So hopefully you will have seen and read my review of The Girl etc. (henceforward to be known as TGWATG which is inelegant but that’s acronyms for you – that is an acronym isn’t it?) which can be found here, and if you haven’t read it yourself yet I hope that you will get hold of a copy soon, because if I was the kind of blogger who makes a list of her favourite books of the year (and I don’t) then this would definitely be in the top five (which it won’t because I just don’t).
Anyway I think I may have mentioned in writing about the book that I virtually forced my friend Silvery Dude to buy TGWATG to take on holiday with him and we read it more or less simultaneously (I think I had a head start in not being a father of three young boys on holiday in Greece while reading the thing so finished it first) and had similar opinions, and our friend and colleague MargaRita (Queen of Speed) read it shortly afterwards and to cut a long story short we got involved in a very detailed exchange of e-mails when we should have been doing Important Work-Related Things and tried to cast the movie. Our suggestions are below and please be gentle if you have Thoughts, because my mind goes blank as soon as someone asks me to do this sort of thing and all except Silvery Dude (because he still hasn’t seen it) may have been influenced too much by recent exposure to Guardians of the Galaxy (and what I thought about that can be found here).
Anyway, here’s what we came up with (and reinforces pretty much that we should stick to the day jobs):
- Melanie – an early bid for Chloe Grace Moretz (slightly too old now) was trumped by Elle Fanning
- Miss Justineau – Zoe Saldana (but only because of the GotG thing mentioned above) (and shows a shameful lack of awareness on my part of who the best actresses of colour are though oh, I’ve just thought of Sophie Okonedo)
- Sgt. Parkes – the hottest debate – my first thought was Sean Bean (too good looking), then Silvery Dude would not be moved from the idea of Viggo Mortensen, and a late bid for John C Reilly (see GotG again) was overruled in favour of Clive Owen though the good-looking thing applies there too….
- Dr Caldwell – Julianne Moore (“at her most pinched” said SD) or Nicole Kidman (at her most icy) but I am attached to the idea of Gillian Anderson
- Private Gallagher – Jamie Bell (but probably too old and fit now), Andrew Garfield (too obvious?) or Nicholas Hoult (in Warm Bodies incarnation).
So there you have it. Can you do better?
Actually I think we all know the answer to that one….
16 comments
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August 25, 2014 at 11:32 am
lynnsbooks
Actually, I kind of like the idea of Sean Bean! Good call for Dr Caldwell – I think Julianna Moore could do an excellent job.
Lynn 😀
August 25, 2014 at 11:54 am
brideofthebookgod
He was my idea Lynn, I think he does angry and aggressive very well. Such a great book, is actually be quite nervous of a film version….
October 20, 2014 at 4:47 am
Jackie
That’s so funny! I pictured Zoe Saldana the entire time I was reading as well. I feel like Melanie will have to be some undiscovered young talent. I pictured Sgt Parks as Michael Dixon aka Merle on The Walking Dead (I guess I too have been influenced by exposure to GOTG) lol
February 25, 2015 at 2:33 am
Franny Green
Michael Rooker
October 20, 2014 at 4:49 am
Jackie
Oh and I forgot.. I pictured Helen Mirren (The Debt) as Dr. Caldwell
November 30, 2014 at 12:05 pm
M Carens-Nedelsky (@MC_Nedelsky)
Gugu Mbatha-Raw for Miss Justineau for sure. Naomi Harris would also be good. Melanie is supposed to be 10, so even if they age her up you’re looking at a very young actress – Mackenzie Foy (Interstellar) say, or Avery Phillips (Non-Stop). Isabelle Allen, from Les Miz, would also be great.
Otherwise I absolutely love these choices.
November 30, 2014 at 12:09 pm
brideofthebookgod
Mackenzie Foy would be a great choice, I thought she was fantastic in Interstellar.
November 30, 2014 at 12:14 pm
M Carens-Nedelsky (@MC_Nedelsky)
Just to throw out some alternatives: Idris Elba for Parks, Archie Punjabi for Caldwell, Asa Butterfield for Gallagher
December 21, 2014 at 8:04 am
Exhibition: The Illustrators 1800-2014 | Bride of the Book God
[…] another friend (MargaRita, Queen of Speed, a friend of the Bride’s blog, previously mentioned here) for drinks at the splendid St Pancras Hotel. In between I spent a few hours around Piccadilly, […]
February 25, 2015 at 2:25 am
Franny Green
I’d like to see it cast with more unknown actors though I love the idea of Sophie Okonedo and Jamie Bell looks like the perfect private Gallagher. Can’t wait!
February 25, 2015 at 6:16 am
brideofthebookgod
Sadly not clear if they’re even going to make a movie 😦
February 25, 2015 at 5:45 pm
Mel Harvey
Rupert Grint for Gallagher
February 25, 2015 at 7:37 pm
brideofthebookgod
Possibly a bit old now?
March 24, 2015 at 9:24 pm
Charley
Lupita N’yongo for Miss Justineau
March 25, 2015 at 6:47 am
brideofthebookgod
We’re all to late, the film has apparently been cast with Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine and Glenn Close. Interesting choices…..
March 30, 2016 at 9:40 pm
BrightsideSusan
I am reading the book now and am really upset by the casting of the movie with a white Justineau and a black Melanie. It seems really racist to make the “good” teacher white and the “Bad” Hungry black – or am I being overly sensitive?