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The Savage Worlds books had a bit of advice that I thought I'd try when I run through the RotRL AP:
Imagine that your adventure is a Hollywood movie, and you can cast anyone you want to play each NPC. Assign an actor or persona to each one, and rely on that throughout the sessions.
Right away, I'd cast Mako (from e.g. Conan) as Ameiko's father. Or maybe Ken Watanabe (Saiko from Inception), but his personality is a bit more bland.
Angela Landsbury as the halfling woman from Ameiko's bar.
That's all I have so far. I'm only up to the Glassworks in my read through...
What do you guys think? Obviously I need strong roles for each of the major players in the story and in Sandpoint. Like the sherrif, mayor, etc.
I'm sorry to say that Mako needs a raise dead cast on him to take up that role.
Personally the Aldern in my head will forever and always be played by Hugh Laurie. I'm dreading having to voice him in Skinsaw Murders with that voice.
If you’ve seen Doomsday or the third season of Strike Back (that’s the second of the Cinemax seasons, the ones with Scott and Stonebridge), you’ll know why I suggest Rhona Mitra to portray the resident Miss Hardass, Shalelu Andosana. :D
Similarly, after the Transporter movies and The Expendables, I keep mistaking Orik Vancaskerkin and Jason Statham for each other.
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Nice! Keep 'em coming.
And since this is an RPG application, the actor being dead is no barrier. Just so long as I can find some clips on YouTube, movies on Netflix, or some other fodder to emulate, we're golden.
Ameiko is proving really hard to cast. The best suggestion I've heard so far is Jessica Alba. But that's pretty terrible, honestly. Ameiko isn't from California...
I'd vote Devon Aoki for Ameiko. Liv Tyler for Shalelu
I think Jude Law would be a great Aldern Foxglove.
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Resisting the urge to cast Lucy Liu as Ameiko (mostly because she seems to be the go-to actress when you need an Asian-American role filled), I'd suggest Maggie Q. Certainly no stranger to action scenes, and very attractive to boot - exactly the sort of thing you're looking for in Ameiko.
Shalelu's an interesting character - initially, she seems to be a one-woman goblin-killing machine, but Hook Mountain gives her some meaty scenes and some frailties that humanize her. Cameron Diaz might work in that role, since she's got both dramatic and action roles under her belt.
Karzoug is Christopher Lee. Full stop. His voice is how I imagine the Claimer sounds. Yes, I know he was Saruman, and this is typecasting, but I don't care. He was Dracula, he was Scaramanga, he was Saruman, he was Count Dooku, and now he's Karzoug.
I'd second Ken Watanabe as Lonjiku - he's excellent in The Last Samurai, and he can do villainous quite well. He was imposing as Ra's al-Ghul in Batman Begins. That said, I'd actually prefer a smaller, older actor who looks the part to play the role. Lonjiku is not physically imposing - the only people he physically can best are those that can't fight back. Pat Morita might be a bit too far in that direction, but I can't immediately think of any actors who fit this bill.
Hugh Laurie as Aldern Foxglove is a great choice - mix his Prince of Wales with Bertie Wooster and you're probably there.
Now to the important question: who plays the iconic leads? Valeros, Kyra, Merisiel, Ezren, Harsk and Seoni? Really quickly, I'm going to cast Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Rose McGowen, Alan Rickman, Adam Baldwin and Scarlet Johansson for those roles at the moment. There's a lot of Firefly actors in there, I realize, but is that really such a bad thing? Those folks already have a great chemistry, which would go a long way towards building the sort of camaraderie a party should have - as well as the disagreements and fights that inevitably pop up when such disparate and outspoken people that PCs tend to be get together.
Maggie Q seems like a good fit, in the absence of any actresses that look like they can throw a punch.
I LOVE Christopher Lee, Nathan Fillion and Alan Rickman as castings though. Grinning ear to ear. (I can also see Jude Law as a more sinister Aldern. Especially his slightly unhinged performance in Sleuth that my actor mate won't stop gushing about. However I prefer him as a light-hearted comic relief and frankly pull off a much better Hugh :P)
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Really, once you imagine Lee as Karzoug, you can't not hear him reading the lines. "So, these are the heroes of the age. More like gasping worms to me - worms to be crushed back into the earth when I awaken the armies of Xin-Shalast, when the name Karzoug is again spoken with fear and awe."
Well, have him start out as Hugh Laurie with an undercurrent of Jude Law, but his transformation pushes Hugh into submission and brings out Jude. Aldern was screwed up long before the Brotherhood of Seven got their hooks into him, so foreshadowing that there's something off about this foppish nobleman isn't necessarily a bad thing. At the same time, you don't want to tip your hand too greatly, since you'll ruin the first half of the second book!
Let's cast some baddies from Thistletop! We'll start with Tsuto Kaijutsu. Even though he's not in Thistletop, he's the connection, so he counts for this. This guy's all rage and discontent, he's got daddy issues for miles, and the girl he wants really isn't all that into him. Since we're looking for someone with mixed Minkaian and elven heritage, someone with Asian and European heritage wouldn't be a bad idea - it would help sell the "caught between two civilizations" angle. Brandon Lee is a bit of a cop out, but as I mentioned for Lonjiku, my knowledge of Asian actors is relatively limited.
Next up, Warchief Ripnugget. Andy Serkis. Next!
