Kirk Casting...

[indranee]

a hotty doesn't HAVE to be "cut". plenty of women still think that Nimoy in the 60's was hotttt. he wasn't cut.

I think what we need is a fairly hot, fairly well-built Kirk. but if he doesn't have the FACE, in that if he doesn't have that smirk, that thing in the eyes, that magnetic look, that je ne sais quoi... he won't be Kirk. and the whole movie will be a failure. A F-A-I-L-U-R-E.

it all depends on THIS piece of casting. it all depends on Kirk. we know it, they know it. hence why they're waiting so long.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

SeamusShameless said:
And that's the problem with Hollywood, they hype the trends. There's not much sense of realism in Hollywood anymore, which is why pretty much everything coming out lately has been shit.

There was no sense of realism in Hollywood when TOS was made, and TOS reflects no more or less realism than much more recent efforts.

The goal of the next Trek movie is to entertain as many people as possible and therefore make as much money as possible. Save the "shoulds" for talk about solving hunger and creating world peace.

 

[MikeGainer]

What about this guy?

 

[RookieBatman]

Looks decent, but as always, the question is, can he act? The look, and the smirk, are important in their own way, but if the guy who plays Kirk can't demonstrate those qualities that make Kirk that man that he is (or, depending on the timeline, the potential to become that man), then it's all wasted.

 

[SeamusShameless]

How about Seth Rogan? He's 24, so he fits the age range. And he's a chunky Canadian Jew. Perfect!!

 

[Plum]

... Kirk needs to be played by an actor who can play "big". Rather like Shatner could... a Shakespearian actor who can look up to a green-screen and make you believe ...

 

[Stardate]

SeamusShameless said:
How about Seth Rogan? He's 24, so he fits the age range. And he's a chunky Canadian Jew. Perfect!!

That is funny or for a love of GOD i hope it was a joke because he look like Beauty and the Geek contestant reject p.s. no insult intended

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

The guy in the MACO uniform looks great. I know nothing else about him.

 

[Plum]

^^^
Agreed, he looks the part in that pic.

 

[RookieBatman]

That guy in the pic, it seems, is Nathan Anderson. He is, however, 38 (according to IMDB, though he doesn't really look that old), which definitely seems too old for young Kirk. If they were gonna go that old, they probably would've stuck with Damon.

 

[Cary L. Brown]

MikeGainer said:
What about this guy?

Who IS that guy?

In the picture... he has the "look." I'd have to see more, though...

EDIT: Damn, I oughta've waited a few more posts, huh?

 

[Matango]

That's the closest match I've seen to date !

 

[Barbados Slim]

Some MACO extra from Enterprise?? I'm glad you guys don't work in casting.

They're going to want to cast someone who's unknown but has a buzz and a name that can be put on a marquee. I don't think they're going the Brandon Routh angle for Kirk. But Quinto and Anton Yelchin (sp?) have buzzworthy projects behind them. It's be a disappointment if the biggest role went to MACO #4. Remember this film is first and foremost for non-trekkies so they're not looking to cast a Shatner look-a-like.

 

[Vektor]

Personally, I think the guy looks more like Pike, and he is probably a few years too old for the age they’re looking for, but if he could absolutely NAIL the character of James Tiberius Kirk then I don’t give a damn what kind of buzz he has or what his name sounds like. Let him make his own buzz.

 

[Cary L. Brown]

lancemach said:Some MACO extra from Enterprise?? I'm glad you guys don't work in casting.

They're going to want to cast someone who's unknown but has a buzz and a name that can be put on a marquee. I don't think they're going the Brandon Routh angle for Kirk. But Quinto and Anton Yelchin (sp?) have buzzworthy projects behind them. It's be a disappointment if the biggest role went to MACO #4. Remember this film is first and foremost for non-trekkies so they're not looking to cast a Shatner look-a-like.

Do you work in casting? No?

And why, oh WHY, do you (like so many other "Trekkies") assume that there is an inherent contradiction between "making a movie that the fans will appreciate" and "making a movie that non-fans can appreciate?" It's like you think this is some secret club...

Do yourself a little experiment... get a picture of Shatner in-character, from the original series. Walk down the street and ask a random sampling of people if they recognize the character. See how many say "who the #@$* is that?" See how many say "that's that Star Wars dude." And see how many say "that's Captain Kirk." (for that matter, see how many say "that's that guy who rides horses," I guess...)

I'd lay odds that most people will not only recognize the picture as being from Trek but will know the name of the character they're seeing. If I had to guess, I'd say that upwards of 80% of your "random sampling" would know. Of course, if you go to Mogadishu in order to do this, it might be a little lower... but on any normal American street in any normal American town, yeah... and through MOST of the rest of the world, too.

Having the guy who plays the role look like Shatner in his prime isn't going to make for a good movie... but having an actor who doesn't look remotely like Shatner did will spoil the movie for most viewers. They know who Kirk is, and they know what Kirk looks like. If the new guy looks more like Conan O'Brien than Bill Shatner, the audience won't buy into the film at all.

 

[Matango]

lancemach said:
Some MACO extra from Enterprise?? I'm glad you guys don't work in casting.

And you do ?

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Seth Rogan as Kirk would make me place a bounty on JJ Abrams' head.

But if we need a Cyrano Jones, hey why not give him a screen test?

 

[Bad Atom]

You know, this whole "search for Kirk" thing now has me looking at strangers in crowds for a potential Kirk. I don't know why, maybe I'm weird. Has anyone else done this?

 

[Jon1701]

Cary L. Brown said:
I'd lay odds that most people will not only recognize the picture as being from Trek but will know the name of the character they're seeing. If I had to guess, I'd say that upwards of 80% of your "random sampling" would know. Of course, if you go to Mogadishu in order to do this, it might be a little lower... but on any normal American street in any normal American town, yeah... and through MOST of the rest of the world, too.

I think you are giving people too much credit. 15-20 years ago perhaps. Sadly, I dont think any more than 50 percent would be able to get the show right these days, let alone get the name Kirk. You probably would get the answer "Star Wars?"

*shudders*

Maybe the older population, but certainly not the kids. I would say mostly guys too - traditionally, we've been the ones into sci-fi.

5 out of 10. No more than that.

 

[Matango]

That's the guy from Star Track...you know the one with Doctor Spock....