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« Why Michelle Pfeiffer Probably Won't and Probably Shouldn't Do "American Horror Story" | Main | The Linking Games: Catching Blog »
Monday
Nov252013

Cast This: J.R.R. Tolkien Biopic

When I read over at Film School Rejects that JRR Tolkien was getting a biopic, I let out a big ol pipe-smoking sigh. Wouldn't this have been a better use of Peter Jackson's time than what he's been spending the last few years doing? If you're going to gild the lily, find a new way! The only time Jackson did a true story (Heavenly Creatures) it was quite impressive and still made use of his imaginative fantasy aesthetics. A bigger sigh followed when I pictured J.R.R. Tolken in my head from this photo to your left embedded in me brain from childhood.

How long before we hear the casting announcement and then a photo of Anthony Hopkins in full makeup with a pipe, I thought. That's EXACTLY who Hollywood would cast because they never think outside the box.

But - yay! - the biopic will cover the formative younger years in World War I and at university which led to The Hobbit through The Lord of the Rings (so one presumes the biopic ends in the 1950s when Tolkien also reached his fifties)/ CGI de-aging is not yet advanced to subject us to the defacto Hopkins casting of old man biopics (yes he gets them all: Kellogg, Nixon, Lewis, Picasso, Hitchcock...) 

SO LET'S PLAY "CAST THIS!"

Here's two photos of J.R.R. Tolkien which I believe are from his younger years in the service and at university but even in his mid to late 20s / early 30s (?) he already looked like a distinguished older man!

It'd be smartest to cast someone in their 30s or early 40s who can look younger and older. My first thought was Ryan Gosling, solely because the Gos is never far from the mind and I think he popped up because of his similar longish face. But then I have trouble picturing him aging up into that jovial ol' pipe smoker from all the book jackets, so that's not quite right. I think I just had a better idea but I want to hear your suggestions to see if anyone reaches a similar conclusion

So who would you cast? Ready, set... comment!

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Reader Comments (33)

I can only think of older actors for some reason. Like Stephen Dillane. Or a younger Donald Moffat.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterSad man

it's probably going to be Benedict Cumberbatch

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered Commentertom

Ewan McGregor?

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterJan

I'm getting a Tom Hiddleston vibe.

Plus, I can't hear Gosling doing a British accent.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterwade

Stephen Dillane would be just fine. Judging by the looks, I would choose Ben Foster. But is he able to nail the accent?

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterflatbeat

I vote for Jim Broadbent

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterRyan Gallagher

That first photo below looks EXACTLY like Ben Foster.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterJay

Jude Law maybe?

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterrenton

Matthew Goode!

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterJones

I also thought Hiddleston.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterRebecca

I second Ben Foster especially on the first photo.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterpaco.

Peter Stormare. Never did get a deserved showcase role, so I'd enjoy him in that role.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterDuncan Houst

It's going to be Hiddleston, even though he plays Orwell in my imaginary adaptation of Homage to Catalonia.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterCMG

I agree with Hiddleston being the most obvious choice. What I would ask though, is if anyone is tired of old-age makeup? It's looked so bad lately (J. Edgar, Hitchcock, Prometheus) that it makes me question if casting two actors wouldn't be better?

I think Ian Holm looks most like an old Tolkien, but he's already in LoTR, and does he look like Hiddleston?

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterConrado

YAY. my 'brilliant' idea was actually Ben Foster but other people came to it. Not that they'd ever cast him but i miss the days when biopics sometimes went to lesser knowns. Not every movie needs a movie star. Sometimes the role / concept is the star.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterNATHANIEL R

Ben Foster has that Lance Armstrong film happening so he might blow up. His moody, fiery character acting turns as somebody who knew him as the goofball Tucker on Flash Forward has been quite a step for me as a movie viewer.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterCMG

Rafe Spall? Too young?

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterRyan T.

Wait, I got it! The second picture is giving me Jack Davenport vibes. Anyone else?

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterRyan T.

conrado -- or regarding old age... why not just cast old actors. I mean that PROMETHEUS role made me so mad. Ridley Scott could have given a cool gig to any number of awesome very old still living stars. Instead he put stupid makeup on Guy Pearce? i didn't understand that at all.

November 25, 2013 | Registered CommenterNATHANIEL R

I wholeheartedly second the Jack Davenport vote! The concerned forehead crease is what's really selling it. Not, as Nathaniel points out, that they would ever cast him.

I could see Fassy pulling this off, too, but maybe that's just because I like him with a mustache.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterMargaret

Nat: In the case of Prometheus, that was because Guy Pearce was supposed to be appearing in an advertising campaign where he was a young Weyland. They didn't wind up going forward with the campaign, making them look like idiots for not switching out the casting, but I hope that allows you to understand why he was in that makeup in the first place.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterVolvagia

Speaking of Guy Pearce...

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterPaul Outlaw

Ryan Gosling turning into Jim Broadbent is what I'm seeing.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterSanty.C

Nathaniel- I keep thinking Peter O'Toole as elder Weyland and they just cut out David watching Lawrence of Arabia (I think a critic said it best to not show your hands on David's influences and O'Toole would've just made that clear without a word said).

The original script that floated around the internet did not have Weyland on the ship, IIRC. I just figured Pearce as his current age was the marketing campaign and maybe the movie actually contained those flashbacks, but not him at that age. Nope, it was just more unnecessary things and more complicated.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterCMG

Benedict Cumberbatch. He has the look and the acting chops. Perfect casting!

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterMargaret

Daniel Craig playing Tolkien would create enthusiasm within me. His face could play young and old appropriately I think. And it's at least several arm-lengths away from playing anything Bond-like.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterCory Rivard

If they go Foster, and that's not a bad call, it will be amazing that someone so British-looking will be played by an American.

On the other hand, the Brits now have Superman, Batman and Spider-Man, so what the hell. We're in a deficit. We just have Sherlock Holmes. Cinematically.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterErik

http://www.coupdemainmagazine.com/sites/default/files/11-4947/benedictcumberbatch-gqnov13-1.jpg

http://itsallaboutbenedictcumberbatch.tumblr.com/post/26909475863/benedict-cumberbatch-19-50-war-horse

Can you see Benedict Cumberbatch as Tolkien? The voice, the look and the acting skills. I cannot think of a better fit.

November 25, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterMargaret

I'm thinking Damian Lewis.

November 26, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterSquasher88

To me, the photo on the left resembles colin farrell

November 26, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterrob

Has anyone reached the same conclusion as you, Nathaniel?

November 26, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterMargaret

This dude Dahsack should play Tupac he has the look and the sound. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltFd35JjPt0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

April 23, 2014 | Unregistered CommenterKcashad

With Tolkien and Lewis coming, please cast Toby Jones.

July 17, 2014 | Unregistered Commentertcbailey
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