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It occured to me that there is one person who would be absolutely perfect to play Mazer Rackham:
Nathaniel Lees
Most of you know him from the Matrix sequels (ugh), but he has pretty extensive experience. He can perfectly balance the military discipline with the compassion, and he even looks the part. I think OSC may be in love with Will Smith, but for this part I think, you can't possibly beat Nathaniel Lees. What do you guys think?
Posts: 61 | Registered: Jan 2005
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You beat me to it AntiCool, I was thinking the same person, Edward James Olmos. He looks like, and sounds like a war veteran
Posts: 1918 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Nathaniel Lees would be great as Mazer Rackham, he looks the part perfectly and could play it very well. + He played Ugluk (the lead Uruk-Hai) in LOTR.
Posts: 163 | Registered: Nov 2004
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I think it should be someone more frail-- i mean, this is the future, more war done through computers and stuff i'm guessing, doesn't take a big buff guy to pilot a ship...
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Tommy Lee Jones looks like he would be a good Mazer, but he doesn't sound like I imagine Mazer sounding.
Posts: 327 | Registered: Oct 2003
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And they both look too freaking Anglo to play the part of a half-Maori soldier ... though at least in theater, Card has never been an absolute purist when it comes to race and casting.
Posts: 1907 | Registered: Feb 2000
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Sean Connery as Mazer freakin' Rackham? Sean Connery couldn't even play Sean Connery convincingly!
Posts: 1814 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Sean Connery or Ian Mckillin (Gandalf?), its the violent way Sean COnnery sounds like at times and he already proved to be a good actor when it comes to being a kids mentor. Look at "Finding Forrester" great movie. Involves literature.
Posts: 1567 | Registered: Oct 2004
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I was trying to figure out someone who could play both sides of the Rackham character equally well: the battered sensitive recluse who is weighed down by lying to Ender and facing the deaths of the men he knew...and at the same time, the battle-hardened veteran who still has the guts to beat the living s**t out of Ender just to prove a point. The only person on this list who could do it is Lees. Connery could do the mentor stuff, but as a veteran he would be less than convincing. Lees has got all the elements.
Hey...here's a thought: How much older is Valentine than Ender? And is Valentine even going to be in the movie? Any chance that Dakota Fanning could wind up playing her? She played a genius of sorts in the Cat in the Hat (amazing as she was, she couldn't save that movie) and is a briliant enough actress to hold her own opposite Denzel Washington in Man On Fire. If she's the right age by the time they start shooting, she would make an incredible Valentine.
Posts: 61 | Registered: Jan 2005
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I still say Connery because of his mentor abilities... (Seen in "Finding Forrester"... it is a great movie...) and he has showed militairy hardened skills. I still remember "Hunt for Red October." I thought he did a great job showing a militairy look.
Though... Nathaniel Lees would be awesome.
Oh, and with Dakota Fanning, OSC himself has said he'd like for her to play Petra. ^_^
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Dakota Fanning as...Petra? I have to admit, I'm not seeing it...
She's supposed to be Armenian, right?
Also, Petra's the girl who "tested so agressive they thought she was a boy." Can she pull that off?
On the other hand, she is SO good, that she just might be able to. As long as they get her in the movie, I'll be happy.
BTW- about OSC's comment, that might have been from back in the day, when they though they would be shooting this movie a LOT sooner. Like, when Jake Loyd was still under consideration for Ender. Now she might be too old for the part (hence...Valentine).
Posts: 61 | Registered: Jan 2005
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By the time it gets made, I'll be old enough to play Mazor.
All joking aside, I think Dakota Fanning has enough ability to pull off the sass. If you've seen Man on Fire, she certainly has some intensity behind her. Of course, they will never, never, never look like how we imagined them.
Posts: 12 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Graff: Hugo Weaving - Come on, after the Matrix do you really think he can't play Graff?
Mazer: Who the heck played Deep Throat on X Files? THAT guy would be perfect!
Maj. Anderson: Since they mentioned making Anderson a woman, Angelina Jolie would be good. Doesn't hurt that she's hot, too.
Edward James Olmos would be great as Mazer, but there's Battlestar Galactica to worry about - typecasting and conflicts and all.
