MovieChat Forums > The Hottest State (2007) Discussion > Could there be worse casting for Sarah?

Could there be worse casting for Sarah?


She's supposed to be a curly haired, semi-neurotic, not exactly beautiful kinda girl.

Moreno really doesn't fit with the idea I had of Sarah in my head.. but maybe it's just me.

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Me neither. Sarah wasn't hispanic, for one thing. She was described as very pale. The casting seems very off. Couldn't they have gotten, say, Zooey Deschanel or something?

http://www.ymdb.com/user_top20_view.asp?usersid=11491

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Absoloutely! The casting for Sara is all wrong. She, however, would be perfect for the role, i actually think that i recall her popping into my head as i was reading the book. Michelle Williams would be alot better...who is she playing then? An x-girlfriend. I also wish it were James franco or wentworth miller as William...

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I couldn't agree more with you!

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[deleted]

no. Michelle Williams would be a good sarah IMO, but Catalina... no way!!

"Look at us but do not touch"

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[deleted]

OMG. I totally agree!!!! I just saw some of the on-set pictures and I was flabbergasted. Moreno is so NOT Sarah. I mean, for one thing, she isn't Hispanic and she's not supposed to have that cookie-cutter kind of look like Moreno has. [For instance, Her hair is so straight. I thought it was supposed to be all over the place...???] I would say that the casting of Sarah is completely off, which is a pity because it's so essential for the dynamics of the movie....perhaps even more than William.

I dunno..to me, she just lacks that offbeat, unconventional, slightly kooky kind of look. When I heard Michelle Williams was going to be in the movie, I automatically assumed she was going to be Sarah - instead she only plays William's long-suffering ex. Arrggh. She'd make a much better Sarah...she just needs to dye her hair.

That's my take anyway (for now).

cheers.

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I hope it is not a racist comment to be against Moreno.


I really don't like her acting too much but I really don't like Williams' at all. I think the Colombian actress is even more attractive than Williams. Otherwise ask Ethan, I am sure he liked her a lot.

I think it will be a bad movie anyways
:P

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Celeste, Moreno is very attractive... and Sarah isn't supposed to be traditionally attractive.

I've never made a comment on anything on IMDB before... I didn't even know this film was being made until right now... I just stumbled on it. I'm so disappointed in the casting... pretty much all of it. The Hottest State is in my top 10 favorite books of all time. I've read dozens of times. I read it out loud to my boyfriend. I can't believe Ethan Hawke is wrecking his own book...

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racists!Q!! you only want to give hispanic people the same *beep* role!!! Were tired!

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I think we should wait for the movie release, an then we'll see if Catalina was the right one... or not.

Yes, she's Hispanic... but I think it's POINTLESS. It sounds racist.

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The way I see it is like this: Ethan wrote it, he's directing it, he created Sarah so who knows her better? I trust Ethan to know what's best.

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Well, i'm colombian, but for the facts i've seen in this board, you're probably right. PROBABLY cuz i never heard of this film before.

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I thought the same thing...but I have faith in Ethan, he always makes it right.

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Im colombian, but I think its funny that if someone doesnt agree if they cast a latin for a role, they inmediatly call him a racist or fascist, thats wrong, the Wasp roles should be made my wasps, not my latins, and visceverse.

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So because you are Colombian you have a license to make ridiculous statements?

What is this about "Wasp roles should be made by wasps, not by latins, and viceversa"? That is absolute nonsense... These are professional actors. If they are compelling in the role they are playing, then they are fine.

The role of "Red" in "The Shawshank Redemption" was Irish in the book by Stephen King; and yet, it was play wonderfully by Morgan Freeman in the movie. I guess we should all run and tell Frank Darabont that he made a terrible mistake by casting a black man instead of a "WASP".

Catalina Sandino Moreno is an excellent actress and if the author of the book himself thinks she is right for the part that's all that matters.

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I just say that white ppl roles should be make by white ppl, same with latin, black asian roles, there are good actors of all that races.

Catalina Sandino can obviously make that role, she´s a great actress, but there are good white actresses that could make that role.

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[deleted]

Latinas can be pale, hello Sharika! I am excited about the casting. All the people I thought should've been cast when I read the book are too old to play those parts. I think Ethan Hawke knows what he's doing, after all it is his book.

I am very excited about this movie. Though I'm not sure about William. I mean I always saw Ethan Hawke in the role. I thought it was *his* story.

But he's too old too.

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She is white in the book. Who says that she has to be white in the movie? What does race have to do with anything regarding this role? This is an absurd discussion in my opinion.

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I've read 'The Hottest State' several times, it's a fantastic book and I have to admit that at first I questioned the casting of Catalina Sandino Moreno as 'Sarah' as she really doesn't look anything like the description of the character from the book.

The book however was written ten years ago and in the time that's passed perhaps Ethan Hawke's ideas on how the story would look on screen have changed.
Moreno's acting abilities certainly aren't being quetioned as she is the only Colombian actress to earn an oscar nomination, so maybe Hawke is looking more towards what she can bring to the role in terms of performance rather than appearance.

Also with Hawke adapting his own story for the screen and directing it himself I don't think that fans of the book need worry too much, I think that Hawke will remain faithful to what made the Sarah character so charming and appealing in the book. (The first half of it anyway!)

I for one am really looking forward to seeing this film.

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I agree with bad casting choice of sarah. While i was reading the book i pictured Azura Skye from 28 days. She had her hair dyed black for that role. I think if she grew it out and made it messy/curly she would have been perfect. I've only seen her in 28 days, so try and picture how she acting in 28 days playing sarah. PERFECT!

http://barnapkins.org

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Hispanic or not, Sarah in the book is somewhat chubby, shy, slightly unkept and very plain yet odd at the same time. That was part of the beauty of ``the hottest state.`` Sarah wasn't some great beauty with extraordinary verve or incredible things to say. She felt like someone you knew. Hopefully, Ethan has stuck to his guns and Sarah in the movie will remain so.

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I saw the movie in venice and i Didn't read the book.the movie is ok and very tender,obviously hawke know what he is taliking I mean..he must have suffered the pain of hell for some girls who left him.Now to the question:The real problem is that sarah is so annoying and has a character so not nice that is hard to have any empathy with her.I wished it was her to be left!but provbbably that's what he wanted to explain :that there's no real reason because he likes her so much. the rest is okey.laura linney is superb in her little role.Michelle williams is almost unseeable.she must have been on set for one day! ethan hawke turned so ugly !what happened to him? his teeth? catalina is a good actress,the other guy too. Go see it.

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[deleted]

What bothere me the most was the accent! She had a hispanic accent that was never explained. Somehow she was from connecticut, not evena hint that she was an immigrant.
In theb ook she was american. i would not have had a problem with her casting if it had been explained why she had such an accent. if they had said she recently moved her from spain or south america i would have understood it. The way it was done it was annoying.

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