Comments on: We Read It: Casting Ridley Scott & Cormac McCarthy’s Bleak, Beautiful Collaboration ‘The Counselor’

By: Christian

Christian — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:53:27 +0000

Great article. Keep doing these "We read it" casting articles!

By: Simone

Simone — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:53:27 +0000

Your picks are awesome! But I would like to see Zoe Saldana as Laura.

By: Linda

Linda — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:53:27 +0000

Jessica Chastain is of course perfect for Laura. WTF at the Lizzy Caplan suggestion amongst all the other real actresses. Internet fanboys have such a weird blind spot/hard on for random C-list TV actresses. Was she on a Joss Whedon show or something?

Zoe Saldana would be the ideal Malkina, and I also like Marion Cotillard. An unexpected but inspired choice would be Berenice Bejo, who was actually born in Argentina. Why not use that new Oscar nomination to leverage some more challenging and different roles and stretch herself a bit?

By: b

Fri, 13 May 2016 12:53:27 +0000

Obviously, a no-brainer you guys would cast Jessica Chastain but am impressed you resisted the urge to cast Ryan Gosling

By: Stephen Davis

Stephen Davis — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:53:26 +0000

Fassbender as the Counselor's a fine choice, even though I read him as a mid-50s sort of loner who is finally marrying a longtime companion. I did picture Jessica Chastain as Laura, considering she's one of my favorite "new" actresses and is certainly someone who I feel is quite suited to McCarthy's writing. I actually pictured Malkina as less Latina and more of a darker-skinned woman, maybe Egyptian or even African (the tattoo is a clue). A younger, taller Sophie Okonedo type, maybe? I saw Reiner as played by an older man, well-off and athletic. The Alec Baldwin type, only not Baldwin himself. Jeremy Renner is perfect for Westray. And lastly, Demian Bichir is perfect in the brief role of the "jefe" at the end.

By: Aaron S.

Aaron S. — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:53:26 +0000

How about hiring some America actors to play Americans for a change? Especially characters that are so American. I never think Brits or Aussie's are completely convincing.

When did this invasion happen? We used to be proud of our homegrown actors.

How about Timothy Olyphant, Jeremy Renner, Billy Bob Thorton or Josh Brolin as Westray? They have the chops to turn a great performance.

Does every job have to be filled by a foreigner?

By: Lee

Lee — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:53:26 +0000

I just can't see Fassbender playing side to side with Brad Pitt. I don't think Pitt can pull it, Phoenix and Renner seem to be a nice pick to play with/against Fassbender.

and as for Mark Strong.. Once in a blue moon, could someone please NOT to choose him for every. single. villain. the movie world ever made??
I don't wanna see him being typecasted. he's a much better actor than that.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy proved it.

By: Kanerwa

Kanerwa — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:53:26 +0000

Scott should make adaptation of ''The Blood Meridian'' this would be veeery challenging.Maybe Russell Crowe would be good as Holden.

By: MT

MT — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:53:26 +0000

Please no Zoe Saldana (a bit of an obvious and popular, but lazy choice for Malkina). The woman's adequate, but no thespian. I really like the inspired choices for the rest of the cast. Especially Elena Anaya/Paz Vega.

Seeing that this project is still unattached to any studio, I'd bet that Ridley has (for now) free reign on his casting choices. Hope he gets creative and thinks out of the box, like he did for Prometheus. It's the kind of script and dialogue and either succeeds or falters on the performances' strength.

By: elizabeth

elizabeth — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:53:26 +0000

it would be shitty to cast a white actress in a role that WOC could just as easily play

By: James

James — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:53:26 +0000

The script that you reviewed is fake. Parts of it may be real, but large portions of it are not.

By: Oogle monster

Oogle monster — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:53:26 +0000

Eva Mendes? No no no no no Playlist. You guys are pretty great at this, so I'm going to excuse that absolutely mind-boggling option. Mendes is not attractive, a pretty terrible actress, and has zero range. When the words "incredibly attractive Argentinean woman" pop up, Mendes does not come to mind. I'm curious to see how she fares in Cianfrance's film, but I'm guessing it's a small enough role that she will likely be overshadowed (and rightfully so) by the big players, Gosling and co.