Vesper and Felix have been cast!

[Kara Milovy]

Yahoo (http://news.yahoo.com/s/eo/20060217/en_movies_eo/18378) has the story.

Yay! A French Vesper and a black Leiter. Just what I wanted! Jeffrey Wright will be great!

[Kara Milovy]

Whoa. The whole cast list is up at CBn!

Casino Royale's Cast List

Daniel Craig as James Bond
Eva Green as Vesper Lynd
Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre
Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter
Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis
Caterina Murino as Solonge
Simon Abkarian as Dimitrios
Tobias Menzies as Villiers
Ivana Milicevic as Valenka
Clemens Schik as Kratt
Ludger Pistor as Mendel
Claudio Santamaria as Carlos

[Kara Milovy]

This list (which is from ComingSoonNews.com, I think) omits Judi Dench, but we know she's in as well.

[Kara Milovy]

Impressions, anyone?

Here are my initial thoughts:

Jeffrey Wright is a real actor's actor, very respected. He brings a lot of nuance to everything he does. It's a bold choice, and an admirable one.

Giancarlo Giannini is the grand old man of Italian cinema, a real star. It'll be like Emilio Ecchevarria, I think. Very terrific choice.

I know nothing about Eva Green, but I am pleased they didn't choose another American.

Simon Abkarian looks like that cheesy guy who got shot by Melina and fell into the pool in FYEO.

Mads Mikkelsen is nothing like anyone's image of LeChiffre. I don't know why they went with young and angular, except perhaps to avoid the Orson Welles comparisons. Not pleased with this choice.

Anyone? Bueller?

[neglet]

I'm just happy to hear you call Mads Mikkelsen young, he's the same age I am!

[Kara Milovy]

I'm just happy to hear you call Mads Mikkelsen young, he's the same age I am!
He's younger than me. :(

[Archangel972]

I don't know much about Wright but I hear he is a terrific actor (saw him in Syriana but he never stood out to me). The only problem I have is that they cast him as Felix Leiter. Pardon my ignorance but why didn't they just cast him as some other CIA agent? Why Felix? It's not a big deal to me, but it is annoying that they have to cast a black actor for a character that to my knowledge was always white. Just change the name of the character, that's all.

[Kara Milovy]

Archangel, the character was played by a black actor in Never Say Never Again. In addition, he has always been, in the movies, a sort of random CIA agent. Until he was severely wounded in Licence to Kill, he was always "the" CIA agent; to the point that, if you met another (male) CIA agent, you could be certain he would be killed (as in AVTAK and LALD).

After LTK, the CIA agent Jack Wade was introduced, and here (at last!) was someone with a recognizable character, albeit one that got mixed reviews from the fans.

A famous character actor like Wright is probably designed to create a new, distinctive, and (hurrah) recurring character. In past movies, he's been an American counterpart to Bond (Jack Lord in DN), an old, useless, fuddy-duddy (Cec Linder in GF), a scolding nanny (Norm Burton in DAF) and a friend (David Heddison in LTK). What he's never been in any Bond movie has been the character that Fleming created.

Here we have the novel that introduced Bond to Leiter. Maybe we'll get a real character, and a real friend. To my mind, the change of color is pretty minor compared to all the other changes the character has been through.

[BeauButabi]

I've seen Eva Green in the movie "The Dreamers". And when I say "seen" her, I mean it in every sense of the word. If you know of the movie, you know what I mean. The only other thing I know about her is that she's 25. Though from what I've seen, she can act, so I'm letting that slide. Havent heard of any of the other actors who have been announced.

[PhuYuck]

Will there be no Q in this movie at all? What's the current agreement with John Cleese?

[Kara Milovy]

There is no Q at all. Cleese may or may not be back for Bond 22.

