Apr 20
British Actors Take on Hollywood: A Casting Guide
As we are celebrating the best British cinema this week, it seems like a good time to pay homage to the wealth of great British stars working the movies today. Considering how small the population of Britain is compared to America, actors from the United Kingdom have managed to make a considerable dent in Hollywood. In fact, the demand for Limey actors is so high that many of our finest thesps have uprooted themselves for the sunny climes of Los Angeles, removing any possibility that they could stoop to doing a 2 week stint on Holby City in order to make rent.
For any Hollywood producers reading this (and I assume there are plenty), we’ve assembled an easy-to-follow guide to casting your next feature. We’ve covered pretty much every type of male character your screenplay is likely to have and we’ve provided a number of qualified candidates that would add that largely unfounded air of respectability that seems to follow Brits everywhere in America.
Hard Men
British Hard men are a relatively new development in Hollywood. Seeing as no American actor has managed to take on Bruce Willis’ mantle as working-class tough guy, movie producers have been forced to look across the pond for their sardonic beefcakes. Our boys better hurry up though, as we’re facing stiff competition from the Australians in the form of Russell Crowe, Sam Worthington and Chris Hemsworth.
Got the money?
Jason Statham (pictured): The Transporter, Crank, Snatch, The Expendables: The Stath is the current gold standard in British bruisers. He can fight, he can deliver one liners and when called for it, he looks great with his shirt off. Fast fact: Statham used to be a member of Britain’s national diving team.
Tom Hardy: Flavour of the month. Looking to explode after this year’s The Dark Knight Rises, he’s shown that he can put on the muscle for roles in Bronson and Warrior. He also has the word ‘hard’ in his name, which is a nice coincidence
Ray Winstone: If you want a seasoned hard man, look no further. It doesn’t matter if he’s in a domestic drama or a $200m blockbuster, Uncle Ray will deliver the goods every time. If you cast him in your movie though, you might want to keep an eye on him: his disembodied head does have a habit of encouraging to people to gamble.
On a Budget?
Danny Dyer, Vinnie Jones, Tamer Hassan
Sensitive, Polite English Gents
A dying breed, the demand for over-polite Englishmen is definitely on the decline. It’s an archetype that came to prominence with Trevor Howard in Close Encounter and continued to thrive in hits like Four Weddings and Notting Hill. If you need a man whose sense of propriety and shame prevents him from getting the girl, the Sensitive, Polite English Gent is who you want.
Got the Money?
Hugh Grant (pictured): He might not have played a SPEG in over a decade, but if you can stump up enough cash, there’s a chance you could get Hugh to appear in your movie. Give his agent a call and see if he’s available. Or better still: just hack into his iPhone if that’s easier for you.
Colin Firth: He’s spent more than a few years as a second-tier Hugh Grant, playing SPEGs in any number of sub-par romantic comedies. However, the small matter of winning an Oscar for The King’s Speech has probably got him thinking twice about taking your offer to play a lonely advertising executive who falls for a stripper with a heart of gold.
On a Budget?
Smouldering and Masculine Man
Women love strong brooding types, or so I’m led to believe. If your story calls for a hunky man who will make the ladies in the audience go weak at the knees, you want to go for an SMM. They can play a range of positions: from quiet neighbours who can fix your dishwasher to emotionally tortured assassins or sensitive medieval knights, these guys can play it all.
Got the money?
Gerard Butler (pictured): Ladies love Gerard Butler. Maybe it’s his six-pack or perhaps it’s his Scottish burr, but casting Butler will ensure your cinemas are packed with excitable women in their 30s and 40s. We’re talking about the Gerard Butler from 300 and Coriolanus, though. Not the imposter who starred in The Bounty Hunter, PS I Love You and Nim’s Island: that guy is box-office poison.
Clive Owen: There’s something about his quiet eyes and rumpled hair that screams ‘existential torment’. Whether you’re making a science-fiction thriller or a contemporary drama, he’s the man who’ll bring a sexy, sleepy sadness to your project. Interesting fact: he is the only man in the world named Clive that women would still have sex with.
Idris Elba – TV’s Luther and The Wire’s Stringer Bell is one cool customer. But under that stern exterior and facade of control, Elba has the sensitive soul of a poet. Sadly, this poetry sometimes manifests itself in the form of terrible rapping.
On a Budget?
Sneering Bad Guy
According to recent statistics from Customs and Revenue, 35% of Britain’s GDP comes from movie villains exports. Is there something about the British faces that are inherently dishonest? Perhaps the Americans still hold a grudge for all that taxation without representation business. Either way, they should be grateful, as our classically trained actors have provided the evil spine to some of the greatest movies ever.
