The best, and worst of movie casting
POSTED BY: OPPYH
UPDATED: Friday, July 25, 2025 06:36
VIEWED: 10605
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Hm, I really think 'miscast' is too strong a term when there may be an identity issue with some audience members. Ironically, a perfect cast would perhaps be someone who fit a role so well that no one could see them as anything else, making them a miscast for anything else if one followed that particular logic train. Anyway. I have a great deal of trouble seeing Nathan Fillion as anyone other than Malcolm Reynolds, even when he plays a very different character (and plays him well) such as on Castle. Surely you wouldn't argue that he should never work again because he has a certain iconic status? Now Alan Tudyk, I've seen him in many things and I always see him as the character he plays, even though he's so recognizable to me. Ditto for Gina Torres. Does that make them better actors than Nathan Fillion? I wouldn't say it does. Does that make them better casting decisions, or better fits for their roles? I wouldn't say that, either. I can recognize that it's mostly me, being brought out of the narrative by a face rather than by the acting, which might fit the character perfectly when I think about it. The fact that I do need to think about it is more a function of my own limitations than of an actor not fitting a role. I would never say that Nathan Fillion was miscast in Castle, or Allyson Hannigan was miscast in How I Met Your Mother, or Summer Glau was miscast in Terminator, or Brad Pitt was miscast in Inglorious Bastards, or Kevin Smith was miscast in Live Free or Die Hard, Or Leonardo DiCaprio in Catch Me if You Can, or any number of others I could name, based soley on my personal reaction to seeing certain faces. I don't think, either, that you can define 'miscast' by being temporarily thrown by something, I think it should be defined by something that bugs you the whole time, every time, because someone is just so wrong for a role that it's a constant grating presence in the narrative. Going back to Batman Begins, for example, I thought that Katie Holmes was a constant grating presence in the movie. The majority of her scenes pulled me out of the story, because she always looked too young and usually acted it. I think she was miscast. Obviously I wasn't alone in that; the character was re-cast for the next film. I'm not sure I'd call that the best casting choice either, but I'd call it a better one. At least she wasn't a doe-eyed little thing with little to no power in her stance who looked like she had no place in a DA's office. Also not very pretty, looked somewhat out of place at the party, but less out of place at the office.
It can be difficult to separate these things out in your brain, I know, but I don't think you should condemn someone to the poor casting choice bin because they trigger something iconic in your brain. If they don't look the part, don't act the part, or are just a bad actor then by all means they're a poor choice on the part of the casting director, but the casting director has no way to know what anyone's personal bias might be.
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Quote:
Originally posted by freelancertex:
Robert Downey Jr in Iron Man. I can't stand him in general, he seems to either play a tool or a bad guy in the stuff i've seen him in, (hence the reluctance to see Iron Man) but finally had to escort a bunch of kiddos because they SO WANTED TO SEE IT. and I was blown away.
I really liked him in Tropic Thunder too, strange role worked for him
Tom Cruise's cameo in the same movie, hate Tom Cruise in anything, but that Les Grossman cameo cracked me up
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Originally posted by PhoenixRose:
Quote:
It can be difficult to separate these things out in your brain, I know, but I don't think you should condemn someone to the poor casting choice bin because they trigger something iconic in your brain. If they don't look the part, don't act the part, or are just a bad actor then by all means they're a poor choice on the part of the casting director, but the casting director has no way to know what anyone's personal bias might be.
Yes you're right it is difficult to separate these things... It's an abstract notion with no boundaries - similar to what is good art?. Some things rub people up the wrong way. Nothing you can do about that. As with all art forms casting desicions are exposed to critical scrutiny - similar to writing, acting, direction etc.
Quote:
Going back to Batman Begins, for example, I thought that Katie Holmes was a constant grating presence in the movie. The majority of her scenes pulled me out of the story, because she always looked too young and usually acted it. I think she was miscast. Obviously I wasn't alone in that; the character was re-cast for the next film. I'm not sure I'd call that the best casting choice either, but I'd call it a better one. At least she wasn't a doe-eyed little thing with little to no power in her stance who looked like she had no place in a DA's office. Also not very pretty, looked somewhat out of place at the party, but less out of place at the office.
I really don't think this stuff can be quantified. Katie Holmes didn't really bother me in Batman but she obviously bothered you in the part. Now who am I to say you shouldn't be bothered by her? That's your opinion and so be it.
