For the roles of Enjolras, Marius, Eponine, Cosette and all the students I am now thinking they should cast actors who are between the ages of 17-29 (because that would give them some sort of youthfulness which I think is important for those roles) and at the same time have solid singing voices.
Cosette should have a solid youthful sounding soprano singing voice and aged 17-mid 20s and should be portrayed as a more likable three dimensional character instead of the whiny poor little rich girl that she had been portrayed for a long time
Eponine should have a solid youthful belty singing voice with a sort of raspy quality and aged 17-late 20s and I think she should be a little older than Cosette so that way it would be like the original stories of "Cinderella" and "Beauty and the Beast" where you have the older girl ganging up on the youngest which is very juicey and show Young Eponine abusing Young Cosette by sticking her tougue out or pushing her.
I know what you mean about him not being hot enough. But if you have to cast someone famous, I guess he's not a bad choice. Plus, he played one of the same roles as Aaron Lazar, and Lazar was a pretty good Enjolras...
In my pants, she has burst like the music of angels, the light of the sun! --Marius Pantsmercy
I definitely find Matt Morrison attractive (remember Piazza and South Pacific) :) Plus he is rising as a household name thanks to Glee with lots of teen girls and women finding him attractive..
What are people's thoughts on casting the guy who plays Finn from Glee in this movie?
"The gods who nurse this universe think little of mortals' cares. They sit in crowds on exclusive clouds and laugh at our love affairs. I might have had a real romance if they'd given me a chance. I loved him, but he didn't love me. I wanted him, but he didn't want me. Then the gods had a spree and indulged in another whim. Now he loves me, but I don't love him." - Cole Porter
'S'true. Practically any living thing that comes within ten feet of him is attracted to him.
Besides, I think the whole female/gay audience sees him as a love interest (or is that just me?..). Strong, brave, loyal, righteous, handsome, he's got it all. Updated On: 11/17/09 at 12:20 AM
Surely, Jean Valjean,who dies at the end of the play aged 65, Colm Wilkinson is still within range of being able to play him on film. Personally I can think of none finer either.
Philip Quast would also make a fine screen version of the character he played so excellently on stage.
I think really only Colm has the power to bring life into the character on screen, and along side him Anthony Head, Alan Rickman, or Philip Quast are fine for Javert.
In fact this is my casting...
Jean Valjean - Colm WIlkinson (the definitive, and not too old for the role,? as jean dies at 65 in the book) Javert - Philip Quast (PERFECT) Bishop - Christopher Lee Cosette - Anne Hathaway or Emmy Rossum Marius - Jamie Campbell Bower Thenadiers - Jennifer Saunders and Alun Armstrong Enjolras - Gerard Butler Fantine - Helena Bonham Carter
Colm Wilkinson is too *stagey* for the screen. I rewatched certain parts of the 10th Anniversary DVD over the weekend, and his eyebrows were doing some crazy things each time he sang. It was quite comical, and I don't think you want your audience to laugh during "Bring Him Home." Also, he sounds like Sean Connery when he sings (the way he pronounces certain vowels, and the "shhh" sound he makes when saying his S's), which is just annoying.
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia
But surely your can at least agree Philip quast and Colm wilkinson would be perfectly cast in a film?
No. And I've seen Wilkinson as Valjean live. He's fine. But to say he's the ONLY ONE who can do it is terribly dismissive of all the other actors to play the role.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
Actually, he does, Phyllis. The prologue and the Montreuil-sur-Mer/Montfermeil scenes all take place in just under an hour. The Paris 1832 sequence is the rest of the show.
But, you're right, Colm is 65 himself already and he wouldn't be able to pull off the younger scenes convincingly.
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia