Stormlight Archive Casting

[Toaster Retribution]

So, we have casting threads up and running for basically every Cosmere-work, but Stormlight. I know that there are some old casting thread for SA lying around somewhere, but I´m no Bloodsealer, so I won´t bring that one back from the dead. Instead, lets make a new one!

Stormlight is known for being storming hard to cast. The Alethi (and the Rosharans in general) doesn´t really look like anything on earth (a mix between polynesians and asians I think, or am I wrong?). But I think we are up for the challenge. Tor did a dream cast last year, and they made some good choices. We can pick from that, but we can also come up with new ones. 

Happy casting folks!

[Velvet Thunder]

Now I know it's not perfect in terms of race/culture/etc. but I genuinely think Liam Neeson for Dalinar.

The way he portrayed Qui-Gon Jinn in Starwars, mixed with short/smart hair now speckled with grey, add in a neatly trimmed beard with a bit of increased physical conditioning to make him look menacing. Everything from his general composure to his voice and rhythm.

To me that smacks of Dalinar, but I guess we all imagine all the characters in our own way, which is indeed the beauty of it!

 

edit: Oh and me of course.. for whoever. Just let me be a part of this. Please. Pretty please. With a cherry on top. Ok, I'll stop now. Please, Ok thanks bye.

Edited September 6, 2017 by Velvet Thunder

[Nathrangking]

Jet Li for Kaladin.

James Earl Jones as the voice of Honor/the storm father

[Toaster Retribution]

20 minutes ago, Nathrangking said:

Jet Li for Kaladin.

He is far too old, I think.

Some suggestions from me:

-Aidan Gillen as Pattern (voice).

-Idris Elba as Nale

-Auli'i Cravalho as Lift

I'll add more later.

[Nathrangking]

On 9/6/2017 at 1:26 PM, Toaster Retribution said:

He is far too old, I think.

Some suggestions from me:

-Aidan Gillen as Pattern (voice).

-Idris Elba as Nale

-Auli'i Cravalho as Lift

I'll add more later.

Idris Elba as Nale would be awesome!!

CGI could handle the issue of age if not for that he could handle it with ease.

For some reason when I read pattern I hear gilbert gottfried.

Viola Davis as Navani anyone?

Edited May 17, 2019 by Nathrangking

[Fifth of Daybreak]

I only have one name to add: Patrick Warburton as the man who refers to himself as Taln. Yes, it's very strange, but I feel like he fits the physicality of a (possible) herald, and his voice is dramatic enough to really bring tension to the scene, if he plays it right.

[Snipexe]

This is going to sound weird, but Donnie Yen as either Dalinar, or Amaram.

[Mason Wheeler]

It's a shame that Majel Barrett died, because every time I see Navani coming on to Dalinar I think of Lwaxanna Troi.  She would have been perfect for the role.

[Nathrangking]

On 9/6/2017 at 2:08 PM, snipexe said:

This is going to sound weird, but Donnie Yen as either Dalinar, or Amaram.

The build in not right for the role of Dalinar. Nor does he have the height for Amaram though some CGI could probably fix that. Wesley snipes as Sadeas?

Edited September 8, 2017 by Nathrangking

[Toaster Retribution]

Couldn't Donnie Yen do Aladar quite well?

[maxal]

I hated the Tor.com casting, so biased and illogical.

[Toaster Retribution]

2 minutes ago, maxal said:

I hated the Tor.com casting, so biased and illogical.

What made it biased and illogical? I remember that you felt Adolin should be caucasian, and didn´t see why he couldn´t be, when they cast people without ephiantic folds as Jasnah and Sadeas. Was it anything else?

[Jace21]

I am sure we've had one of these threads before...

Anyway, Dafne Keen as lift.

[maxal]

1 hour ago, Toaster Retribution said:

What made it biased and illogical? I remember that you felt Adolin should be caucasian, and didn´t see why he couldn´t be, when they cast people without ephiantic folds as Jasnah and Sadeas. Was it anything else?

Nah Adolin does not have to be caucasian, but he has to be blond just as Shallan has to be red haired. I found the casting biased because it says how they made it with the assumption all Alethi were Asian looking and it was one compromise they weren't willing to make. Fine. It is their prerogative. But then they cast Sadeas and Jasnah with other actors just because it suited their fancies better whereas the one Alethi character (half Alethi in fact) being described as not really looking Asian, as per her Earth vision, was cast with a too old dark haired Asian guy.

Mind, if they ever make the movie, I guess I will have to live with dyed haired Adolin because NO WAY are they casting a real blond head for him. They will cast an Asian actor and they dye the hair. Anyway, until it is done, I can keep on picturing Adolin as having real blond hair, not dyed ones 

This being said, I really like Idris Elba as Sigzil and Donnie Yen seems a good choice. I don't know if he is right for Dalinar, but I could see him play someone like Aladar or Sebrarial.

