Actors who look nothing like the character they're playing

I will have to read the Agatha Raisin books, books are almost always better than the TV version.

Urmstongran

In 1965, Olivier starred in a movie version of Othello where he played the lead role of a Black soldier. Donning horrific blackface, the performance earned him an Oscar nomination only to now be looked back on as a sickening embarrassment.

I saw that live. I thought it was marvellous at the time. He was acting a part, after all, so had appropriate make -up.

Beswitched

Margaret Rutherford was totally miscast as Jane Marple.
Joan Hickson was sublime.

I agree Joan Hickson was Miss Marple. Agatha Christie saw Joan in a play and wrote to her saying she hoped one day she'd play Miss Marple. She got her wish. And we got the best Miss Marple of them all.

We certainly did. She was wonderful.

I not remember the name of the actor who played Henry VIII in The Tudors but he dd not look one little bit like him.He was a marvellous actor and played the part very well.
Also the new version of All Creatures Great and Small was completely ruined for me by the complete change of actors.I know the original ones were no longer available but the new ones were not a patch on them.
Some of the actors in the soaps as well, e.g.Bethany in Coronation Street looks much older than the actor playing her mother, while Gail and Audrey look about the same age and they are supposed to be mother and daughter

Agatha Raisin played by Ashley Jensen- not at all like the Agatha described by MC Beaton, a small stocky woman with a shiny brown bob, an small brown bear like eyes. However, Ashley is so good in the part I’ve almost forgotten!

Glad I'm not the only one not impressed by the new All Creatures Great And Small. Sam West is good as Siegfried but the cast as a whole isn't a patch on the original. Poldark was another one. Robin Ellis was perfect as Ross Poldark and who could forget dear Ralph Bates as George Warleggan? All the minor characters in the new one seemed completely interchangeable and I never got the hang of who was who. Aidan is very gorgeous and was great as Rosetti, but never Ross.

Daniel Craig as the poet Ted Hughes in 'Sylvia'. Great acting but nothing like the man himself

I adored Richard Chamberlain in The Thorn Birds. I imagined him playing the part when I first read the book. I was so disappointed with Rachel Ward. I never imagined her actress to play opposite him. In my minds eye I didn’t think she was pretty enough

It's called "acting".

A fair comment Grandma70.
We ought not to judge history by today’s standards I suppose.
?

PinkPrincess it was Jonathan Rhys Myers* and I agree, he played a magnificent brooding temperamental Henry.

I wonder how authors feel when they see their creation being totally altered? I believe Agatha Christie wasn't at all happy about Margaret Rutherford playing Miss Marple

But, as another poster has said, she picked Joan Hickson out years before the BBC Miss Marple series as a future Jane Marple.

Imagine being an author of the ilk of Jane Austen, and seeing the multiple adaptation of your works with actors and actresses completely different to what you had in mind. Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma for example - just no.

I think Emma Thompson in Sense and Sensibility was dreadful.

I quite liked Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma.

Not for me Beswitched. Much too blonde, tall, simpery, and wishy-washy, she really got on my nerves. I suppose that’s the thing though, we all have different minds eyes. I imagine Emma much more like Kate Beckinsale.
I agree with you on Emma Thompson as Elinor Dashwood though, she was just too old I’m afraid.

Beswitched

I think Emma Thompson in Sense and Sensibility was dreadful.

I quite liked Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma.

Did Emma Thompson write the screenplay though? Another example of getting yourself a plum role in the production.

I am quite liking Joe Cole's Harry Palmer portrayal.

My all time moan was the creepy Nicholas Cage as Captain Corelli.

Casdon

Imagine being an author of the ilk of Jane Austen, and seeing the multiple adaptation of your works with actors and actresses completely different to what you had in mind. Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma for example - just no.

I infinitely prefer the version with Kate Beckinsale as Emma, Samantha Morton as Harriet, and Mark Strong as Mr Knightly.
Prunella Scales was also a wonderful Miss Bates.

IMO it knocks spots off the Paltrow version.

Agree also about Emma Thompson being all wrong in S and S.
For my money her sister Sophie is a better actress anyway. She played the endlessly complaining sister Mary wonderfully in the Amanda Root version of Persuasion, and has been equally brilliant in the completely different parts I’ve seen her play.

My biggest moan is DCI Alan Banks in the Peter Robinson adaptations, also Annie.
Just can’t watch it, it’s too wrong.
I think the problem is, that it’s not just a book, it’s a lot of books read over a lot of years, and you have a very clear image of all the characters.

Sara1954

My biggest moan is DCI Alan Banks in the Peter Robinson adaptations, also Annie.
Just can’t watch it, it’s too wrong.
I think the problem is, that it’s not just a book, it’s a lot of books read over a lot of years, and you have a very clear image of all the characters.

Totally agree. Alan Banks, in the book, was not very tall, dark, wiry, nice eyes. Stephen Tomkinson, probably incorrect spelling of name, was nothing like him, in either looks or personality. Too wishy washy, nervous, and sorry, just not attractive enough.

You could fancy the AB in the book, not on the screen. Yes, and ‘Annie’ wasn’t right either. And she didn’t die in the book!

Calandargirl
I don’t think whoever did the casting can possibly have read the books.

If I didn't have this image of Michael Caine as Harry Palmer, I'd probably find Joe Cole perfectly cast. However, MC's deadpan delivery is inimitable! I wonder if adaptations of Len Deighton's other Harry Palmer books will be in the pipeline.

I have always preferred to see the film before reading the book, then you can't be disappointed. It works much better that way round.