Dakota Fanning would be good as Petra, but the problem is, she'll be well into high school by the time it's made.
Posts: 49 | Registered: Sep 2000
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I believe Rackham should be played by the man who played the grandfather in the movie Whale Rider. I believe he is actually Maori, he has gravitas to spare, and would absolutely believable as man who would leave his family behind to save the world. Also as a man who would physically attack small boys for the their own good and the good of the world.
I second the motion that Angelina Jolie NOT be allowed to participate in any way shape or form in the film. Li Gong, from Raise the Red Lantern, To Live (also titled Happy Times, I think), Ju Douetc. etc. would be much better as Major Anderson.
I think the Wiggin parents should be played by Jane Kaczmarek and Bryan Kranston from Malcolm in the Middle. Both brilliant character actors and a very convincing team.
Too bad Amir Farrokh Hashemian from Children of Heaven is probably too old now to play one of the children. He's an incredible young actor.
Essentially what I'm getting at is this movie MUST have an international cast.
Oh, and Gérard Depardieu should play Graff. A Pure Formality is the best film to watch to see why.
Posts: 32 | Registered: Mar 2005
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I totally agree about the grandfather from Whale Rider for Rackham...that would be amazing. I can just see him sweeping Ender's legs out from under him.
I can't see Gerard Depardieu as Graff. He's got the right physical features, but that French accent is a no way for me.
Overall, though, I agree...it needs a very international cast. That is a big part of the ambiance of Battle School for me...that they are from all over the world.
Posts: 5948 | Registered: Jun 2001
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Graff should be played by Patrick Stewart, its all because of the quiet moments! Whenever you had Graff contemplating a decision I think of Cpt. Picard contemplating similar desicision.
Anderson for the hell of it should be played by Johnathon Frakes.
Posts: 1567 | Registered: Oct 2004
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You know... I could see Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Franks together in a new role.
... *is still for Connery* Come on, just picture him in his accent at the foot of a bed saying, "Self -cannibalism will not get you out here, Ender. Though, nice try."
Posts: 1831 | Registered: Jan 2003
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as for nationality... so a little make up here and there, not a big deal. Maybe not even that much make up since light settings (reflector screens can cast a desired hue to help skin colour if needed. Standard stuff.
Tom Selleck... maybe.. I'd go for him but my vision seems to see Mazar as a bit more bulkier, add padding if he doesn't have it naturally? other wise make up again can fix the rest also.
Graff... hmm.. Gerard Depardieu is good but his accent... if he can change it, perfect, if not I'd say go for either Patrick Stewart, but more so for Patrick Swazey. (especially since he's still in shape and costume can add the extra pounds when he's stressing the right way.) (Pat Sway was good in Donni Darko - the creepy molestor guy, and also in Dirty Dancing two Havana Nights.)
I know John Leguizamo would be perfect for one of the characters, but I can't think of who exactly... he's already got the skill of putting on the weight (See: Spawn Movie, the - played the short extremely fat clown) and has a decent banter/joke timing. Just as long as the words coming out of his mouth is the script he's an ideal candicate for a role.. but, blah i can think of who atm.
The Kid who plays Draco Malfoy from HP should play Achilles, keep the evil, sick & twisted roles just for that kid, he's already got a major following with the girls who go for that major bad boy charm. But um... he'd have to be equal in age to Petra's older Fairuza Balk (I think it might time right when Achilles is supposed to be older... so maybe blah some kid that looks like a younger him) But then again he might still be tied to HP until the books stop making movies cause their caught up)
The movie's apparently only going to take place over a single year, which arouses some questions . . . but, whatever.
Posts: 93 | Registered: Nov 2004
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As for the international aspect, I agree that the children need to be international, but remember the fleet was controlled by the americans
Posts: 15 | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Sid Meier: Graff should be played by Patrick Stewart, its all because of the quiet moments! Whenever you had Graff contemplating a decision I think of Cpt. Picard contemplating similar desicision.
Anderson for the hell of it should be played by Johnathon Frakes.
I've said before, I think Graff's temprament would best be done by Frakes. Patrick Stewart is big in sci-fi, but he is far too cerebral for Graff. Graff is really smart, but he is also a hip-shooter, not a button down type, he doesn't respond that well to authority.
