Okay, I remember looking up the musical version of Les Miserables when it was first announced, and IMDb said he was going to be in it. I was excited because I liked him as Jarvert in the 1998 version of Les Miserables and thought it would be cool for him to appear in a related film. Well, I just watched it, and I didn't see him anywhere. What the heck happened?
shareI liked him a lot in the 1998 version, he played a better Javert than Russell Crowe at least more intimidating and scary.
As far as I know he was replaced by Sasha Baron Cohen, this time he was gonna play one of Thernadiers I don't know why he left the project but it would have been interesting to see him in another adaptation of the story with a different character.
My understanding was that Geoffrey had to drop out as the filming schedule clashed with another film he had already accepted to do (The Best Offer, I think). He would have been an amazing Thenardier.
Russell Crowe made for a bland Javert, I thought. I'm re-reading Les Mis at the moment and Javert strikes me as a hard character to play (either in a dialogue-based adaptation or musical) as he has no empathy and is a cold character whose main perogative in life is to uphold the law; an actor has to convey that yet have you know and believe that this is still a human being.
However, I do feel a bit like a traitor as Geoffrey's portrayal of what I consider to be the best interpretation of Javert, has been usurped by fellow Aussie, Philip Quast - check him out, it's truly like he's walked out of the book. Geoffrey's portrayal runs a very close second, though - I think he captured the pyschopathic potential Javert has and brought that very much to the fore. Whilst Javert isn't a psychopath in the full medical sense, he does have some of the attributes of one. Either way, Aussies are very good at playing the part of Javert.
My understanding was that Geoffrey had to drop out as the filming schedule clashed with another film he had already accepted to do (The Best Offer, I think). He would have been an amazing Thenardier.
Thanks for this information, I always wondered why he dropped out, he would have been great as Mr Thernadier.
Russell Crowe made for a bland Javert, I thought. I'm re-reading Les Mis at the moment and Javert strikes me as a hard character to play (either in a dialogue-based adaptation or musical) as he has no empathy and is a cold character whose main perogative in life is to uphold the law; an actor has to convey that yet have you know and believe that this is still a human being.
I sadly agree, and I was disappointed because I think most of the Russell Crowe is amazing, actually one of the best of his generation, probably he was too focused on singing that he forgot to act.
Maybe Daniel Day Lewis or Ralph Fiennes could have done a better job.
It's obvious that both of them can perfectly portray characters like Javert but Daniel failed singing in Nine so I'm sure he won't touch a musical ever again and Ralph Fiennes I've heard he can sing pretty well so I guess he could have been the best choice.
However, I do feel a bit like a traitor as Geoffrey's portrayal of what I consider to be the best interpretation of Javert, has been usurped by fellow Aussie, Philip Quast - check him out, it's truly like he's walked out of the book. Geoffrey's portrayal runs a very close second, though - I think he captured the pyschopathic potential Javert has and brought that very much to the fore. Whilst Javert isn't a psychopath in the full medical sense, he does have some of the attributes of one. Either way, Aussies are very good at playing the part of Javert.
Don't worry about this.
You just betrayed him on this, I'm the real traitor here.
He went from my number 1 favorite actor to my fourth.
The British Aces Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Daniel day Lewis took his place but he Is still in my top 5.