When you're reading a book do you think about who you would cast in a movie adaptation? (novels, best)

[pathrunner]

I just finished reading Rogue Lawyer, by John Grisham, which many people on GoodReads dissed. Whatever, I enjoyed it. It clearly read like it was intended to be a film or series adaption but anyway...

While I reading I immediately thought of Keanu Reeves for the protagonist Sebastian Rudd, though I scrapped that idea and switched to Jonathan Banks (Mike Ermantraut of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul). For the role of Partner, I thought of the black guy sidekick (the character in the book is black compared to the while protagonist) from Better Call Saul, though I'm sure there are other actors who could play the tough, smart, multi-purpose character of Partner. I think Keanu Reeves would do a great job but he probably wouldn't take the role. I did think of him because of John Wick being so badass.

I think Jonathan Banks would be brilliant in the role, it's like Grisham was thinking of him when he wrote the part, except Jonathan Banks is probably a lot older than Sebastian Rudd ( the protagonist). Still, I think it could work. I've thought of other actors for the other roles, thinking of Jean Smart, Sarah Paulson, and other seasoned mature actresses. If Keanu took the part then the schoolteacher would be somebody younger and up and coming (it's a small role). Julia Garner would be great in the role of the protagonist's ex-wife and baby mama.

Anyway, it's fun to think about.

If you've done the same thing, what is the book title and who are the actors you would choose?

[Parnassia]

Rarely. If I do its usually based on something superficial so pretty fleeting. I find it too easy to remind myself that what I probably like about a particular actor isn't who they are in real life. If they were hired to portray my book character I might not like the result. After all, the result would be their interpretation of the person, not mine. I realize many people lose track of the difference between character portrayal and reality. I choose not to destroy the illusion of the book and leave such up to my own imagination, not someone else's. I have a pretty vivid one to begin with!

[pathrunner]

Interesting take. I don't usually do this, so I was a bit surprised when I started picturing certain actors in the main roles.

[irootoo]

Not necessarily to cast a movie, but I often try to find an actor who would embody each of the main characters. I'm happy when I succeed at this, because it really helps me to get a mental image of what is taking place within the book. I have sometimes wished that there was a website where other readers would list what actors they envisioned in each book.

[Suzy_D1]

When I read books, I often imagine what actors would best convey the voices of characters in the book. I do the same when I'm writing books.

[pathrunner]

Originally Posted by irootoo

Not necessarily to cast a movie, but I often try to find an actor who would embody each of the main characters. I'm happy when I succeed at this, because it really helps me to get a mental image of what is taking place within the book. I have sometimes wished that there was a website where other readers would list what actors they envisioned in each book.

Yes, that's what I'm talking about

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by pathrunner

If you've done the same thing, what is the book title and who are the actors you would choose?

I sometimes do, but my problem is that the iconic actors who "stick in my brain" are usually no longer with us or are too old to play the parts. I know I am getting old when I find myself (rightly) thinking that today's actors just don't have the same gravitas as the actors I watched in the '70s and '80s. Is there a modern day equivalent to Steve McQueen? Roy Scheider? Pam Grier? Robert Shaw? Clint Eastwood? Jodie Foster? Sissy Spacek? Yul Brynner? Lee Marvin? Even Charles Bronson, whom no one ever accused of being a great actor, had a gravitas I don't see onscreen anymore.

For example ...

I think Ed Harris would make a great Cork O'Connor (from William Kent Krueger's books). The problem is that Cork is in his early forties in the first book (IRON LAKE), and Harris is 73.

I am a big fan of Stephen Mack Jones's books and his hero August Snow. In the first book, August in his early thirties and is described as looking like a young Dwayne Johnson, who is 50 years old --- so too old for the part.

[pathrunner]

I agree. Though I think younger people would disagree because of... their generation of "icons." Even my 36 yr old son concedes that "our music was and is far better than most of the tripe today. Same with movies. There is the occasional good movie with good actors. Iconic though?

I neglected to mention that Grisham clearly based his first defendant in Rogue Lawyer on the West Memphis 3 case, which took place only 50 miles from where Grisham first practiced law (Southaven, MS). I think I remember from reading Nichols's book that he and Grisham had been in contact at some point, which... it wouldn't surprise me at all. It would actually surprise me if they hadn't been in contact.

[Charlie&Rose]

I always picture Candice Bergen as Lindsay Boxer the main character in James Patterson Womens Murder Club.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

I occasionally picture actors as lead characters, but that's mainly if I'm reading a series of books. For John Sandford's Virgil Flowers books Owen Wilson has been Virgil to me ever since the first book where he was the lead. It was fun to find out that he was also Sandford's choice, but that's probably too late now, since Wilson isn't as young as he used to be, amazingly...I tried to come up with someone who'd fit Flowers' boss, Luke Davenport (The Prey series), but so far no luck, except maybe Gregory Peck. Possibly Gabriel Byrne. (I have beaten the C-D drums about the perfect Jack Reacher being Ray Stevenson, but that's not going to happen now.) And regardless of who they have cast in the TV series Joe Pickett, I will always see him as Billy Campbell (with a better hat ). But otherwise I can read classics and contemporary novels without necessarily imagining specific actors. I just imagine a general type of person.

The novel I have read the most times in my life is probably The Count of Monte Cristo, and I still don't have a perfect Edmond Dantes in my head. But occasionally a favorite novel of mine has been made into a movie, with a perfect cast, as if picked right out of my head. Very gratifying! The first time I experienced that was after reading Gone With the Wind when I was 12. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the movie in a revival theater shortly afterwards--there they all were (or almost all of them), exactly as I'd imagined! I was stunned. I think movie audiences in 1939 felt just the same way. Same thing after reading For Whom the Bell Tolls, when that same revival theater showed the movie. Much later I found out that Hemingway had in fact written the character of Robert Jordan for Gary Cooper.