Not Real News Hunchback Notre Dame picture image

Not Real News Hunchback Notre Dame

So this made the rounds and ended up on my news alert. So why not do a quick fire round of casting thoughts on these performers in these roles. This very off impromtu. Read the article here    

Andy Serkis as Quasimodo – Unless it was motion capture I don’t see this casting. Serkis is a great actor but I can’t see him being a innocent child-like Quasimodo.

Gal Gadot as Esmeralda – I get it. She could work as Esmerlada but it’s not a casting that I would have thought of. I think there are better opinions but if did happen probably wouldn’t be the worst.

Peter Capaldi as Frollo – I have never heard of this guy, I apologize.  Apparently I have see him in The Devil’s Whore, which I don’t remember at all.  He has played The Doctor though and he was in the Vicar of Dibley of which I have only watched the last two episode. Well I will say this for this casting HE LOOKS the part so shrugs of this casting. Probably wouldn’t be a bad choice.

Chris Hemsworth as Phoebus  Did an actual post on this one back in 2012 so read it here.  I guess this a popular casting pick for Phoebus.

Eddie Redmayne as Clopin – No! While I could see him as Gringoire and Disney’s Clopin has elements of Gringoire in his characterization just no to this one.

Kesley Grammar as Victor – I don’t understand this one. I want to but I don’t.

Betty White as Laverne – Don’t put Betty White in a Disney movie. Don’t censor her.

Jack Black as Hugo – Maybe but no. Sure they are both crass but still.

Anthony Hopkins as The Archdeacon  Well he did play Quasimodo in the 1982 movie so having him in another version could be cool but no. Again not the worst casting but meh.     

  

But what do you think of this fantasy casting?  And will Disney actually remake Hunchback?

Jessica Szohr picture image

Jessica Szohr

 

This suggestion came off a  ideas wiki list but that list has since changed but we’re still going to go through them. Jessica Szhor is one of those actresses whom I have heard of but I have never actually seen in anything. She is most known for playing Vanessa Abrams on Gossip Girl and  playing Nessa on Shameless. Otherwise she has not been  in that much of note unless you like Piranha 3D, maybe it’s amazing but somehow I  very much doubt it. 

 

Jessica Szohr picture image

Jessica Szohr

As the link is for a Disney remark, Szhor is being suggested as a Disney Esmeralda and I can see why. For starters her overall look is great for Esmeralda. She part Hungarian and African-American. Her eyes are also blue. All around she looks the part. 

 

Jessica Szohr as Nessa from Shameless picture image

Jessica Szohr as Nessa from Shameless

Given the actors who appeared on the suggestion list, it seemed the idea was to go for a more comedic tone rather than a dramatic one, in this capacity Szhor could work in the role. She doesn’t seem like a dramatically driven actress. Given the right direction she could play the role effectively. 

 

Jessica Szohr picture image

Jessica Szohr

Jessica Szhor would not be my top choice to play Esmeralda but it’s understandable why someone would want her to play her in a Disney remake.

I’m still on the Star Wars actor casting, maybe next time I’ll do an anti-one, like an all Gungun casting, shudders.  

 

Mark Hamill picture image

Mark Hamill

 

As far as the different versions take on the role of Clopin they portray him in one of two ways, he’s either leader of Gypsies or leader of the beggars and thieves. Basically Clopin is combination of three characters from Book but MOSTLY he’s still the character of Clopin because that character just has more to do than the Duke of Egypt and the the other guy, whose name I have completely forgotten but know that he does have a name and there are three leaders of The Court of Miracles.  

 

Mark Hamill picture image

Mark Hamill

 

So as I was thinking about the Star Wars casting I really wanted to get my head out of the Sequel Trilogy even though I love it, yes I liked The Last Jedi, and then I thought of Mark Hamill and it was BOOM, he be so great as Clopin. It’s a dream casting that I never knew I always wanted.   

