The Casting Call!

[thistlethorne]

Ewan McGregor for Morgan.

Liam Neeson as Thomas Cardiel.

[adagiomin]

'Been thinking about this for a while and have finally come back to it.  Should a film of DR actually come to be cast I don't think well-known actors will hold the major roles, but possibly a few of the supporting ones.  But one actor who does come to mind for Morgan is Paul Bettany.  He's just about the right age, has the right coloring, and plays both heroes and villains with equal finesse.  Check him out in 2004's The Reckoning.

Kelson should definitely be an unknown--that somehow seems to work out for other films.  A few years ago, Hugh O'Conor (young King Louis in 1993's The Three Musketeers) would have made an excellent Kelson, but at 32 he might be a little old for the fourteen year old boy king.  He'd make a very handsome Duncan, perhaps . . . .

Diane

[Shiral]

While I'm thinkng about this, Christian Bale might make a very good Lord Ian Howell.

Melissa

[tenworld]

Paul Bettany does have the look you'd expect from an evil deryni lord (as seen by certain bishops)

but somehow I expect a more muscular heavier Morgan (and Duncan).  Not sure if there is specific reason in the books for that image

[Kelsa]

I agree with the image of Morgan being big and muscular.  But I always pictured Duncan as being less muscular and more intellectual and agile/nimble.  I like the picture of Viggo as Morgan (as both Strider and Aragorn, he cuts the right image).  Orlando Bloom has the right "look" size-wise for Duncan and while he could probably do a good job, I don't think you would want to recast LOTR movies. 

[AnnieUK]

I had been picturing Ewan McGregor for Morgan too, although even he wasn't quite right.  I didn't know Paul Bettany but went and looked him up and he does have the right sort of look.  I've noticed in my reread that PB is replacing EM as my mental image, so that says something to me. 

Agree on the treatment - if it ended up like Eragon it would be shocking!

[adagiomin]

Ok, Paul Bettany not muscular enough?  Got another I like even better--Kevin McKidd, who played Rome's Lucius Vorenus and now stars in the NBC show Journeyman.  Don't let his American accent in that show fool you.  He's a Scot, he's 34, 6 foot tall and he's got the right look and build.

I can't see guys like McGregor, Bale, or heaven forbid, LOTR movie flunkies playing any major role in a DR film.  Viggo's great, but too old (49) to play a young Morgan, now.  And I think Bloom's just a little too lean for Duncan.

Still haven't found a worthy Kelson and still searching, but Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors) might make a devilishly handsome Connell--he plays a great 'heavy', and looks younger than he is.

Diane

[Elkhound]

Still haven't found a worthy Kelson and still searching, but Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors) might make a devilishly handsome Connell--he plays a great 'heavy', and looks younger than he is.

Diane

I've never seen "The Tudors", but I've seen stills of JRM as the young Henry VIII, and I think he might be a good choice.  (Through most of Quest I wanted to reach through the pages of the book and slap Connell, and JRM looks like the sort of young man who needs to be slapped regularly just on general principles.)

[Sabrina Wolfe]

Am I the only one out here who believes that Justin Hayward, the lead singer of the Moody Blues, would make a great Alaric Morgan in Deryni Rising?  He has the right hair and build.  As for Kelson, you definitely need a 14 year old and unknown actor to pull it off right. 

Sean Connery would be great for Donal but, Sean has offically retired.  He turned down the opportunity to play Dr. Henry Jones in the new Indiana Jones movie.

Sabrina

[tenworld]

Daniel Radcliffe might make a good Derry, he has the vulnerability, but redhead or not (besides this is hollywood - hair color is whatever bottle the stylist uses) Ron the dufus just doesnt fit my mental image of anyone in the books.  Emma Watson would make a good Mearan princess but thats later in the books

[Elkhound]

  Viggo's great, but too old (49) to play a young Morgan, now.  And I think Bloom's just a little too lean for Duncan.

If you put him in a dark wig, I think he might make a good Biron or Nigel.

[adagiomin]

Am I the only one out here who believes that Justin Hayward, the lead singer of the Moody Blues, would make a great Alaric Morgan in Deryni Rising?  He has the right hair and build. 

Justin Hayward--born in 1946, 61 year old Justin Hayward?  Morgan is 29 years old at the onset of DR.  And if you check Hayward's current pics, I think his hair color comes out of bottle these days!  Seriously, check out Kevin McKidd here:  http://www.tv.com/photos/viewer.html?type=21&ref_id=132022&ref_type_id=104&pic_number=107584
An actual blond!

[adagiomin]

  Viggo's great, but too old (49) to play a young Morgan, now.  And I think Bloom's just a little too lean for Duncan.

If you put him in a dark wig, I think he might make a good Biron or Nigel.

I agree, Brion or Nigel.  And Viggo does look younger than he is. 

[adagiomin]

Daniel Radcliffe might make a good Derry, he has the vulnerability, but redhead or not (besides this is hollywood - hair color is whatever bottle the stylist uses) Ron the dufus just doesnt fit my mental image of anyone in the books.  Emma Watson would make a good Mearan princess but thats later in the books

Despite the natural red hair and as much as I like Rupert Grint, I can't see him as Dhugal.  But Emma would fit in somewhere quite nicely, she's turned into a real beauty.  And I think Daniel Radcliffe at 18 needs a few more years of maturity to pull off the 23 year old Derry.

[BishopCullen]

Jason Isaacs, yes, but as Edmund Loris.