[Nathrangking]

Nonso Anozie has the correct build and the voice is solid for it so I would totally nominate him for Dalinar.

[Erunion]

As ever, it's very hard to cast Stormlight. Alethi are described with Caucasian/Asian blend features, African/Northern European height, and Polynesian (or possibly North Indian?) skin.

Casting actors to match will be hard. Or they could use an amazing makeup team as in Cloud Atlas, and cast for features/voice then customize them to the ethnicity through amazing makeup work. 

They'll need to do some of that whoever they cast or they will not be true to the books; but it's possible that they'll simply assign a rosharin ethnicity a modern equivalent for simplicities sake. 

 

So really the question is this; do we cast roles to individuals assuming amazing makeup work, or do we cast to ethnicity? 

[Toaster Retribution]

1 hour ago, Erunion said:

So really the question is this; do we cast roles to individuals assuming amazing makeup work, or do we cast to ethnicity? 

When I fancast I generally try to get people with darker skin for most characters. I don't always get the eyes right though, because I don't know enough asian actors. 

That said, you are free to cast whoever you want :-) Assume make-up or cast ethnicity are both okay.

[Worldhopper]

On 9/6/2017 at 4:40 PM, Velvet Thunder said:

Now I know it's not perfect in terms of race/culture/etc. but I genuinely think Liam Neeson for Dalinar.

The way he portrayed Qui-Gon Jinn in Starwars, mixed with short/smart hair now speckled with grey, add in a neatly trimmed beard with a bit of increased physical conditioning to make him look menacing. Everything from his general composure to his voice and rhythm.

To me that smacks of Dalinar, but I guess we all imagine all the characters in our own way, which is indeed the beauty of it!

 

edit: Oh and me of course.. for whoever. Just let me be a part of this. Please. Pretty please. With a cherry on top. Ok, I'll stop now. Please, Ok thanks bye.

Actually thought of him for the Nohadon scenes. I can hear his voice. Always think of Tom Selleck when it comes to Dalinar. 

[Worldhopper]

On 9/6/2017 at 6:26 PM, Toaster Retribution said:

 

-Idris Elba as Nale

 

Idris Elba for Nalan all day long. You'd need someone really good to play Lift though as those scenes would be really cool.

[Worldhopper]

Also Alan Tudyk would make a great Lopen.

[Toaster Retribution]

2 hours ago, Worldhopper said:

Also Alan Tudyk would make a great Lopen.

I always thought that he would be good as the voice of Wyndle. I'd cast Michael Pena as Lopen personally.

[Worldhopper]

1 minute ago, Toaster Retribution said:

I always thought that he would be good as the voice of Wyndle. I'd cast Michael Pena as Lopen personally.

Yeah Michael Pena would actually be a good choice. It's more about Alan Tudyk's delivery that does it for me. I could see him making one-armed Herdazian jokes all day long on set. But Wyndle would also work.

[maxal]

On 9/7/2017 at 11:44 PM, Erunion said:

So really the question is this; do we cast roles to individuals assuming amazing makeup work, or do we cast to ethnicity? 

I am a big fervent of casting actors based on talent and on ability to bring a given character to life while respecting enough of their key physical attributes to be plausible regardless of ethnicity. I however agree the entire cast should be made to look ethnic, but I am usually against heavy make-up to compensate. I never looks natural.

On 9/8/2017 at 5:07 AM, Worldhopper said:

Idris Elba for Nalan all day long. You'd need someone really good to play Lift though as those scenes would be really cool.

I love this. Idris Elba is such a great actor and Nale is a complex role. Good pic.

On 9/8/2017 at 6:09 AM, Worldhopper said:

Also Alan Tudyk would make a great Lopen.

I thought Lopen was supposed to be Hispanic... He isn't a big role, his age is unknown, it should be easy enough to find a decent actor from another ethnicity ascendance. 

[Toaster Retribution]

Here are some more of my suggestions:

Mraize - Rodrigo Santoro

Rysn - Rosabel Laurenti-Sellers 

Axies - Paul Bettany

Eshonai - Gwendoline Christie

Edited September 9, 2017 by Toaster Retribution

[maxal]

3 minutes ago, Toaster Retribution said:

Here are some more of my suggestions:

Mraize - Rodrigo Santoro

Rysn - Rosabel Laurenti-Sellers 

Axies - Paul Bettany

Eshonai - Gwendoline Christie

I like your pics, but I would argue Eshonai is too reminiscent of Brienne to cast her with Gwendoline... This being said, I so love Gwendoline. I hated Brienne's character within the book, I found her so boring, but with Gwendoline's portrayal, she became a favorite of mine. Since I currently feel the same about book Eshonai, then maybe this is a good pic.