Got the money?
Alan Rickman (pictured): Rickman is bad guy royalty. In both Die Hard and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, he managed to steal the show from Bruce Willis and Kevin Costner – no mean feat. From his withering gaze to his distinctive nasal voice, Alan Rickman is the only man you want if you’re looking for premium evil.
Ralph Fiennes: His Hamlet was allegedly the greatest of his generation, but WHO CARES? It’s Lord Voldemort! In real life, he also has a nose and will bring his trademark disdain to whatever blockbuster you have in mind. He also appeared in Wrath of the Titans recently, so you know he’s not fussy about quality.
Ben Kingsley: Or Sir Ben Kingsley (as he insists on being called) is an enormously versatile actor capable of playing both Gandhi and Guru Tugginmypuddha. Joking aside, Kingsley is fully capable of unleashing terror, as seen by his fantastic turn in Sexy Beast. If you’re looking for maximum intensity, place a call to the man they call ‘Sir’. “You are going to have to turn this opportunity YES!”
On a Budget?
Charles Dance, Terence Stamp, Jeremy Irons, Malcolm McDowell, Steven Berkoff. The list genuinely goes on.
Mentors
If there’s one thing the Brits are better at than building steam engines and constructing iron bridges, it’s playing wise father figures in Hollywood blockbusters. Whether you’re a young Jedi, a policeman, a superhero or an environmental lobbyist, you’re always going to need some old guy to remind you what you’re fighting for and how to use the force.
Got the money?
Anthony Hopkins (pictured): When he isn’t busy eating human livers with fava beans and trashy Italian wines, Sir Tony usually finds roles in which he teaches a young upstart how to do things, only to get killed at the end of the second act. Even if he does have the tendency to phone his performances in, his wonderful Welsh voice usually does a great job disguising that fact.
Gary Oldman: After over a decade of playing Sneering Bad Guys, Gary Oldman has recently toned down the histrionics that used to define his acting and transformed himself into a reliable older actor. Whether it’s playing Lieutenant Gordon in the Batman films or veteran spy George Smiley, Oldman has been bringing a quiet intelligence to his recent roles. Plus, the recent Oscar nod can’t hurt his credibility.
Michael Caine: It is nigh on impossible not to like Michael Caine. Evolving gracefully from cheeky leading man to older supporting actor, Sir Maurice Micklewhite brings humour and gravitas to every role he plays. The time when Caine would take on any role if the money was good enough has long since passed (speaking of Jaws 4: “I have not seen it. However, I have seen the house it built, and it is terrific”), but if your script looks interesting enough and your shooting location is somewhere nice and warm, you might be lucky enough to bag yourself a living legend.
Others: Albert Finney, Sean Connery
On a Budget?
Milquetoast Leads
Hey Luke Wilson! You’re not the only star capable of making audiences sleepy! Over here in Britain, we have plenty of technically proficient, charismatically deficient actors as well!
“Are you in the market for lead actor with a household name and not much more? Well sir, if you care to step into our showroom…”
Got the money?
Ewan McGregor (pictured): Fantastic in Trainspotting, McGregor mainly works in America these days, having mastered a middle-of-road stateside accent that marks him out as a generic nice guy. He’s obviously a talented actor but sadly, most of his characters are terminally boring. If you need someone to star in a fish-slightly-out-of-water movie, consider Ewan McGregor. He is definitely an actor.
Jude Law: Is he a famous actor? Yes. Has he ever starred in a movie that done boffo box-office? With the exception of Sherlock Holmes: no. Law doesn’t quite project enough charisma on screen to make any of his characters compelling – his greatest performances have usually come when called upon to play venal, unlikeable characters (The Talented Mr Ripley, Gattaca). But if you’re desperate for a star, Jude Law could be the handsome actor that will lend credibility to your project (before it inevitably crashes and burns in its opening weekend).
Robert Pattinson: He’s the star of a huge movie franchises: surely Robert Pattinson is a safe bet for my movie! Wrong. As proven by the flop that was Water for Elephants, girls aren’t crazy-mad for R-Patz, it’s actually Edward Cullen (the moody vampire he plays in Twilight) that they really have a crush on. As it turns out, modern teenage girls can distinguish between fact and fiction and will not slavishly follow the career of any particular actor. Even if that actor has a great head of hair.
Others: Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy
On a Budget?
Hugh Dancy, Orlando Bloom, Dougray Scott
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