Selective casting?


Am I the only one who finds some film makers redundant in their rather selective use of specific British actors? Timothy Spall is a great actor, but I just can't conceive the thought of limiting the choice of actors here. Can you imagine who'd be up for picks if Timothy wasn't available? Michael Caine, Colin Firth, Anthony Hopkins (Is Welsh, Wales is in Britain, yes yes), Geoffrey Rush (I know he's an Aussie, but how often is he permitted to use his natural speaking voice?) the list goes on...

I can determine from the trailer, there is deemed oscar worthy material in there, so why not take this opportunity to cast actors not so much in the limelight?

In addition to that, I've seen the trailer and looks plausable, despite one minor quibble; I do get the slight sense Hollywood is involved some where down the line (who funded the budget?) and when I came on here, I glanced at the cast, and found out a majority of them are Americans. Not that I have any problems with that, besides American actors and vocal range.

There seems to be some fairly new acting talent shown in the trailer. So I can't determine the quality by a two minute trailer so I won't be too judgemental. I just thought It'd be nice to open the doors for new acting talent is all.

"Stop looking at the walls, look out the window." ~ Karl Pilkington On Art

reply

and when I came on here, I glanced at the cast, and found out a majority of them are Americans.


Exactly what I did! I suppose they couldn't find another "Carey Mulligan" or more likely they didn't even bother to look! Some Americans must've been well connected to this project. American film industry have a soft spot for UK, London and the 60's (being their connection to Europe) and for their actors to act with a British accent playing a Brit in a historically important period in history is gonna look well on their film resume. With alot of British actors working in Hollywood and American TV, maybe there is some sort of agreement that American actors will be given more opportunities for British roles.

Not that I have any problems with that, besides American actors and vocal range.


I do have a bit of a problem with it. There's alot of British actors out there who were probably not given a chance with these roles. They probably would've done a better job, though Elle Fanning is indeed very talented. But I guess we can't complain with the large number of Brits in Hollywood.

I still wonder why Stephen Dorff got the role of Stuart Suttclife in Backbeat, although he did try, he lost the Liverpudlian accent and ended up sounding like he was from somewhere else altogether. He was an unknown then, yet the two lead roles in that "British" production was played by Americans.

reply

Oliver Platt (who looks strikingly like Jamie Foreman) is possibly playing a Londoner also, which will undoubtedly make me cringe if he does a Dick Van Dyke on us, the same with Christina Hendricks. I do on the other hand find Elle Fanning is a good addition to the cast, a top notch actor for someone her age which is a plus.

Oh, and did I mention my general hatred for actors trying to do cockney accents, Green Street is renouned for that, I felt violated watching it and so did many critics.

"Stop looking at the walls, look out the window." ~ Karl Pilkington On Art

reply

I do have a bit of a problem with it. There's alot of British actors out there who were probably not given a chance with these roles. They probably would've done a better job, though Elle Fanning is indeed very talented. But I guess we can't complain with the large number of Brits in Hollywood.


Damn right, you can't complain!

As an American, I'm getting sick and tired of the non-Canadian foreigners FLOODING Hollywood right now and Americans being criticized for playing non-Americans.

July flame
Fiery kite
Will-o-the-Wisp
Lead me through the night


-Laura Veirs

reply

[deleted]

They Tuk Ur Jubsss.

reply

So... I should watch a film with a Timothy Spall substitute and be glad of it?

You may not enjoy Mr. Spall's acting as much as I do, but I feel that if they can cast him in a film, then they should.

Don't get me wrong, I think there are serious problems with the Hollywood pay scale, but these won't be tackled by limiting talented actors.

If actors made doctor money it would be fine. Doctors are, generally, millionaires but not billionaires. Sure, point me in the direction of a poor doctor and I'll probably discover a really shoddy doctor. Coincidentally.

I'd cite the Millionaire Next Door, but it's wasted on this crowd.

reply

[deleted]

Hey, at least Stephen Fry and Hugh Grant weren't in it.

reply

I saw the trailer and was disgusted, we give the great USA a lot of very good actors who star in their top hitting dramas and films, to the point that Americans think they are American (take Damien Lewis as an example) and then they make a film which should have been laden with the top British talent and use american actors/actresses. I could hear the awful accents from the first 30 seconds and feel insulted,, wouldn't be so bad if they could actually talk like a British person but they quite painfully cannot, whereas our British actors seems to be doing so well that when they win awards in America and it's revealed they are British the Americans literally don't believe it, I guess that's because they can act.

reply

[deleted]

Let's not romanticize things here.. None of these actors are huge "star"s. Elle has the most star power but still as a "Hey, isn't that that one girl's sister?" with the average moviegoer. I work at a video store(yes, they still exist) and trust me when I say the average customer couldn't name a single actor in the cast. Why did they choose a dominantly American cast to play English characters? We can only guess, but this isn't indicative of some widespread wronging of Brit actors.. Brits are well represented in Hollywood, all things considered. Or should we stick to only using actors for roles in which their native accents are required? No, I don't think any of us would like that very much.

reply

[deleted]

I also just read that Alice Englert is director Jane Campion (The Piano, Bright Star) - how awful. Nepotism at it's finest.

as I've already stated on a former thread:

Elle's accent seemed very mediocre from what I can gather in the trailer. I also could hear the American poking through. Though I do believe they should have given an ACTUAL English person the role. She already has an impressive resume and a famous sister and many Hollywood connections. Why did she need to be cast in this? She's not exactly new to the film industry. She is well-known through Super 8 - a big Hollywood production that made her famous in the first place! They need to stop giving these small-time indie flicks semi-famous Americans

reply

[deleted]

[deleted]

[deleted]

"I would NEVER cast an actor who carry any kind of brand baggage along with them, no matter how much funding attaching their name might bring with it. Small and large celebrities are no longer needed. This transformation will happen at the lvel of audience and filmmaker I hope, plan. Going into the film business. I expect to face this challenge head on.

