- Mark Strong, Green Lantern, 2010. No matter how often the directors changed (from Tarantino, Kevin Smith, Zack Snyder and Greg Berlanti (the film’s producer and co-scenarist) to, ultimately, 007’s Martin Campbell), Australia’s busiest fantasy star – the Matrix and Lord of the Rings trilogies – was still Australia’s busiest fantasy star… Transformers, The Wolfman, Captain American: The First Avenger, The Hobbit.
- Adam Driver, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, 2014.
- Alan Tudyk, Big Hero 6, 2014. Alec Baldwin, Peter Dinklage, Paul Giamatti, John Goodman, John Lithgow, Christopher Lloyd, Alfred Malina, John Malkovich, Gary Oldman, Mandy Pantinkin, Hugo Weaving and UK comics John Cleese and Eddie Izzard were listed for voicing Alistair Kreiin Disney’s first Marvel subject – winning the best animation Oscar. It unfurled in 2023 (we all know that computer battery number, right?) in San Fransokyo (‘Frisco rebuilt by the Japanese after an earthquake) and deals with a super troupe with the titular collective name… that nobody ever uses. Krei was the arch foe of the super-nemesis played by James Cromwell. Ten years before, he had created the I, Robot called Sonny, played by… Tudyk.
- Bill Skarsgård, It, 2016. There was talk over seven years about re-hashing the mini-series of 1990 – the year when Stellan Skarsgård’s son/Alexander Tarzan Skarsgård’s brother was born. Pennywise rumours included Jim Carrey, Mark Rylance, Tilda Swinton and, naturally, Johnny Depp and Jackie Earl Haley when Tim Curry passed on reprising his 1990 creation. Ben Mendelsohn, Hollywood’s busiest Aussie since 2010, proved too pricey. Will Poulter was chosen by director Cary Joli Fukunaga, before quitting over artistic differences (true for once). New helmer Andy Muschietti said Poulter was a great option, but ws not free for the delayed shoot. Andy auditioned Stephen R Hart, Doug Jones (future Saru in Star Trek: Discovery, 2017-2021), Brian Safi, Timothy Simmons ,Hugo Weaving but gave Pennywise to Stellan Skarsgård’s fourth son (five of his six boys are actors). Bill has Strabismus – he can simultaneously move his eyes in different directions. Great for “such an extreme character… beyond sociopath, because he’s not even human. I’m playing just one of the beings It creates.”Tim Curry thought Bill “very clever, very good.” “Spectacularly scary, the stuff of nightmare,” added Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers. The public agreed and the 225th of King’s staggering 313 screen credits was his biggest hit! A sequel was guaranteed – and made in 2018.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 4