Casting 'Atlas': It's your call by By Jeannie Williams
Admirers of Ayn Rand's 1957 novel Atlas Shrugged have
definite ideas about casting the movie, and some may want to
fight it out when they see the suggestions of others for the
TNT miniseries to be made next year.
''This is a big deal for us,'' writes David M.
DiQuinzio of Annapolis, Md. He says Hank Rearden needs
strength and reserve, ''not an ounce of cowboy or punk in
him,'' and suggests Martin Sheen or James Caan. Dagny
Taggart: ''I always pictured her blonde, but this should not
be a requirement.'' Galt ''must come across as a credible
inventor/scientist. Should not be too macho,'' could be
Anthony Edwards or Keanu Reeves.
''I am a 16-year-old high school student from Oregon,''
writes a youth with the online name of John Galt (''I
wish,'' he says). ''Atlas Shrugged has been the most
influential piece of fiction to ever affect my life.'' He
votes for Sharon Stone and Harrison Ford, with George
Clooney as Galt and Bruce Willis as James Taggart, brother
of Dagny.
''I was so pumped to read that someone is FINALLY going
to put the masterpiece'' on film, writes Mark Stanton of
Menomonee Falls, Wis. He sees a lack of actors with the
needed ''richness of character,'' but suggests Mira Sorvino
as Dagny, Dylan McDermott as Galt, Alec Baldwin as Rearden.
I like his idea of Sting as the composer Richard Halley (or
a bigger role?). Mark suggests Tim Roth for James Taggart
and Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver for Ragnar
Danesjkold, Rand's reckless wanderer, and his wife. Doc and
Darlyne Rosario of North Carolina say a friend of theirs
sees that swashbuckling quality in Val Kilmer.
Darlyne likes David James Elliot of JAG for Galt; Doc
says Matt Damon. The Rosarios add: ''If they select any of
these most qualified, we want credit and compensation . . .
as any good true-blooded CAPITALIST would expect.'' Hope
they're kidding.
Catherine D. Kabana is one of many Jodie Foster
backers. ''She possesses the attitude and self-confidence
that are the trademark of Dagny Taggart. But this reader is
thumbs-down on another popular choice, Antonio Banderas for
aristocratic D'Anconia.
Meagan Dolleris of Nashville is equally passionate
about the characters; to her, Dagny must be Cate Blanchett,
''who has the grace, elegance and strength.'' She wants a
''no-nonsense'' Rearden -- David Duchovny -- and Vince
Vaughn as Galt, plus David Hyde Pierce as the ''weaselly''
Jim Taggart. ''I think whether or not I watch this movie
will depend on the actors chosen. I hope the casting makes
sense!'' she adds.
Susan Sarandon gets some votes to play Dagny, but
mostly for Lillian Rearden, nasty wife of Dagny's brother.
Sarandon told me this week that when she read Atlas, ''it
was one of those way-out novels, but I don't think it's so
out there anymore.''
''Linda Hamilton was born to play Dagny,'' writes Peter
Formaini of Ithaca, N.Y. ''Striking, angular, able to play
softness and strength.'' Regina N. of the Bronx, N.Y., says,
''For the love of God, please don't cast Gwyneth Paltrow''
as Dagny. She wants Linda Fiorentino. And Kate Mulgrew of
Star Trek: Voyager got the same enthusiasm: ''No one else
can play this character and give it what it deserves in its
place in film history,'' writes Alfred Medeiros of Boca
Raton, Fla. ''I've read the book three times, cover to
cover.'' (Note: Paperback Atlas runs 1,000-plus pages.)
Michael Biehn's fan club turned out in force to push
him for Rearden. Dan Cassenti suggests Tim Robbins for that
role, using ''the calm, cold appearance with the spark of a
brilliant mind behind it'' in the way he played Andy
DuFresne in The Shawshank Redemption. Kevin Spacey and Brent
Spiner get some votes.
And Randall J. Weytens worries that if the miniseries
winds up politically correct, ''the whole Objectivist
philosophy which is the base of the film will be
perverted.''
Well, I heard from Bob Bidinotto, director of
development at the Objectivist Center for the study of
Rand's work. He hopes casting ''does not violate the
expectations and hopes of fans of the novel.'' The center
has no say in it, but Bidinotto is high on Adrian Paul for
D'Anconia, Brosnan as Galt, Ford as Rearden, Sigourney
Weaver as Dagny, and Anthony Hopkins as Jim Taggart. Brosnan
''would bring much-needed credibility as a man who could
pull off a huge caper -- such as bringing down the entire
world economy!''
All e-mails will be forwarded to TNT and the producer,
Al Ruddy, and all who e-mailed will receive a more complete
list of suggestions. Ruddy promises to keep us up to date.
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