So there could be some potential for Viggo getting Sam on that level. However, there’s one glaring thing that makes me think “No” when it comes to finally casting Viggo as Sam. Viggo’s 50 or nearing it. Sam is 33.
But I mean… there’s something sexy about Viggo that well… just makes you want to spend all day in bed with him. Kind of like how Kate wants to spend all day in bed with Sam.
Now moving along…
KATE TEMPLAR: Kate is the complete antithesis to Sam. She doesn’t care about fashion… she’s flawed and she’s “real”. Meaning that what you see is what you get with her. She’s sassy, funny, and well, she calls Sam on his bullshit–a lot.
So, one actress that I’ve always thought can make a great Kate is ELIZA DUSHKU. You may remember Eliza from Buffy as Faith. But, Eliza has this toughness yet vulnerability about her and this girl-next-door quality about her that’s just Kate. 
But then there’s LAURA MARGOLIS who’s on the TV show Dirty Sexy Money who has this wide-eyed, really natural look that Kate often has.
Of course… who can play MURPHY? Murphy is Kate’s troublesome Golden Retriever/Golden Shepherd dog that terrorizes Sam at every turn. This dog to me looks innocent but at the same time, you just know he’s trouble. Something that is so true about Murphy.
But then there’s also the main setting of the novel, in Sam’s malibu mansion.
And well, Sam is flithy rich and this mansion is absolutely beautiful as are the surrounding grounds. It’s very Sam. 
Then there’s LIAM BRODY, Sam’s estranged brother who comes into the story later on and is pretty pivotal. And Liam is dark-haired, British, and blue-eyed. There was no doubt in my mind who could play such a character… RICHARD ARMITAGE.
Then there’s Sam, Liam, and Simone’s grandmother or otherwise known as LA GRANDE DAME. She’s cold, she’s ruthless, and she doesn’t care about anyone or anything. And well, I would love, love, love to have BETTY WHITE to play her because no one would ever expect Betty White to play such a cold-hearted character. And well, Betty White can act. 
And she lives in what’s referred to as the ”castle” and Castle Kashan would have been perfect, if it hadn’t been burnt down in the recent Malibu fires last year.
And lastly, here’s some photos that I thought would be of Sam and Kate together… it’s Jude Law with Norah Jones at a movie premiere… but it’s something that struck me as being my characters.
So… now that I’ve shared my inspirations behind TAKE A CHANCE ON ME, I want to know what actors/actresses do you see playing your characters? And also help me decide who would make a perfect Kate and Sam, too.
_____________________________________
HA! HAhahahahahahhhaaaaaa! It’s Azalea! I’m here to hijack Ely’s blog and add in my own little casting call (evil grin)
Some of you may remember my contemporary story, Wit and Will, starring Conn the firefighter and Maggie the artist. Well, here are my pics:
Luke Wilson as Conn:
Megan Follows as Maggie (I’m not so picky as Ely on age, I can pretend) LOL
And what story would be complete without a villain? Introducing Cillian Murphy as Ryan, the no-good, controlling ex boyfriend:
I have another story in the works… okay, I have about a hundred stories “in the works” but these are the only two I’m working on at the moment 
It’s a fantasy/paranormal called Dryad.
Some of the Vanettes have heard about Aidan, but I don’t think anyone really knows what the story is about. A fifteen hundred year old man is a celtic demi-god and The Green Man. You’ve seen his image in all the Gothic and Baroque Catholic Churches…why is that? Why is there such a pagan image in a Christian gathering place? Well, this story explores that. Aidan is The Green Man, who has been imprisoned in a tree for three hundred years after a paranormal battle against his demonic sister, Mairan. Becca is the contemporary heroine who frees him…from many things. ;D How does this connect? Well, Aidan is the “emissary”, if you will, for faerie, and desperately bids to save his mother goddess from extinction by making a pact with the catholic church to “save” her as the image of the Virgin Mary. I know, I know, it’s kinda heretical, but it’s also theorhetical and I’m not demonizing the church, just twisting about the mystery of paganism folding into catholicism and how we came about to have so many pagan holidays transformed into Christian holidays. (whew, that’s a mouthful!)
Gabriel Byrne as Aidan:
Emily Proctor (of West Wing and CSI fame) as Becca:
Sophie Marceau as the evil Mairan:
Okay, so that’s me, and that’s it for my little hijacking. Now! Answer Ely’s Question from Above. Right…NOW!
or I’ll sic Mairan on you. btw, she’s reeeeeeeeally evil…
Ely, I have always seen Sam as a brash Aussie. Now Paul Hogan of Crocodile Dundee fame would fit the bill for me, especially if he wore that ‘outback’ suit and his sheath knife.