However I would like to stress though, that I respect Morgan Freeman as an actor. And sincerely like the man. But In my initial argument I wanted to know wether 'Worst Casting' decisions was based upon factors other than the dislike of an actor/actress? And if so where are those boundaries? Nic Cage seems to have taken a bit of flack in this thread not necessairly for being a bad actor or miscast but more for not being liked very much.
As for actors never working again - I'm not sure I ever said that but if I did that was not my intent.
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
Now who am I to say you shouldn't be bothered by her? That's your opinion and so be it.
You're welcome to tell me why you might disagree with my opinion on that particular casting choice. I gave clear reasons why I felt she didn't really fit the role she was playing. She didn't look old enough to be an assistant D.A. or hardened enough to be taking on Gotham's underbelly. She didn't act it much, either. There were a few times she sparked and almost showed some real toughness, but mostly struck me as a child playing dress-up. If you have counter-points to any of that, fire away, I'm not emotionally invested in Ms. Holmes
Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
As for actors never working again - I'm not sure I ever said that but if I did that was not my intent.
...
Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
when Morgan came on I was removed from the story for a moment, just because he is 'Morgan Freeman'.
You didn't say flat-out that Morgan Freeman should never act again, but your argument for his miscasting was, as stated above, that he 'is Morgan Freeman,' which would imply that he can't be anything else; he's just too prevalent and iconic. Maybe that wasn't what you meant, but it's kind of what you said. Yes, he is Morgan Freeman, and he is iconic and prevalent and all these things, but my point is that doesn't equal miscast. If you're going to say that someone was miscast, and make an argument based on being pulled from the story because the actor is the actor, that does seem to say that this would be true of anything they might be in, that you would always be pulled out of the story if they were on screen, and so in your opinion they shouldn't really be in anything. That is, of course, my own personal logic following its conclusion from what you said. You were pulled from the story when he was on screen because he is Morgan Freeman, this made it a miscast, and that's the strongest statement you made about your opinion. Vaguely you said that it felt contrived in order to get him in the movie and you didn't think the material was strong enough to pull away his persona as an iconic actor, but you really didn't elaborate on that, and never made any statements about the character of Lucius Fox and what might make Mr. Freeman a poor fit for him. Since it never occurred to me the character was a contrived role to get Morgan Freeman and only Morgan Freeman on the screen, and I still don't see that at all, I would be interested to know why you hold that opinion, or what opinion you hold if my interpretation is inaccurate. Since I liked having a solid and almost reasonable answer to where Batman gets those wonderful toys, I also liked the character who designed some of them. Of course I recognized him, but I also saw no rough edges between him and the character he played. No doubt the strength of the material could be debated til the cows come home. I thought they were both particularly strong comic book movies, but still definitely comic book movies. There were more than a few elements of the fantastic and unbelievable weaving themselves throughout both films, but I had surprisingly few moments of "Oh come on, like that would ever happen!" so I'd call that a win. The strength of material, though, could be a moot point. Actors have managed to absorb themselves completely in terrible movies, and stick out like sore thumbs in otherwise good ones. Really, think about some things you've watched and consider how ridiculous you might feel doing and saying some of the things these actors pull off beautifully. Always gives me an appreciation of the work they do. Anyway, source is certainly a factor, but it's not the only one, nor the most important. So, unless you're tired of the discussion, let's focus first on identity issues and whether those qualify something as a miscast. Do you think if you'd never seen him before that you would still consider Morgan Freeman miscast as Lucius Fox? Why? Or why not
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Hey PhoenixRose.
Not tired of the discussion. I'll come back to it though as I'm off out for the rest of the night. But all good interesting points.
Thanks
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My picks.
Aced it:
Jim Carrey - Ace Ventura
Dustin Hoffman - Bernie LaPlant in Hero
Chevy Chase uncredited in Hero.
Jim & Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump, copying Jim's prior roles.
Liesel Matthews in Little Princess.
Nick Cage in The Rock
Ed Harris as John Glenn in The Right Stuff.
Scott Glenn and Sam Niell in Hunt for Red October.
Keanu Reeves in Speed.
Jennifer Connelly in The Hot Spot.
Dennis Hopper in Waterworld.
Crowe and Pierce in LA Confidential
Clive Owen as King Arthur.
Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter
Sigourney Weaver in Galaxy Quest, and Alien.
Arnold Schwartzenegger and Linda Hamilton in Terminator.