   

Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Star Wars The Force Awakens picture image

Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Star Wars The Force Awakens

 

Hamill is most well known for his role as Luke Skywalker, really don’t I even need to say that  but he has had a long career and has been a very prominent voice actor including being consider one of the best Jokers ever. He was also in Castle in the Sky as a Villain. If you do know any about Hamill it’s that he loves to troll, in a jovial sense, and has  great sense of humor. I could really see Hamill playing Clopin with a delightful dark humor which is there but I think he could only improve of it.  

 

Mark Hamill picture image

Mark Hamill

This casting just so perfect that even if just vocal performance it would still be awesome but Mark Hamill would still kill it as live action role.

But what do you think? Would mark Hamill make a good Clopin?

Adam Driver picture image

Adam Driver

Frollo is an interesting character to cast because on the one hand we have the book which tells us that Frollo is 36. But the age of 36 is different in a modern setting  than it was in 1482 when the story is set or even in 1831 even the book was written. The book even tells us Frollo is in middle age or the winter of this life.  So most of the movie go for an older Frollo. Sometimes it a tad younger or sometime he looks like death, looking at you 1997 Richard Harris Frollo. But can we have both? Can we have a younger-ish Frollo who is believable at acting older or in someway austere and cold but passionate at the same time? Can we have a walking contradiction?

 

Yes! We can! And it’s Adam Driver!

 

Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Star Wars The Force Awakens picture image

Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Star Wars The Force Awakens

Driver is best known for playing Kylo Ren in the Sequel trilogy of Star Wars. He is a compelling character even if you don’t like that thing he did in The Force Awakens. Driver is just a very phenomenal actor who bring his A-game to every role and he has already played a priest in Silence, a very different story and character than Frollo. There is no doubt that Driver could excel at playing Frollo.

 

Adam Driver picture image

Adam Driver

Driver would be a young Frollo  but he does have a good look for the character already. He’s not a typically attractive, some people find him very attractive and some don’t see it at all.  He’s tall which helps, he has a narrow face with good angles, the perfect recipe for a Frollo.

 

Adam Driver picture image

Adam Driver

 

If this casting happen, I for one would be ecstatic, it just seems like a GREAT fit. What do you think? Would Adam Driver make a good Frollo?  Or no?

OT – I admit, I ship Reylo   

picture image

 

Daisy Ridley for Esmeralda was suggestion by Sky. At first this made me think of Ridley to play Fleur de Lys. As much as I love Ridley’s Rey, I do want to see Ridley playing a character like Fleur, maybe as a bitch maybe not. For whatever reason I have a soft-spot for Fleur. Sure in the book Fleur has blonde hair but so does Jehan and Quasimodo has red and Esmeralda has dark eyes, why get bogged down with colorition when other movies ignore them so much? Fleur de Lys could have brown hair why not?

 

Daisy Ridley picture image

 

Given Ridley’s star in on the raise it hard to see her accepting the role of Fleur where as  Esmeralda is a leading role. I could see her doing Fleur pending on other facets of the production like the director and if it was more of an ensemble piece.

 

Daisy Ridley picture image

Daisy Ridley

So let’s consider her for Esmeralda. The only way I could see her playing the role is if they did Esmeralda’s original backstory, as in she is French raised by Gypsies, even if they did not have the whole of the Sister Gudule plot in the movie.

 

Daisy Ridley as Mary Debenham from Murder on the Orient Express picture image

Daisy Ridley as Mary Debenham from Murder on the Orient Express

On the acting front I could Ridley playing the role even though she still fairly new and so far her biggest roles have been Rey in Star Wars and Mary Debenham  in Murder on the Orient Express. She also playing Ophelia in upcoming movie. Not sure how Ridley would play the role but my guess it would less overtly sexual than some other actresses and portrayals but you never know.

 

Daisy Ridley as Rey from Star Wars The Force Awakens picture image

Daisy Ridley as Rey from Star Wars The Force Awakens

Ridley has one big thing working for her as Esmeralda and that  is her sword and fighting ability. Ridley has done a lot of strength training and fight choreography for action scenes in Star wars. Those skills could translate into some nice dance choreography.

 

Daisy Ridley picture image

Daisy Ridley

I could see her going either way. As much as I think Daisy Ridley is cool person, she would not be my top pick for either role but if she were casted for either Esmeralda or Fleur  I would happy to see her grace a Hunchback version?

