MovieChat Forums > The Stand (2020) Discussion > Hate the Casting...

Hate the Casting...

posted 5 years ago by Jeepster (1168)
11 replies | jump to latest

But you already knew one of these posts was coming didn't you?

Larry Underwood was a white man, sorry to break it to you. As they say "Another tick for the ethnic diversity box"! & make a white character black. The whole dynamic between him Nadine & Lucy would be drastically different. Debate me if you must but it is the truth. Harold Lauder seems to be a rather thin man now. Nick Andros looks like a biker not the timid self reserved man he was in the books. Marsden as Stu Redman is doable, actually he's a more inspired choice than Gary Sinise was in the older mini series. Yes I know you're all shocked but I think so anyway.

Now Amber Heard I DO like as Nadine, although she would've made a great Julie Lawry too IMO. As for Flagg, I would've liked a more inspired choice than Skarsgård. Nothing against him but even a unknown would've done nicely provided you actually took the time & effort to find your Flagg rather than just shop for the biggest name(s) around.

WTH man? Yes I understand you can duplicate the book exactly but at least try to honor the source material with some semblance of common sense in your casting choices.

[–] JaqenHgar (731) 5 years ago

I definitely respect your opinion but I'll be the first to disagree with your statement that James Marsden is "a more inspired choice than Gary Sinise." I like Marsden and I think he will do the role of Stu very well, but Sinise was great in my opinion. I'm curious to your thoughts regarding the casting of Flagg. Skarsgård vs. Sheridan.

Like you, I'm not a fan of the racial reversal of Larry but that's Hollyweird for you. I do like the idea of Amber Heard as Nadine, but I'm sure there are other actresses who could play her better (I just can't think of one right now).

[–] Jeepster (1168) 5 years ago

Truth is I didn't think much of Sheridan as Flagg in the mini-series but with someone as non descript as Flagg is supposed to be, who do you possibly get? He's meant to fly under the radar but at the same time be memorable. Like I said Heard could also be a excellent Julie Lawry. Don't mean to trigger any SJW's lingering about here, but respectfully I can more than picture her in her native Texas accent, "Retarrddd!" to both Nick & Tom Cullen.

[–] Gary O. (1016) 5 years ago

But you already knew one of these posts was coming didn't you?

Larry Underwood was a white man, sorry to break it to you. As they say "Another tick for the ethnic diversity box"! & make a white character black. The whole dynamic between him Nadine & Lucy would be drastically different. Debate me if you must but it is the truth. Harold Lauder seems to be a rather thin man now. Nick Andros looks like a biker not the timid self reserved man he was in the books. Marsden as Stu Redman is doable, actually he's a more inspired choice than Gary Sinise was in the older mini series. Yes I know you're all shocked but I think so anyway.

Now Amber Heard I DO like as Nadine, although she would've made a great Julie Lawry too IMO. As for Flagg, I would've liked a more inspired choice than Skarsgård. Nothing against him but even a unknown would've done nicely provided you actually took the time & effort to find your Flagg rather than just shop for the biggest name(s) around.

WTH man? Yes I understand you can duplicate the book exactly but at least try to honor the source material with some semblance of common sense in your casting choices.

We agree in part and disagree in part.

Like you, I don't see the point in switching Larry to a Black man. I don't really have a big problem with it, but why it happened is mystifying. As has been said here, Hollywood does this quite often, Roland Deschain, (Dark Tower) Ron Jones, in The Hunt for Red October, and John Clarke in Without Remorse are three examples just off the top of my head. About the only thing I can think of is that Hollywood likes for everyone out in the world to see them as pure and diverse as they think they are. IOW, virtue signalling.

As for Gary Sinise, there we disagree. I think that Sinise was the best casting choice by far in the 1994 ABC mini-series. For this reason, I will have a hard time thinking of anyone but Sinise as Stu.

[–] Mattc164 (619) 5 years ago

They'll NEVER do the opposite though... Turning a black character to white.... I propose, you want to turn Larry to a black man, fine... How about making mother Abigail an old white woman...

[–] BullSchmidt (3189) 5 years ago

> The whole dynamic between [Larry] Nadine & Lucy would be drastically different [because of Larry being turned black.]

Not to mention the dynamic between Larry and Mother Abigail, who unless drastic events occur, will remain black. Expect the two of them to have a slightly closer bond than M.A. does with other members of the committee. And expect a few knowing looks between them along the way, no dialogue necessary, the meaning plain enough -- "Oh, these white people, some of them have their hearts in the right place and do try hard, but they just don't get it."

Actually, I'll retract that. Too subtle for Hollyweird. Expect blatant lecturing on race relations from them to the white characters.

And I'll repeat a prediction I made on here some time back; when we see Flagg's Vegas, it'll probably have quite a few cars with Trump/Pence bumper stickers.

[–] Mattc164 (619) 5 years ago

Bumper stickers are to subtle as well. Flagg and crew will be wearing MAGA hats.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Meh... the big question is, will it be entertaining?

All the Hollywood casting doesn't matter. If they mess it up, the show will bomb. If they do it right, it will be enjoyed like Chernobyl.

My questions are this, what happens when Hollywood is done mining Stephen King? Will they make a dark, gritty version of the waltons?

[–] labrat8355 (1) 5 years ago

I'm on the fence about the new cast but the dreadful casting of Molly Ringwald nearly ruined the original for me. Corin Nemic as Harold didn't help much, either. And this is my favorite Stephen King book.

[–] whynotwriteme (7817) 5 years ago

In the case of a minor, but key character, Charles Campion, the military policeman who releases the plague, and his wife Sally and baby LaVon: I always felt King wrote them as a black family, but in the original miniseries and the comic book, the family is portrayed as white. No idea about what race they will be in the upcoming series.

[–] Gary O. (1016) 5 years ago

Why do you think that King intended them as a Black family? No problem if they are, just curious?

[–] whynotwriteme (7817) 5 years ago

The biggest clue is the child's name, LaVon. This name conforms to the modern tradition of African-American names with a French-inspired feel. DeShawn, LaToya, etc. There are also clues in some of the speech patterns written for Campion. I mean, they are certainly not grotesque, racist caricatures, but the family feels more African-American than not.