Best Person for the Role

I've been keeping a mental list:

James Bond: Daniel Craig
Hulk: Eric Bana
Iron Man: Robert Downey Jr.
Superman: Henry Cavill
Batman: Christian Bale

I feel like these actors captured these roles the best. I feel like if anyone else plays these characters it will make it feel out of place. Edward Norton and Mark Ruffalo playing Hulk, for example, just doesn't cut it.

Do anyone else have such a list or feel that a particular actor for a particular major role just can't be filled by anyone else?

And here I thought we were actually going to debate casting instead of who was actually cast.

Ah well.

Batman will always be Kevin Conroy.
The Joker will always be Mark Hamill.

You will never say otherwise.

Originally Posted by Gaidin

And here I thought we were actually going to debate casting instead of who was actually cast.

Ah well.

Batman will always be Kevin Conroy.
The Joker will always be Mark Hamill.

You will never say otherwise.

I agree. However, the new Joker that has taken over from Hamill in Batman Arkham Origins does a pretty awesome job of doing Hamill's version... which I like a lot. It's much better than hearing some other person's take on how Joker would sound. Starts at like 2:15

The Joker will always be Mark Hamill.

I go back and forth on that one even though Heath Ledger played a very different Joker, the two newest Jokers are pretty cool though also: Troy Baker is almost exactly the same as Mark Hamill, so that's awesome, we get Star Wars and keep our old Joker huzzah. And The Joker from Under the Red Hood: John DiMaggio, quite a startingly alternative version of the Joker.

While on a comic Book translation rant: Dr. Manhattan by Billy Crudup, such an understated portrayal of such a powerful character, instinctively most people think Dr. Manhattan should have a really powerful baritone voice further illustrating his power, but really when you think about the character especially considering the line "We're all puppets Laurie, I'm just the puppet who can see the strings." It's like damn, this character is complex in it's own self-awareness, it takes a really good actor to realize that and takes balls to portray such a larger than life character with such a reserved-unassuming voice.

Hugo Weaving as V in V for Vendetta, simply because it aint easy to portray emotion and character development while wearing a mask the entire time while remaining coherent and/or audible (I'm looking at you Tom Hardy).

Charles Dance as Lord Tywin for obvious reasons, perfectly forceful stage actor for such a forceful personality on the political stage of Westeros.

Micheal Fassbender as Bobby Sands in Hunger: everyone should watch this movie.

I could literally spend all day reminiscing on great casting choices in my favourite movies, but I got to do guys.

The Joker was first going to be voiced by Tim Curry, but his voice was deemed too scary for children.

Got to agree about Dr Manhattan. His portrayal was amazing.
Jackie Earle Haley might steal the show as Rorshach though.. just look at this guy in interviews and such.. its hard to imagine this kind of artistic, humble friendly man that seems utterly harmless could portray such a character.

As for James Bond: Sean Connery remains the only one to me. He is convincing as a ruthless secret agent, but also as a charmer as well as making the occasional joke.
Daniel Craig is convincing as a secret agent, but I just dont see him as james bond. He lacks the charm.

Good thread.


Sean Connery as James Bond
Ian McKellen as Magneto and Gandalf
Vigo Mortensen as Aragaron

Christopher Lee as Saruman, or any mad power hungry villain
Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark a.k.a Robert Downey Jr who is a billionaire...
Emilia Clarke as Danerys

Arnold Schwarzeneggeras Conan
Sylvester Stallone as Rokie/Rambo
Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man

Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy
GWyneth Paltrow as Pepper Pots
Tom Hiddleston as Loki

Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith
Ron Perlman as Deathstroke and Hellboy
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Furry or an black badass mother a

Kirsten Stewart as Bella, nobody can portray that perfect blandness.
Shia Le Bouff as the dude from the Transformers
Karl Urban as Judge Dredd

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Furry or an black badass mother a

He will always be Mace Windu.

Arnold Schwarzenegger as Conan and the Terminator. Or any other of his action hero roles since he simply seems so perfect for this with his physique, strong jaw and comical one liners. We seriously need new action heroes like that.

Julius Marx as Groucho Marx, Arthur Marx as Harpo Marx, Leonard Marx as Chico Marx and Herbert Marx as Zeppo Marx.
I've never seen anyone around that could play their part. Saw some alright attempts, but no one truly succeeded at capturing their stage performances. In later movies various actors tried to fill the role that would have been for Zeppo, but they always failed. Takes a marx brother to portray a marx brother, there are various occasions where one can be seen portraying one of their brothers and being quite good at it.

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine

Originally Posted by Påsan

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine

haha, yeah, I don't think I can imagine him as anyone else anymore.

Christina Ricci as Wednesday - not my favorite movies overall but its hard to imagine a better child actress for the role. Hell Lucus should have made Darth Vader a sex change to have her rather whoever the hell he cast in prequels - she I would believe was somebody on the dark-side.

Harrison Ford as Indian Jones in the original I doubt really anyone can think of a different better plug in.

Fred McMurry in his two two best performances as a slimy weasel in Double indemnity and the Cain Mutiny. He is mostly know now for his Disney films and My 3 Sons but man could he play an ass hat well.

Hugh Jackman is two-sided though, he pretty much IS film Wolverine.

But he's not a very good comic Wolverine.

Originally Posted by Manco

Hugh Jackman is two-sided though, he pretty much IS film Wolverine.

But he's not a very good comic Wolverine.

Just as Robert. D.Jr. IS Tony Stark, just not billionaire.

Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Christopher Lee as Saruman (Lord of the Rings)
Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Alan Rickman as Severus Snape (Harry Potter)
Cate Blanchett as Elisabeth
Viggo Mortensen as Nikolai (Eastern Promises)
Alexander Skarsgård as Iceman (Generation Kill)
Martin Freeman as Bilbo
james Gandolfini as Tony Soprano

Ewan McGregor as Obi Wan?

Alec Guiness as Obi-Wan. Though his best role might be in the bridge over the river kwai.

Leslie Nielsen in Airplane and Naked gun movies. Nobody can be so comical in his deadpan delivery. He's the comic and the straight man in one.

Nathan Fillion as Captain Hammer. So perfect at being the cheesy arrogant superhero.

Neill Patrick Harris as Dr Horrible and Barney. His two best roles I'd say, I dont think anyone else could have pulled it off the way he did.

Jack Nicholson as the Devil in 'Witches of Eastwick'.
Bruce Willis as John McClane.
David Duchovny in 'Californication'.
David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in 'X Files'.
The whole cast of the original 'Beverley Hillbillies'.

thread named "best person for the role"

everyone proceeds to name roles that have only had one person play them. smh

Originally Posted by RedGuard

thread named "best person for the role"

everyone proceeds to name roles that have only had one person play them. smh

In in essence I think the intent is to point people who really were the best for the role in question/named.

^ Could be they 'own' the role, although plenty of people have played and interpreted the Devil. The Beverley Hillbillies has been redone, and can you imagine someone like Owen Wilson playing Hank Moody?

Perhaps you should put us all on-topic by offering your selection.