Orik Vancaskerkin. The perennial wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. He would have quit awhile ago if he wasn't interested in the attractive wizard. We're looking for someone who looks world-weary, has a perpetual losing streak and knows it, and is just about ready to up and quit this place. I kinda wish I hadn't used Adam Baldwin already now. Instead, let's go with Michael Biehn.
Lyrie Akenja. First off, while I appreciate the female form, what exactly is that she's wearing?!? That's not surviving to production, I can guarantee it. Like Orik, she's interested in someone who isn't interested in her. Unlike Orik, she's also content to study the Thassilonian artifacts here. She's smart, she's attractive...and she's a murderer who has no problem with killing her competition. She's a monster! Took me awhile, but I'm going with Naomie Harris, who was awesome as Eve in Skyfall.
Finally, Nualia. Meaty role to play - she's the Big Bad (for the first film, at least), and she's been the root of most of Sandpoint's ills. She's also more than a bit tragic, having been driven mad by the things that happened to her. Her actress should be no stranger to physical roles, since she's going to be doing a great deal of butt-kicking in the final reel. She should also have a good looking midriff, since the scars on her abdomen are pretty integral to her story. Otherworldly beauty mixed with demonic-inspired madness - that's Nualia, and it's going to be tough to cast her. Sienna Miller might be a good fit, though I suspect there will be plenty of other examples offered!
Russel Wong as Tsuto, Henry O as Ameiko's father, perhaps?
I'm going to have to give this some thought. Really like the idea though.
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I was thinking, especially after just seeing 47 Ronin, I think Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa (Shang Tsung from the classic Mortal Kombat) would be the best fit for Lonjiku. He can play that despicable character that you just love to hate.
I like Maggie Q as Ameiko, but I kind of want to see if Rinko Kikuchi could pull it off... she went from shy girl (Pacific Rim) to pure evil (47 Ronin). I would like to see her take on a fun character like Ameiko.
I like Russel Wong as Tsuto. He may be able to portray the brooding, damaged half-elf.
Though, I am hesitant to say that she would do a good job, I would like to cast Kristianna Loken (Terminator 3, In the Name of the King).
I've always envisioned Caloline Blakiston (played Mon Mothma in Jedi) as Mayor Kendra Deverin.
Admittedly I skew Whedonesque, but here would be my cast:
For Ameiko: Kelly Hu
She's feisty, can handle a fight scene, since Ameiko in my storyline traveled quite a bit with the PCs.
For Sheriff Hemlock: J. August Richards
Solid actor. Big, physical. I can really see him adding some depth to the Shoanti assimilated to a Varisian/Chelaxian town.
For Aldern: Alexis Denisof
If anyone's seen him in Much Ado About Nothing, he can absolutely pull of the ridiculous fop, as well as the terrifying monster.
Nualia: Ali Larter
I think she can pull of the fury beneath a beautiful veneer.
Shalelu: Summer Glau
She's just awesome.
Karzoug: Jason Isaacs
I know that Karzoug is supposed to be Venerable, but the pictures to me do not look that old. Jason Isaacs can really pull of a highly intelligent villain - The Patriot, Harry Potter, Voice of Ra's Al Ghul, etc. and I think he's got the piercing look that would fit Karzoug well. Plus Brits make the best villains. Left over from the Revolutionary War, no doubt.
Those are my thoughts.
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Admittedly I skew Whedonesque, but here would be my cast:
For Ameiko: Kelly Hu
She's feisty, can handle a fight scene, since Ameiko in my storyline traveled quite a bit with the PCs.
For Sheriff Hemlock: J. August Richards
Solid actor. Big, physical. I can really see him adding some depth to the Shoanti assimilated to a Varisian/Chelaxian town.
For Aldern: Alexis Denisof
If anyone's seen him in Much Ado About Nothing, he can absolutely pull of the ridiculous fop, as well as the terrifying monster.
Nualia: Ali Larter
I think she can pull of the fury beneath a beautiful veneer.
Shalelu: Summer Glau
She's just awesome.
Karzoug: Jason Isaacs
I think these are fitting choices.
I know that Karzoug is supposed to be Venerable, but the pictures to me do not look that old. Jason Isaacs can really pull of a highly intelligent villain - The Patriot, Harry Potter, Voice of Ra's Al Ghul, etc. and I think he's got the piercing look that would fit Karzoug well. Plus Brits make the best villains. Left over from the Revolutionary War, no doubt.
Point of order:
Thus, another reason why Christopher Lee is not the correct choice. I do support the idea of Jason Isaacs, though.
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Jason Isaacs!!! Great choice!
Kelly Hu could do it.
Not sold on Summer Glau as Shalelu, but I will agree that she is awesome. She does sort of have that otherworldly quality that reflects the elven nature, but I am... hesitant. :p
I shall have to see the Much Ado About Nothing with Alexis Denisof, and I think J. August Richard could do Sheriff Hemlock some justice.
On the fence about Ali Larter. I think she could do it, but not sure she is a fit for my Nualia... Nice choice though.
I've recently introduced Jubrayl Vhiski. I've obviously seeun the picture of him, but whenever I start to role play with the PCs, I keep channeling Mark Sheppard .
Mads Mikkelsen as Aldern. If you've seen any of Hannibal on NBC, well, you'll understand why.