Michelle Pfeiffer in Fabulous Baker Boys.
Jeff Bridges in Against All Odds and Big Lebowski.
Everybody in Sneakers.
Vin Deisel in Pitch Black.
Christian Bale as Batman.
Natalie Portman as Queen Amidala.
Billy Bob Thornton and Lucas Black in Slingblade.
Kevin Spacey in K-Pax
Spacey in Usual Suspects.
William H Macy in Fargo
Tom Cruise in Top Gun.
Clint Eastwood in Pale Rider.
Clint as Dirty Harry.
John Goodman in King Ralph and in The Big Easy.
Bruce Willis in Die Hard.
Clancy Brown in Highlander.
Bill Murray in The Man Who Knew Too Little, and in Caddyshack.
Bruce Dern, Jennifer Connelly, Chaz Palmentieri in Mulholland Falls.
Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny
Sam Jackson and John Travolta in Pulp Fiction.
James Cromwell in Babe.
Disasters:
Downey in Sherlock Holmes, Iron Man, US Marshals
Affleck as Jakc Ryan
Clooney as Batman.
Ellen Degeneres in any hetero role.
Kim Basinger in anything.(except maybe Mercy - she can portray an idiot convincingly)
Richard Gere as Sir Lancelot.
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I had some time to think about it.
The Best (some of the best IMHO)
Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins in Shawshank
Tom Hanks and Gary Sinise in Forest Gump
Chazz Palminteri in Oscar
Michael Clarke Duncan in Green Mile
Russell Crowe in Gladiator and LA Confidential
Everyone in The Departed
Jack Lemon in Mister Roberts
Abigail Breslin in Lil Miss Sunshine
Travolta and Jackson in Pulp Fiction
Heath Ledger in Dark Knight
Michael Keaton in Beetlejuice
Brad Pitt in Snatch
Kevin Spacey in Seven
Nicholas Cage and Chris Cooper in Adaptation
Chris Cooper in Lone Star
Charlize Theron in Monster
Bogart in Casablanca
SGG
Tawabawho?
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Quote:oh my god. totally.
Originally posted by JewelStaiteFan: Affleck as Jack Ryan
Quote:*nods vigorously*
Richard Gere as Sir Lancelot.
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
Morgan Freeman in Batman did this for me. It's not his acting which is poor it's the contrivance of the narrative that brings him in.
Don't get that at all, since his character has been a part of the Batman story for a couple decades now. Seemed perfectly natural for him to be there, and Freeman was well cast in the role.
But I agree with the other poster who mentioned Katie Holmes as bad casting. Freeman I could believe as a seasoned technician who became a pseudo-mentor. Holmes I could not buy as an experienced ADA. I was very glad she declined the role in the sequel.
And on the bad casting in superhero movies track - Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane in Superman Returns. Waaaay too young.
"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."
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Best movie casting (IMO 
):
Daniel Craig as James Bond (never wanted to watch a Bond movie until Craig...and can't wait for more)
Viggo Mortenson as Aragorn (can't watch him in anything else)
Entire Ocean's Eleven Cast
Collin Farrel in Phonebooth
Val Kilmer in Real Genius
Billy Crystal/Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally
Matthew McConaughey in EdTV (woody Harrelson, too)
Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (bares repeating)
Kevin Bacon in Footloose
Robert Downey Jr in kiss kiss bang bang
Mike Myers in So I Married an Axe Murderer
Vince Vaughn in Swingers
Robin Williams/Nathan Lane/Hank Azaria in the Birdcage
Brandon Lee in The Crow
Morgan Freeman/Tim Robbins in The Shawshank Redemption
Tom Cruise in Top Gun
Ewan McGregor in A Life Less Ordinary
George Clooney in O brother Where ARt Thou?
Edward Norton/Brad Pitt in Fight Club
Worst(again IMO ;)):
Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia!
Keanu Reeves in any movie that he has to raise his voice "I am an FBI agent!" yeah right...
Matthew Perry in just about anything (even though I love him as Chandler)
I'm sure there's more but I can't think of any right now.
Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
I'd agree with your Nic Cage list, EXCEPT for Lord Of War, which he was pretty freaking good in. Most people never heard of it, though.
He was excellent in that role.
FWIW: I understand the Morgan Freeman comments. There wasn't enough of a role for you to forget that your watching Morgan Freeman.
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"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw
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