Fan Girl Discussion: When Casting Goes Wrong
Stories are a funny thing. Since they, like other of life’s options, are subjective, but they do have a kind of persuasive power. Where one viewer may think a certain story is the best thing ever, another may be left wondering, what am I not seeing? Cinematic stories are really no different from those written. One of the things that can help to sway a viewer of cinematic stories is the cast.
The “face” of a beloved character is one of the most important book-to-screen transformations producers and creators have power over. In some cases it can make or break the film; or it can surprise the viewer when we don’t think we’ll like someone as a favorite character, and then do.
Recently, there’s been a big casting announcement that made me think about this topic. It’s this that leads us to today’s topic.
Over the years, there have been film adaptations of books I read and liked with a perfect cast, and some that don’t match my ideals, but still work. The best kind of casting choice is those performers who can make you care more than you did when you meet them in the novel. Then there are those that disappoint. Hallmark has a handful of these adaptations, and there have been some from the big screen as well. There have been hits and misses for many casting choices throughout the years. For me, I can think of one even back in the 1940s that misses the characters.
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The more recent news that inspires this post is also a miss for me.
That said, I can go into the film with an open mind and hope to be proven quite wrong.
Like I say in the beginning, everything is subjective. In my mind, I see this character as they appear on the page. Because of this, I don’t feel like this character, who I like from their respective book, will at all be who I know them to be. In the screenplay writer’s mind, perhaps they see the character more as an interpretation than actual. Or perhaps, the intention is for different reasons altogether. Whatever the case, it’s nothing the viewer can change.
Whether this latest movie news works out or not, it’s fun to speculate, and wonder: will this unexpected announcement surprise me?
I’m certainly still curious and excited to discover where the story will go with this cast, and what might transpire as these thespians bring alive characters we first loved inside the pages of a novel.
Going into another random rabbit-trail discussion topic! This time, we go to the movies to discuss: When Casting Goes Wrong Share on XThe comments are your, friends. I’m curious, what “when casting goes wrong” issues do you find distracts from the page-to-screen transition? Did they turn out to exceed your first impression? Or was that impression proven right? Comment down below with all of your insights, thoughts and opinions.
As a reader, we usually visualize someone in our head while reading a novel. And it’s so exciting when the cast is exactly what you pictured. But it’s really frustrating when they pick people that you know do not fit the role and that there were better options.
And I’m curious, which casting are you talking about? From the announcement?
It is fun to “see” someone bring a character alive that you’ve “met” on the page and fallen for. I’ve been really surprised by people I didn’t feel “fit” though, so that’s what I’m hoping for here!!
(The film is the second ‘To All the Boys’ movie.)