Stewart wouldn't have much of a place in this movie IMO.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Ugh! Everyone in this movie should be no name actors! To quote "The Player," "No stars,just talent!" OK, I acknowledge a name, two at the most, are requisite for corporate Hollywood, al la Alec Guiness back in the day (for those of you born B.S.W., or circa 1977, that's an Star Wars reference, before we had to get in symantical arguments about movie order and stick Roman numerals after them). Speaking of Star Wars, Temuera Morrison, the actor who played Jango Fett and Commander Cody, should play Mazer, if aged appropiately.
Petra? How about Keisha Castle-Hughes, the girl from Whale Rider AND, you guessed it, Star Wars: EIII (Queen of Naboo). Although, she may be too old when all is said and done.
Ender, in no way, shape, or form, should be a face we all recognize. Remember when no one knew who Daniel Radcliffe was, or any of the Harry Potter brood was for that matter?
The realist in me, however, knows that in the end, just like the end of "The Player," Sean Connery will push Haley Joel Osment to the brink of insanity as he blows up the bugger homeworld with the help of Jake Lloyd, Dakota Fanning, and Emmanuel Lewis.
My two cents.
Posts: 72 | Registered: Jan 2004
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I agree that the actors should be un-known. Or at least little known. There is no Ender who is a famous actor, period. This is a big book with tons of fans. Casting has to be... right. I can't picture a mazer a graff or an ender. Bean will be impossible. If sean connery is mazer i will love it because he is sean connery and i will hate it because he is sean connery. I wanna see an old vet, a fat vet and a skinny little kid. The real problem wil be making it compare to the book, because nothing can compare to the book.
Posts: 2 | Registered: May 2006
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I think EG should have at least one popular actor--an all-unknown cast is risky. I don't think it should be a child star, though; probably one of the adults like Graff.
Posts: 973 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Speaking of Whale Rider, what about Rawiri Paratene, who played Koro? He had some really great moments when he was training the boys:
"Good. Be angry. Anger's part of your battle. You gotta learn to control it."
"When you extend your tongue...you're saying to your enemies...I'm gonna eat you. Your eyes will roll back. Your head will be stuck on the end of my stick. Feel the ihi...the power. Make them feel the wehi, the fear. I want the hairs on the backs of their necks to stand up...When you slap your chests...I want you to slap them hard. Scratch them. Make them bleed."
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I think Phillip Seymore Hoffman would make a fantastic Graff. He has the proportions and general face I'd always imagined Graff having. But then, I'm starting to think he'd make a fantastic anything so take it for what it's worth.
Posts: 2907 | Registered: Nov 2005
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I'd enjoy an Olmos Graff, but I love him too much in Galactica to hope he'd jump onto this project. 'sides, think OSC said in a prev. forum he wasn't going for the Galactica show.
They have to do someone who's maori or who could somehow convince the audience they were raised in that environment w/out difficulty. maybe with globalization would come enough diffusion you'd have someone as pale as a Swede growing up as a Maori, but I don't think that's likely for at least a few more generations. so, come on, there's plenty of good Maori actors, the casters will find the right fella for Mazer. And really, any serious Polynesian actor might do this role justice you don't even necessarily have to pick them right off of N. Zealand - they're part of a people who charted the Pacific for 3000+ years!
And Patrick Stewart's recently said he's hung up the Star Trek tights, and the current X-Men movie's the last. I think he's itching for a break from Sci-Fi, and after all the good work he's done I wouldn' begrudge him that. They'll find a Graff. Maybe Brian Cox? I always imagined him as a Graff, even when I went through the audiobook.
Posts: 18 | Registered: Jan 2006
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quote: Patrick Stewart is big in sci-fi, but he is far too cerebral for Graff. Graff is really smart, but he is also a hip-shooter, not a button down type, he doesn't respond that well to authority.
*thinks of Gurney Halleck in the 1984 version of Dune*
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Peter_The_Great: As for the international aspect, I agree that the children need to be international, but remember the fleet was controlled by the americans
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I think that the kid from the Ring movies could be a really good ender or bean. When I first saw him, I thought that he was a really great actor and I think that he could be really good in Enders Game.
Posts: 10 | Registered: Apr 2006
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