Who would you cast as Nick and Nora Charles?

[xiphias]

So, Lis and I were talking about this. ‘Cause in the musical, they cast Barry Bostwick and Janna Gleason. Which, while not the MOST wrong they could possibly have gone, certainly wasn’t good.

So who would you cast? You need to have a male lead who is tough-as-nails but lovable -- someone that the criminals he busted respect, genuinely like, and wouldn’t cross in a million years. And who can be cute-and-gushy-in-love with the female lead. And a female lead who can be aristocratic, beautiful, fun-loving, and cute-and-gushy-in-love with the male lead. And who has an adventurous streak and enough toughness to act as a perfectly balanced counterpart and foil to the male lead. We came up with James Marsters and Natalie Portman.

Mos Def might be good as Nick, although he’s a little young, and would have to do an American accent.

Joss Whedon might be able to handle the dialog.

Comments

[mattblum.livejournal.com]

I could see George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones in the roles. Nick and Nora would be departures from the kinds of roles they usually take, but they're both versatile enough actors (especially Clooney) I think they'd do a good job.

As for the dialogue, I think Aaron Sorkin would be my first choice for the job, but Whedon would be a close second.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

Clooney came to my mind, too. He's really grown on me since "Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou."

Not sure about Nora, but I have to admit that most of the actresses in the right age range just sort of blur together in my mind.

[rmjwell.livejournal.com]

I was going to suggest them, given their work together in Intolerable Cruelty. They are two actors today who actually know how to use glamour in their roles. And Nick and Nora are nothing if not glamorous.

Another person for Nick might be Hugh Laurie.

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

Mos Def might be good as Nick, although he’s a little young, and would have to do an American accent.

hm? he's from brooklyn; are we classifying that as different from american now? :)

[warren8472.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one confused by that comment. :)(

[querldox.livejournal.com]

I could see George Clooney, but I think Lauren Graham would be a better choice than Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Even better; William Macy and Felicity Huffman.

Whedon, Sorkin, or various Gilmore Girls writers should be up to the dialogue challenge.

[rmjwell.livejournal.com]

Oh, Macy & Huffman. I'd be there in a second for that one.

And because I am a fanboy: Chiwetel Ejiofor and Gina Torres.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

I was thinking about Gina Torres, but I think she tends to project a bit "tough" for the way that I see Nora. She's definitely got the glamour.

Actually -- that could work if Torres plays the street-smart retired detective, and Ejiofor plays the wealthy socialite.

[teddywolf.livejournal.com]

Moonlighting was, upon reflection, a great deal like Nick and Nora.

For more curent stars... hmm... Michael J Fox would be excellent if his Parkinson's comes under control enough, because he can add the bit of physicality the role could use. I think Salma Hayek would be an excellent Nora as well, as she does know how to play the coquette.

Now, if there were an *animated* version, I think Kevin Conroy and Grey DeLisle would do excellent voice work together.