[PhuYuck]

Thanks for clarifying that, Kara. Although it's obviously true to the book, I'm disappointed that Q won't be in the new movie and I will miss not seeing him (the only movie where he'll be absent besides "Dr. No" and "Live And Let Die", if I'm not mistaken). I sincerely hope he'll return for Bond 22 (preferably Cleese but if not, someone else to fill the shoes).

Here's an interesting thought - - if Desmond Llewellen were still around, do you think the writers would have found a place for his character in the new movie, simply out of dignity and respect? I wonder.....

[Kara Milovy]

Q was in DN; Major Boothroyd gives Bond his Walther. He is not played by Desmond L. though.

I think you're right, PhuYuck, that if Desmond were alive, he'd have been cast. Had a key conversation with M or something.

[PhuYuck]

Of course you're right about DN, Kara. How quickly I forget with age!

Cheers!

[Kara Milovy]

Of course you're right about DN, Kara. How quickly I forget with age!

Cheers!
Tragic when the mind starts to go.

[PhuYuck]

Yes indeed!

By the way, Kara, is this book you're promoting, "The Ultimate James Bond Fan Book", the book that you wrote?

[Kara Milovy]

Yes indeed!

By the way, Kara, is this book you're promoting, "The Ultimate James Bond Fan Book", the book that you wrote?
Yes, indeed. It'll be out in May.

[PhuYuck]

Super! I look forward to it!

[LeiterCIA]

In past movies, he's been an American counterpart to Bond (Jack Lord in DN), an old, useless, fuddy-duddy (Cec Linder in GF), a scolding nanny (Norm Burton in DAF) and a friend (David Heddison in LTK). What he's never been in any Bond movie has been the character that Fleming created.

Here we have the novel that introduced Bond to Leiter. Maybe we'll get a real character, and a real friend. To my mind, the change of color is pretty minor compared to all the other changes the character has been through.

Agreed! He's an American CIA agent. I doubt that there's any lack of African Americans in the CIA. Can't find any reason why Leiter in this case cant be cast by a black actor.

Bernie Casey made a fine Felix in NSNA.

[Archangel972]

Agreed! He's an American CIA agent. I doubt that there's any lack of African Americans in the CIA. Can't find any reason why Leiter in this case cant be cast by a black actor.

Bernie Casey made a fine Felix in NSNA.


It smacks a little too much of political correctness (like Bond not bedding a ton of women or not smoking). I don't mind it if M or Q is black, those are just titles and the actual people who fill those roles vary. I can see Wright being great in the role so it doesn't really matter, I just don't like seeing things being watered down or changed just because the conventional audience can't handle it. Bond should get every women in bed, he should smoke like there was no tomorrow, and he should play the game he knows best. Baccarat, not poker!

[Kara Milovy]

It smacks a little too much of political correctness
Frankly, that bothers me. Jeffrey Wright is a very up & coming actor with a lot of buzz. He's critically acclaimed and had plum role after plum role. He's worked with some of the finest, including George Clooney, Denzel Washington, and Al Pacino. To suggest he was cast for "political correctness" is to suggest they could have cast any black actor; it reduces him to nothing but his race.

And I agree with Leiter; Bernie Casey is one of my favorites.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Although they do make it clear in the books that Leiter is a Texan who speaks with a lazy, broad Texan drawl, with a thatch of straw coloured blonde hair.

Either way though, if the bloke is a good actor then bring him on, and let's hope it's a recurring role with the same actor in it.

[Kara Milovy]

Although they do make it clear in the books that Leiter is a Texan who speaks with a lazy, broad Texan drawl, with a thatch of straw coloured blonde hair.
Exactly! Just like Cec Linder, David Heddison, Rick Van Nutter, and Jack Lord. That's why it's so important that they don't break with history. :wink:

[neglet]

Although they do make it clear in the books that Leiter is a Texan who speaks with a lazy, broad Texan drawl, with a thatch of straw coloured blonde hair.

Is there any reason Jeffrey Wright can't speak with a Texan drawl or have blonde hair? :smirk: