lotus0kid | Shakespeare Dream Cast: Hamlet

This meme was tougher than I thought. I've seen movies for almost all of these plays, and the casting in them has often been so awesome it was really hard to imagine any other people playing the roles. So, I guess what I'm saying is, I did my best. Here's the first one, for

visiblemarket.

CLAUDIUS | GARY OLDMAN

Heh, I promoted him from Rosencrantz to Claudius. I dunno, I just think he could handle it- the charm, the deceit, the guilt. He'd be great.

THE GHOST / OLD HAMLET | LIAM NEESON

Because he's so dang regal, that's why! Come on, the man's played Aslan and Zeus, for crying out loud! Anyway, I think he could lend some real tenderness to the Ghost as well, because he's got that mile-wide paternal streak.

GERTRUDE | CHRISTINE ROSE

I'm not sure if it's ever made entirely clear whether or not Gertrude was in on Claudius' plot to kill the king or not. Therefore, I present an actress who does "morally ambiguous" as well as I've ever seen it done.

HAMLET | ENVER GJOKAJ

This guy impressed the heck out of me in Dollhouse. He's fantastic. I think Hamlet's right up his alley.

HORATIO | JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT

Horatio's an interesting character to me. Kind of more interesting than Hamlet, TBH. I think Joseph Gordon-Levitt would do a great job supporting Enver.

OPHELIA | AMY ADAMS

Maybe not the obvious choice, but I think Amy Adams has a kind of sunniness to her overall sweet nature that would be extra heartbreaking when it dissolved into insanity.

LAERTES | JOSHUA JACKSON

Well, I think the 2002 movie version got it exactly right with Liev Schreiber, so I went with someone I kind of associate with him. Joshua Jackson would do a great "big brother" for Amy.

POLONIUS | STANLEY TUCCI

Stanley Tucci's the consummate "right hand man" to me. Any movie he's in he fills in the gaps just right. Which is exactly what Polonius has to do.

FORTINBRAS | SAM WORTHINGTON

In the play, Fortinbras represents decisiveness and action, in relation to Hamlet's consideration and strategy. So... I was kind of looking for a jarhead type of guy. Someone who would put on a big dramatic scowl, some really heavy armor, and head out. I'm pretty sure that would be Sam Worthington.

ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN | JONATHAN SLAVIN & MALCOLM BARRETT (OR VICE VERSA)

I couldn't resist.

THE GRAVEDIGGER | MAXIMILIAN SCHELL

I extra couldn't resist. Because, thanks to MST3K, Maximilian Schell is my Hamlet, for now and forever. So while I've promoted Gary Oldman from courtier to king, I've demoted Maximilian Schell from prince to peasant. But, hey, he gets some good lines.

Next up once I get the time to track down the pics: Much Ado About Nothing.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Very interesting choices here (Stanley Tucci was inspired). I'd definitely see this version of Hamlet, even as it's never been a real favorite of mine.

Thanks! I must admit, the only version I've seen all the way through is the MST-ed version- for shame. I've never seen Fortinbras performed by anyone. So, here's hoping I'm not too far off-base with what I picture in my head.

I absolutely love your picks! Enver Gjokaj would be a perfect Hamlet because he can go from comedic to dramatic so wonderfully, and originally, Hamlet was most likely billed to audiences as something of a jokester (according to the Shakespeare class I'm in right now, anyway), but then has all that depth, of course.

I really love the choice of Sam Worthington as Fortinbras---like you said, a soldier-ish, "jarheaded" guy, and he just fills that perfectly. ~~Though I think my Fortinbras is a young-ish Rufus Sewell in the 1996 Kenneth Branagh version.~~

I'm pretty sure Will leaves it ambiguous as to whether or not Gertrude was in on Claudius's murder plot. So Cristine Rose is absolutely perfect---I also love that you picked an actress that would actually be old enough to be your Hamlet's mother, which never happens. *applauds*

Thanks! Wow, Hamlet was a joker? I guess he's got some snarky lines...

Hee, again, thanks. I've really never seen Fortinbras onscreen/stage, so I'm glad it works. ~~Ooh, I'd like to see that. I've only seen parts of that version.~~

Matching ages was tough for all these casts. I actually had Rachel Weisz on there for a bit, but I knew she was way too young.

Yeah, Hamlet was considered a goofball, especially with him playing mad, which would have been played for laughs (another playwright a couple of decades later wrote a play that had a bumbling servant character named Hamlet, mocking the Prince of Denmark's crazy antics). Also, the gravedigger scene probably would have been a chance for Shakespeare to showcase the talents of his best dramatic actor (playing Hamlet---most likely Richard Burbage) and his best comedic actor (playing the gravedigger) going head to head. My God, I've absorbed too much academia.

Well, Fortinbras is kind of a punk, all about action, like you said, so Worthington works well. ~~I've only seen specific scenes from that version (it's 4 hours long), but yeah, he's pretty cool.~~

Actually, you put a lot more effort into it than almost all Shakespearean casting directors do, so you get props. (For instance, your Hamlet isn't pushing 40.)

I know everyone except Enver Gjokaj, but I love these choices. Especially Joshua Jackson for some reason I can't put my finger on.

You poor thing. Enver Gjokaj is just about my favorite thing about Dollhouse. I'm really hoping he gets another TV role or a good movie role soon. Anywho, thanks!

This is an incredibly pretty and AWESOME casting you've got going here. GUH. Joshua and Enver and CRAZY GARY OLDMAN ARGH ARGH ARGH!

Hee, thanks! XD I was very pleased when I got to include Enver and Craaazy Gary Oldman.

Man, Cristine Rose as Gertrude is just so perfect. She should definitely play her at some point in her career if she hasn't already. And Lem and Phil as Rosencratz and Guildenstern are awesome. That's practically who they play anyway.

Heh, thanks. She could definitely rock it, no doubt. I had a really tough time picking out a Rosencrantz and Guildenstern- it felt a bit like cheating to pick a comedy duo that had already worked together. But, come on, it's Lem and Phil. As you say, they're more than halfway there already.

I also really liked the choice of Amy Adams, by the way. She's a great actress who has not had a chance to show how great she is with all the romantic comedies she's done.

I really like Amy Adams as Ophelia.

Thanks! I think she could do something really interesting with it.

Fabulous! I'd totally watch this. Though I don't know Enver Gjokaj at all ...

Nice!

Thanks! Enver Gjokaj was a really great part of Dollhouse. Very versatile and sympathetic.

Shakespeare Dream Cast: Hamlet

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