What do you people think? Ridley for Esmeralda? Ridley for Fleur de Lys? Or Neither? Or Both?

Mads Mikkelsen picture image

Mads Mikkelsen

This suggestion is off a list from http://fuckyeahnotredamedeparis.tumblr.com as part of an ideal casting. Also since it’s Star Wars season I though picking Star War alunms would fun so Mads Mikkelsen it is.

 

Mads Mikkelsen as Galen Erso in Rogue one picture image

Mads Mikkelsen as Galen Erso in Rogue one

Mikkelsen play Galen Erso in the 2016 Rogue one or Rouge one  if you’re dyslexic like me. He also had very long career playing different types of Character from Hannibal Lector to Kaecilius in Doctor Strange  to  playing opposite Alicia Vikander in A Royal Affair. Vikander was also the topic of a Hypothetical casting post for Esmeralda.

 

Mads Mikkelsen as Lucas in The Hunt picture image

Mads Mikkelsen as Lucas in The Hunt

I will confess, Mikkelsen would not a my first pick to play Frollo but upon looking more in his acting and considering his look, I can see this a good option. First he a good actor with a good range. It’s hard to really pinpoint how he would approach the character but pending on the film direction for Frollo, I would say he could pull it off effectively.  

 

Mads Mikkelsen picture image

Mads Mikkelsen

  

Mikkelsen also has very interesting facial features that could lead themselves to a really good and memorable look for Frollo with the right make-up direction.  He just the kind of actor who can skew more attractive to more weird looking, I don’t mean that in a bad way.

 

Mads Mikkelsen picture image

Mads Mikkelsen

Mads Mikkelsen would not be my first choice to play Frollo but if he was cast I would not complain. It would be interesting to see what how he would portale the character. What do you think Mads Mikkelsen for Frollo? Yay? Or Nay?

Also leading up to The Last Jedi and maybe after I’m going to more hypothetical casting using Star Wars actors so if you got a suggestion leave a comment.  Also any anti-suggestions are welcome,  like Jar Jar Binks as Frollo or Gringoire or Phoebus, maybe Esmeralda.

 

Oona Chaplin

Oona Chaplin

This suggestion is off a list from http://fuckyeahnotredamedeparis.tumblr.com as part of an ideal casting. Oona Chaplin is the granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin and  his 4th wife actress Oona O’Neill. Her mother is Geraldine Chaplin, another prolific actress and Patricio Castilla. Her family is full of actors and performers.

Oona Chaplin as Talia, Game of Thrones picture image

Oona Chaplin as Talia, Game of Thrones

Chaplin is most known for her role on HBO’s Game of Thrones as Talisa, a show only character. Talisa is a noble lady from Volantis turned wartime  medicine women turned Queen in the North who is killed at a wedding. Pre-season three, I thought she was a spy for the Lannisters as she did know a lot about Westeros and it would have merged the show with the book but no she was just  kick-ass strong women character.

 

Oona Chaplin as Zilpha Geary, Taboo picture image

Oona Chaplin as Zilpha Geary, Taboo

 Chaplin is a competent enough actress, not amazing but no means bad. She was decent as Talisa but she is better as Zilpha in Taboo. She is also going to appear in James Cameron’s Avatar universe so look forward to that.  

 

Oona Chaplin

Oona Chaplin

However being of Spanish descent does offer an intriguing aspect to Esmeralda that Chaplin could weave into Esmeralda’s characterization. Though Esmeralda in the book wasn’t Spanish, she did travel to Spain as a small child. It would be interesting to see an Esmeralda that had her unique speech  patterns that are a amalgamation of youth traveling around Europe.  That would be a new facet to a film adaptation of Esmeralda.  

 

Oona Chaplin

Oona Chaplin

I doubt Chaplin would be cast as a naive Esmeralda and probably would play the role closer to Hayek or the Disney characterization but it would interesting if they did make her that type of Esmeralda but kept her book backstory intact. It would be a decent merger of films and the book and would make the character still different.

