In the court of public opinion, casting a work of popular fiction is crucial; a picture may live or die by its casting choices. Big risks can bring big payoffs – British actress Vivien Leigh as beloved southern belle Scarlett O’Hara, for instance, or southerner Renee Zellweger as beloved British basket case Bridget Jones – or big disappointments, like Tom Cruise as the vampire Lestat or George Clooney as Batman.
Next year Alan Moore’s iconic graphic novel Watchmen comes to the big screen, where it will fall under the close scrutiny of critics and fans alike. Director Zack Snyder (300, Dawn of the Dead) has taken the big risk of casting small, choosing lesser-known actors on the merit of talent rather than star power. This seems like a smart choice because it allows the story to stand on its own without the distraction of big names, allowing less recognizable faces to truly inhabit the characters without the baggage of their previous work.
Key Roles Require Talent, Commitment
In terms of intensity, ability, and their stature as icons, the three key roles to fill are damaged sociopath Walter Kovacs, aka Rorschach; mercenary Edward Blake, aka The Comedian; and scientist-turned-superhero Jon Osterman, aka Doctor Manhattan. Snyder has chosen solid performers to fill these large shoes, instilling hope rather than dread in the hearts of fans fearful of seeing their beloved story ruined by Hollywood.
“Rorschach” – Jackie Earle Haley, aka that tough kid from the Bad News Bears
Rorschach is arguably the most crucial character to cast. By turns an intense paranoiac, brutal vigilante, and crazed lunatic, the actor playing the part must be willing to take no prisoners and hold nothing back. Jackie Earle Haley fits the bill: he’s one odd looking dude and creepy as hell – the perfect combination for Rorschach.
As a child actor Haley was best known for his role as long-haired rebel Kelly Leak in the Bad News Bears series of films in the 1970s. He graduated to serious stuff with Breaking Away (1979), and then his career hit a wall. After a string of TV episodes and bad movies, Haley gave up the biz in the early 90s – until Hollywood came knocking in 2004.
Sean Penn and director Steve Zaillian simultaneously envisioned Haley as a supporting player in All the King’s Men; it was released in 2006, as was Little Children, which garnered him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor. His rise out of obscurity will be complete with the release of Watchmen in a role that stands to embed him in America’s consciousness forever.
“The Comedian” – Jeffrey Dean Morgan, aka Denny Duquette from Grey’s Anatomy
The Comedian is another tough role to cast because of his larger-than-life personality and excessive brutality. Who better to fill his shoes than…that sweet guy with the heart condition from Grey’s Anatomy? This is who you want to play the bastard who murders a woman pregnant with his own child? The charming guitar-playing Irishman who teaches Hilary Swank to love again in P.S. I Love You? That’s the guy?
Actually, it’s a brilliant move. Here’s an actor known mostly for his earnest benevolence with a little dysfunctionally devoted fatherhood (on TV’s Supernatural) thrown in for good measure; no worries about the actor overshadowing the character here. The Comedian is potentially a career-defining role for Morgan, certainly one which will cast him in a whole new light.
“Dr. Manhattan” – Billy Crudup, aka the lead singer from Almost Famous
Probably the most famous actor among the Watchmen, Crudup’s leading man charm has kept him steadily employed since his debut in 1996’s Sleepers. He found his niche in indie-type movies with big-name directors like Woody Allen (Everyone Says I Love You (1996)), Tim Burton (Big Fish (2003)), and most famously, Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous (2000)).
As the quite literally non-materialistic Doctor Manhattan, the only Watchman with super powers, Crudup’s is likely to be the most effects-laden character, new territory for the actor. Given the sincere nature of his past work, we can expect him to lend Manhattan the detached gravity (no pun intended) so critical to the role.
The Rest of the Lesser-Known Best
In addition to these three heavy-hitters, the other major players of Watchmen are equally lesser-known. Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl, Carla Gugino as the original Silk Spectre and Malin Akerman as her daughter/successor, Matthew Goode as the agile Ozymandias, and several supporting heroes and villains round out the cast.
