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I’m Off to See… Robert Downey Jr.? G. Wills was telling me that Robert Downey Jr. is in talks with Disney to play the Wizard in the prequel to The Wizard of Oz.  At first I thought this sounded like a strange match, but it is really starting to grown on me – especially since I thought Downey was an odd pick for Iron Man and look how wrong I was on that one.  Anyway, it got me thinking about how hard it must be to be a Casting Director.  Despite how incredible the screenplay and Director are, the movie can be a total flop if the wrong actors are cast.  And similarly, casting the right actor in a less than stellar film can make all the difference.  Then I thought, (you know its trouble when all the wheels in my brain start turning), that some of my favorite movies star actors I would have never thought to cast.  For example, who would have thought to cast the ultimate southern boy, Harry Connick Jr., as a Minnesota native in New in Town?  Then there are Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon – who look like they couldn’t hurt a fly – as two major bad asses in Thelma and Louise.  Tyler Perry isn’t exactly a traditional choice to play an elderly woman, but he is what makes Madea Goes to Jail so incredible.  Luckily I’m not a Casting Director, right? What other actor/role combinations surprised you?  Leave a comment and let me know! L.T.

I’m Off to See… Robert Downey Jr.?

G. Wills was telling me that Robert Downey Jr. is in talks with Disney to play the Wizard in the prequel to The Wizard of Oz.  At first I thought this sounded like a strange match, but it is really starting to grown on me – especially since I thought Downey was an odd pick for Iron Man and look how wrong I was on that one.  Anyway, it got me thinking about how hard it must be to be a Casting Director.  Despite how incredible the screenplay and Director are, the movie can be a total flop if the wrong actors are cast.  And similarly, casting the right actor in a less than stellar film can make all the difference. 

Then I thought, (you know its trouble when all the wheels in my brain start turning), that some of my favorite movies star actors I would have never thought to cast.  For example, who would have thought to cast the ultimate southern boy, Harry Connick Jr., as a Minnesota native in New in Town?  Then there are Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon – who look like they couldn’t hurt a fly – as two major bad asses in Thelma and Louise.  Tyler Perry isn’t exactly a traditional choice to play an elderly woman, but he is what makes Madea Goes to Jail so incredible.  Luckily I’m not a Casting Director, right?

What other actor/role combinations surprised you?  Leave a comment and let me know!

L.T.