 

Oona Chaplin

Oona Chaplin

Not sure if I need to say this but Chaplin has the look of Book Esmeralda. She has the dark eyes and hair that Hugo passingly described. She also has olive skin which Esmeralda has but as the result of traveling around Europe.  She does have a more angular face that I personally wouldn’t have envision for Esmeralda but it’s not a count against her especially of they didn’t go with the the type of Esmeralda that is more confident with her sexuality.

 

Oona Chaplin

Oona Chaplin

Oona Chaplin could play a very interesting version of Esmeralda giving the direction of the movie but what do you think? Do you see Oona Chaplin playing Esmeralda?

Justin Timberlake picture image

Justin Timberlake

Recently I found this http://ideas.wikia.com/wiki/The_Hunchback_of_Notre_Dame_(Live-action_remake) which I consider a treaure trove of possibalities. For the record this is a hypothetical casting for a hypothetical live action Disney remake of Hunchback, it’s not real. So I thought it would be fun to go through these casting picks and see how these actors be in the roles.

Looking at the list the casting picks seem  pretty on point  but Justin Timberlake as Quasimodo stands out a little or a lot. I just can’t see this as a casting option but I tend to be wrong so let’s dive into this, shall we?

Justin Timberlake picture image

Justin Timberlake

 

Timberlake is most known as a singer. He was survivor  of the Great Boy Band Wars of the late 90’s as he was in the group called N’Sync. He managed to shake whatever personality he had in the group to be a solo artist (wasn’t a fan of the Boy Bands). His music has a slick cool vibe  and that vibe seems to get translated into his film roles.

Timberlake has been in quite a few movies  but he has never really been propelled into superstar status as an actor the same way he is as a singer. Could a role as Quasimodo be the catalyst for him to be a mega film star? Quasimodo does seem to be a sort of vanity role for actors as it’s very demanding both physically and emotionally, plus it’s scientifically proven that making attractive actors ugly means huge accolades, no wonder Josh Brolin and Max Ryan wanted to play Quasimodo.

 

Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker, The Social Network picture image

Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker, The Social Network

 

However this is Disney’s Quasimodo. Not saying that it wouldn’t be a challenge to play this role in a live-action version but Disney’s Quasimodo is more innocent and naive than other versions. So let’s just pretend for a second and make a GREAT big assumption and say that a live-action version would favor the musical version of the character. Is there much difference between the two versions? Not that much but Quasimodo in the musical seems a little more rougher and less sweet than he is the Disney movie.

Could Timberlake be convincing as Quasimodo? I can’ see it. I can see him singing the Quasimodo’s song but acting as a meek abused yet hopeful character, no. His roles  have a sleek and cool edge which Quasimodo doesn’t have at all.  Is it fair to base this on his past roles? Yes and no. Clearly he is suited to roles likes Sean Parker from The Social Network but that isn’t to say that couldn’t play Quasimodo. He could nail the part, anything is possiable in theory.

 

Justin Timberlake picture image

Justin Timberlake

 

As I said Quasimodo is one those coveted roles that most ambitious actors would LOVE to play so if Timberlake wanted to be considered a serious actor he could try and get the role but considering his filmography and his career as a singers I can’t see him playing Quasimodo.

Then again I could be very wrong. What do you guys think? Could Justin Timberlake play Quasimodo? Do you want him to play Quasimodo?

Amanda Seyfried picture image

Amanda Seyfried

This was a suggestion from Lola (see here )

Amanda Seyfried has already been in one adaptation of an adaption of a Victor Hugo novel, she played  Cosette in the movie musical version of Les Misérables  based on the 1980’s Broadway musical based on the novel. So why not cast her as another romantic foil who gets the guy over the tragic brunette, hmmm Hugo sure has his tropes. But would Seyfried make a good Fleur de Lys?

 

Amanda Seyfried picture image

Amanda Seyfried

Fleur de Lys’ cross adaptations don’t really differ that much. Sure, some are fleshed out a bit more than others but really she acts as foil to Esmeralda. So just so we are all operating on some page let’s consider her for a movie verion of the French musical but in English, How would Seyfried be as that Fleur de Lys?