For Kate, I would like Felicity Kendal, of ‘Good Life’ fame…smart,zany and very very vulnerable.
Marvellous to see so many ladies wearing nice clothes…really raises the tone.
Jude Law? Really? And I’m totally laughing at Q’s comment!
And Eliza is so perfect! OMG!
I have no idea who would play my characters. Though Nate Kamp is a hottie, and dark and dangerous looking like my darling Etienne….
You girls are crazy-skilled with your visuals. Love the Jude Law casting, and thought of him last night when I watched the guy who played Henry Tilney in Northanger Abbey. He’s a brunette Jude Law, very worship-worthy. I confess I do not base my characters on actors at all. They are so clear to me in my mind bringing reality in would spoil them. Actually, there’s no room whatsoever in my mind for reality.
This is a great post, Ely, and I loved Dushku in Buffy!! Such a good hearted bad girl
My publisher recently asked me to describe my characters for the purposes of doing the book covers, so I’ll give you the low-down on what I told them for Rhys and Amy:
For Rhys, I said think of Clive Owen or Hugh Jackman (They’ve both got that heavy-eyed, sexy ruggedness thing down pat). And for Amy, I thought because she’s young and vibrant, but innocent looking and intelligent, I said think of Natalie Portman.
Ah, I love beauty and the beast stories.
Well, I’m still undecided about Sam. Trust me. I think I need to hold a casting couch section to really decide on who could best play Sam. *g*
Jude’s British… I mean, that’s Sam to a tee. But Sam is definitely haughty and arrogant and pompous. And I just realized that all three of those words are pretty much one and the same.
And, well, Sam’s hot. Hmmmm…
I’m still debating about Sam and open to suggestions. LOl
Great Blog Ely!
And yummy Jude Law.
I still haven’t pinpointed my hero, I had an idea about him but have since adjusted my hero’s personality and started a rewrite, so the jury’s still out.
My heroine, Cory, would be great played by Rachel Weisz, particularly her character from the Mummy. Sort of a bumbling smart girl.
Ely, I’ve been reading TACOM, and I love it. I like your comparison to Jude Law, but what do you think of Ewan McGregor as another possibility for Sam, especially the younger Moulin Rouge Ewan?
Ely, I am fascinated by all your and Aza’s images (although I think Sam desrves better than Jude Law).
But for characters (my own and others), I always prefer the images in my head to those of RL actors. I can remember when many of us were in the midst of Maynia that none of the actors proposed fit the vision my imagination had created. Places, on the other hand, I do borrow images of. I downloaded images for Dori’s house, a 19th-century farmhouse built by her great-grandfather, Max’s showplace in Nashville and his mountaintop home in Ethan’s Gap, and even images of shops and restaurants in Dori’s town.
Like Jangal, I don’t see RL people in place of my characters. I don’t think I’d be able to think of them as real if I did that. I realize that makes no sense but there you go.
And I haven’t read all of TACOM but I’ve always seen Sam as more *filled out* and not as slender as Jude. More Dougrey Scott. You know, if Aaron Eckhart could pull of the accent, he’d be perfect. Oh, would Matthew McFadyen be out of the question?
OMG, Terrio… did you know that I “secretly” pictured the American actor and hotness that is Aaron Eckhart as Sam?!?!?!?!
Love Eliza Dushku – she’s very Kate. And yay Betty White! I love her, too. And she was pretty catty on The Mary Tyler Moore Show – she’d be great. The Sam debate continues. Aaron Eckhart has definite possibilities. And what about the soap opera guy we found whose hair was too dark?
OMG, Z, Megan Follows is like my idol. I mean, she’s Anne of Green Gables, what’s not to love?! She’d make a great Maggie! Love the rest of your cast, too.
I used to agree with all those who said that there wasn’t any right actor for the character in your head. And though it’s true, when I opened myself to looking at some pictures, I did find it really helpful in reinforcing my ideas of my characters – capturing a look or an expression.
Though in spite of going just for general inspiration, I am really picky about using age-appropriate actors (or pictures). And ideally I’d like nationality-appropriate, though I ultimately gave up on that. Unlike some Vagabonds (and you know who you are) I don’t get to watch as much BBC America as I’d like!
For my hero, I really like James Franco. He has the duality I’m trying to capture – he can look all dark and dangerous and intense, but when he smiles he’s so charmingly boyish.
And though Sophia Bush is a lot more wrong for my heroine than she is right, this picture has been helpful in developing a look:
I forgot to mention – Z – that chick looks perfect to play an evil villianess. Great find.
Does this mean I read Ely’s mind? LOL! Scary! And he just popped into my head while I was typing that comment. I can so see him walking around in that towel. Dropping that tow…err….I’ll stop now.