Celebrity zoo/worship days are done iMO

People do not need to know who Meryl Streep is nor Kim Kardasian. And neither of these people ned to be billionaires because of our worship. My plan is that our priorities are shifting. I know how odd this point of view is and how clumsy I am in in expressing it."


YES YES AND YES.

reply

Whoever financed this movie definitely wanted as many americans in it as possible. Its certainly not been casted on talent or vocal range.


As if these American actors aren't acclaimed.

July flame
Fiery kite
Will-o-the-Wisp
Lead me through the night


-Laura Veirs

reply

I also just read that Alice Englert is director Jane Campion (The Piano, Bright Star) - how awful. Nepotism at it's finest.


Because it's SO crazy to believe she can actually act!

July flame
Fiery kite
Will-o-the-Wisp
Lead me through the night


-Laura Veirs

reply

I saw the trailer and was disgusted, we give the great USA a lot of very good actors who star in their top hitting dramas and films, to the point that Americans think they are American (take Damien Lewis as an example) and then they make a film which should have been laden with the top British talent and use american actors/actresse


Britain doesn't give Hollywood any actors! British actors CHOOSE to come here and repeatedly take roles-American or not-over natives!

The producers can cast from whatever nationality they FEEL like casting!

July flame
Fiery kite
Will-o-the-Wisp
Lead me through the night


-Laura Veirs

reply

[deleted]

[deleted]

What exactly is your point?

In an attempt to sound "clever" you've created a selection of words that don't really mean anything when read together.

Your first line: "Am I the only one who finds some film makers redundant in their rather selective use of specific British actors?" is trying so hard to sound profound that it disappears up its own pretentious backside. If you mean are you the only one that thinks some directors are lazy when it comes to casting their movies, just say so.

I'm not saying this purely to be a dick, you have perhaps a valid point in the middle of that over-written post, but it's lost among the film-school, English-lit wankery.

"Timothy Spall is a great actor, but I just can't conceive the thought of limiting the choice of actors here." literally makes no sense. You can "conceive the thought", because that's exactly what you're doing. You may as well have said you can't imagine a purple pineapple. Yes you can, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to write down the thing you thought of, that you say you can't think of.

And when discussing a supposedly selective list of British actors, don't then suggest that there are too many to list. "The list goes on"? Does it? Not that limited then, is it??

"(who funded the budget?)" And you were so quick to call others redundant!

"Not that I have any problems with that, besides American actors and vocal range. " So you don't have a problem with American actors, other than American actors and how they act? Bravo!

As I said, not mentioning all of these things just to be nasty, just suggesting you don't get too involved in the way you make your point to the extent that you then lose the point. And what you've written is of course a thousand times better than some of the *beep* you read on these forums.

And to answer your point, anything that casts Timothy Spall is alright in my book. The man is one of the best actors in this country and improves any movie he's cast in.

reply

In an attempt to sound "clever" you've created a selection of words that don't really mean anything when read together.


Aha! I have the tendency of doing that, using the wrong words and making everything look as if it was churned out from Google translate. I wasn't trying to sound clever (Although this is the internet, everyone does that here), I always type like this, even when sending an email to a relative. I'm a bit cuckoo when it comes to just "saying so" sorry.

"Stop looking at the walls, look out the window." ~ Karl Pilkington On Art

reply

Casting a movie is a part of the directors artistic vision. It is also highly dependent upon budget constraints.

Thankfully, in my opinion, directors can cast the person who best conveys their sense of who the characters are. Not everyone has to sping from the same postal code as the character they play. I am so tired of this regional actor and accent debate, who's from where and how authentic is the accent. It strikes me as the worst kind of political correctness.

Look past it to the performances and the material.

reply

[deleted]

And you would know this how?

reply

British actors have a much, much greater incentive to practise and accomplish the generic American accent that they typically use in American films because America makes exponentially more films and television programs than does the UK. It's an economic reality that many British actors have chosen to accept.

Most Brits in US films use the American accent equivalent of the BBC's "Received Pronunciation" - bland, entirely and uniquely non-regional. If you think that this BBC accent is an authentic, typical British accent, than I am not suprised at your view of British prowess with American inflection. To me it sounds like casting Fiona Bruce in Trainspotting or Billy Elliot would to you.

I again suggest that the most important elements in these entertainments is writing and performance. If there are variations of vocal authenticity or geography, it shouldn't be allowed to detract from one's appreciation of the art involved.

I have heard some very feeble attempts by American actors doing British accents (on this I think we can agree). However, IMO, some are quite accomplished:

Reese Witherspoon - Vanity Fair
Kevin Kline - The Pirates of Penzance
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Gwyneth Paltrow - Shakespeare in Love
Renee Zellweger - Bridget Jones's Diary
Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd, Pirates, Finding Neverland
Frances McDormand - Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson - The Other Boleyn Girl

reply

The truth is that most americans are AWFUL at doing accents.


Where would you get a ridiculous idea like that?

Brits get cast as americans because they are brilliant actors, first and foremost.


Americans can be brilliant actors too. Great acting isn't exclusive to Britons.

Yanks are not cast as brits on their talent though. They get cast as brits for the extra money the producers hope their presence might earn the film in america.


You say that like it is a bad thing.

And I wanted to be
All you need
Somehow here is gone...


-The Goo Goo Dolls

reply

Tbf, I'm pretty impressed with Elle Fanning's accent. Not sure about Christina hendrick's, as her accent wasn't really shown in the trail.

- We could be men with ven!

reply