 

Amanda Seyfried as Sophie, Mamma Mia picture image

Amanda Seyfried as Sophie, Mamma Mia

Seyfried is a decent actress. She may have never been in a movie that really pushed her acting ability but she definitely competent. I mean she has already played one mean girl, even though she was the dumb one in Mean Girls. Given the right director, she could really make a great conflicted Fleur de Lys. Or that sexually manipulative Fleur de Lys that musical seems to go for.

 

Amanda Seyfried as Cosette in 2012 Les Misérables picture image

Amanda Seyfried as Cosette in 2012 Les Misérables

Seyfried is also a very good singer. Les Misérables was weird movie to base actual singing skills on since the idea is that they were singing like emotional  sing-song rather than the art form and as Cosette she had a weird vibrato that sounds like she was echoing in a windstorm. It wasn’t bad but just off putting. She was better as Sophie in Mamma Mia. Personally I could see her singing La Monture a.k.a “My Heart if You Swear” as it’s called in English, really well.

 

Amanda Seyfried picture image

Amanda Seyfried

As for looks, I mean she has the right look. Since Fleur de Lys is the foil to Esmeralda’s sultry dark looks, Fleur de Lys has nearly always been portrayed as a fair beauty with blonde hair and blue eyes, more or less. She doesn’t always have blue eyes but blonde in mostly there. Seyfried fits this type perfectly.  Even for just straight-up book version of Fleur de Lys she is on point.   

 

Amanda Seyfried picture image

Amanda Seyfried

If Seyfried was cast as Fleur de Lys in either musical version or a regular non-singing version she would be fine. Personally I would prefer to see her as Fleur  de Lys in a musical version than straight up film adaptation. It would be really cool to see her play Fleur de Lys against Samantha Barks playing Esmeralda. I suppose you could make Eddie Redmayne as Phoebus though that seems a weird casting choice, he seems more suited to Quasimodo. Who from 2012 Les Misérables would make a good Phoebus? Got it,  Aaron Tveit. That’s not bad casting actually. Hey Hollywood, make me a casting agent!  

 

Would  Hugh Jackman make a good Frollo? I’d say yes but the Troll part of me wants to say Russell Crowe from Frollo.
Anyway what do you think of Amanda Seyfried as Fleur de Lys? Yay or Nay?

Sofia Carson picture image

Sofia Carson

Let’s travel back to July 2016, a better time,  Disney Star, Sofia Carson, expressed a desire to play Esmeralda. Well to be specific she said that she thought “Esmeralda would be a beautiful role to play.” She also did a recording of Someday in Spanish. So let’s explore this more casting option.  You can see the interview here.

Since she very clearly was suggesting playing a Live-Action Disney Esmeralda we’re just going to consider that version of the character.    

Sofia Carson picture image

Sofia Carson

Let’s start with Carson’s look. Carson is of Spanish descent, more specifically Columbian.  She still rather young and I’m still not sure how old Esmeralda was supposed to given Disney’s age inflation but let’s just say she is in a good range.  She does have the darker features one would expect from Disney’s Esmeralda and contact lenses could give Carson that emerald eye color. One thing that somewhat could work against Carson is that she does have a very youthful somewhat cute look. Just looking at Carson I don’t see her as sultry. Beautiful yes, alluring no. Could she act alluring?

Sofia Carson as Evie, Descendants picture image

Sofia Carson as Evie, Descendants

I will be frank I have only seen clips of Carson’s acting. Carson hasn’t really escaped that Disney style of acting. She is best known for playing Evie in Descendants. Evie is the Snow White’s Evil Queen’s daughter. I wouldn’t know how to judge someone’s acting skills in that or any made for TV movie Disney TV makes. It’s a very specific style of acting. She could be a great actress or not. Can’t say. I would venture to say she might be good pending on the director. Can’t honestly say I can  gauge her acting skills.

Sofia Carson picture image

Sofia Carson

Sofia Carson would not be my first, second to even third pick for Esmeralda but given that she seems to loves and respects the character  she could pull it off and make a beautiful Esmeralda.  
But what do you guys think?  Do you think Carson would make a good Esmeralda?