what if casting

[burntcopper]

Over here, they're pondering the 'what if so and so wasn't available for casting at the time' game for Jack Harkness. Some er... *interesting* responses. And several stuck on american actors. My thoughts below.


First, the character wasn't originally written as American - he was supposed to be British (take your pick of which country) and it's only the fact that JB slipped into a US accent during one of the early read-throughs and they felt it fit the 'film glamour' image better that he's American (which of course influenced later things like costume and character reactions - though not necessarily Matt Rippy casting, since it's not absolutely essential that the closeted heroic self-sacrificer is American).

So, casting details as they originally were : Really good-looking classic 'film-star' looks with a slight 1940s bent, con-man, convincing in action scenes, and believable in the 'will shag anything and *can* get anything' category.

:scratches head on trying to get someone to fit entire package: - I remember them saying at the time that all of that pretty much narrowed it down to one person who was on the UK acting scene, ie, JB so... hoo boy. And even if you got all the briefing elements right, your Harkness would be quite different. Especially later eps, because after the first couple of eps/first season, they normally start writing to the cast actor's strengths.

James Purefoy could do it. (go watch Rome, then call me)
Daniel Craig - no problems.
Paul Bettany - nearly all of it. except I'm not sure how he'd handle the action man factor. never seen him with guns and running like mad. (the ruthless bastard part, no problem)
Dougray Scott - most of, not sure about seduce-anything
Jason Statham - *if* he could pull off the dashing RAF hero image.
Clive Owen - omnisexual... er.
Peter Wingfield - almost certainly, atch.

ETA: I started running the Captain Jack Harkness lines if spoken by James Puresex through my head on the way home. I... er... um. You know how we joke about Jack being a sexual harassment suit waiting to happen? Now imagine the 'And this is Ianto Jones, he cleans up after us and gets us everywhere on time. He also looks great in a suit.' sequence. Um. Oh dear god. Let's just say the jokey aspect of that bit? Really, really not so jokey.

And once again, ironicbees is trying to kill me dead from sheer pretty in the Jeeves and Wooster department. Though this time, not so much with the subtext. Allll about the text this time round. :happy sigh:

Comments

[katemonkey.livejournal.com]

Dude, you should see Gangster No 1 to see Paul Bettany be a proper crazy bastard.

I can totally buy him dashing about with guns.

Unfortunately, not in a Jack Harkness sort of way, more in a "crazed lunatic" sort of way.

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

yeah, that's my thing - I can see stuff like the torture and most of Torchwood, just not the Dr Who stuff that he'd have to initially be cast for - which is pretty damn athletic. Only I don't know if they had the character be athletic because JB is essentially a gymnast due to the leading actor in musicals - where you often have to be able to dance like a nutter and be impossibly limber. (see Adrian Lester from Hustle in Loves Labours Lost) Like I said, don't know how the role might have changed with a different actor playing to different strengths.

(and I love and adore Gangster #1. My Bettany love is of the strong.)

[munchkinott.livejournal.com]

I started running the Captain Jack Harkness lines if spoken by James Puresex through my head on the way home. I... er... um. You know how we joke about Jack being a sexual harassment suit waiting to happen?

In the name of science I've just tried the same thing... My brain is now completely scrambled. *slaps side of head* I... I... Conc-- Agre-- Know what you're talking about. OH HELL YES! *thud*

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

I mentioned this to megolas. She gibbered. 'Not a sexual harassment suit pending, this would be filed, restraining order, bloody everything!'

And then she really broke me. James Puresex. And Matt Rippy. I couldn't form words for for several minutes. Kept opening mouth to say something and then it broke again.

[munchkinott.livejournal.com]

Dude, we're talking about all that in a class action; with Timeboy named as co-respondant.

James Puresex. And Matt Rippy.

*IMDBz 'Matt Rippy'*

*squints at burntcopper's icon*

oooooooooooh! You mean him? *points* I must be immune, I've still got control of my voicebox. Say 'Puresex + chained up in the Valiant's engine room for 12 months' to me though and... *makes squeaky noises that might've been words before her voicebox went 'keeeeeeeeeee-runch!'*

[xenaclone.livejournal.com]

What about the other bits of loveliness from 'Rome'?

Ray Stevenson [Pullo]. WOOF!


XC