Anyway, you may or may not have heard that Hollywood is turning the famous Hunger Games series into films. Supposedly, the first film is going to be released around March 2012. Naturally, this has got me thinking about my ideal cast. I don't know about you, but I have very distinct mental images for each of the characters I read. I haven't really connected with a character until I can figuratively see them. And I'm not just talking about height and hair color- I could tell you exactly what (my version) of a character looks like down to their shoelaces. Seriously. Sometimes I'll meet someone who is the flesh and bones reincarnation of a book character (like the woman who used to be in my ward: She IS Skeeter from The Help.) I don't know where all this ranks on the weirdo scale, but it's the truth. For example, I think Michael Caine is absolutely superb as Thomas Fowler in The Quiet American, and I think Edmund was perfectly cast in the most recent Narnia films. However, Ralph Fiennes is all wrong as Voldemort (not nearly skinny enough). And Michael Gambon is simply an impostor pretending to be Dumbledore.
I tell you this to raise my credibility as a casting director. I hope some of your mental images of the characters from The Hunger Games match mine, but if not, we'll just have to duke it out over a midnight showing of the film. :)
So here you go, my ideal cast of The Hunger Games:
Jonathan Rhys Meyer as Gale.
That guy from Gilmore Girls as Peeta
I couldn't find a perfect Katniss, but this girl is close. Imagine her with dark hair. And less of a smirk..
The chic from Gladiator as Mrs. Everdeen
Elle Fanning as Prim.
Paul Bettany as Darius.
Rachel McAdams as Effie Trinket.
Jude Law as Cinna. Really, Jude Law as anything.
Rue.
Foxface.
Thrash and understudy for Gale.
Glimmer.
District 1 Tribute (Can't remember his name.)
District 2 Tribute.
Other District 2 Tribute
Thoughts?
**Update: I originally omitted President Snow and Haymitch from the list because I couldn't find any actors that suitably fit the role. I'm still having a hard time with it, but here are some options.
Brendan Gleeson as Haymitch.
Okay, hear me out. Whoever plays Pres. Snow has to have very distinctive eyes. Daniel Craig certainly fills that need, but, obviously, he is way too young. So here's my plan: Kidnap Daniel Craig, put him in a time machine that makes him suddenly age 30 years and then pull him out and give him a lot of bad plastic surgery. It would ruin his career as James Bond, but we would have our Snow. It's a flawless plan.
