Jack from Lights Camera Reaction recently invited fellow bloggers to participate in ‘Recast-athon’, where we’d recast characters of 2013 that we either hated or liked, but think that the role(s) could have been done better by another actor. The rule is to pick a minimum of three performances and explain the reasons.

So here are my picks and for the fourth one, I include one from 2012. Hey, rules are meant to be broken right? In this case I simply bent it a bit. So here we go!

The Great Gatsby

Now, it’s not that I dislike Leo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan as Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. Both are excellent actors but somehow their pairing just lacks ooomph, for a lack of a better word. I’d love to see someone like the inherently classy Tom Hiddleston try this role on for size. Hiddles seems to come from money himself, having gone to Eaton and Cambridge, and he’s got the versatility to be both charming and mysterious.

For Daisy, I was thinking of a delicate beauty who’s got a bit of an icy quality about her. Jessica Chastain may be eight years older but I think she still looks youthful enough for the role, plus she seems capable of being more seductive than Mulligan. Both actor have theatrical pedigree, Chastain went to Juilliard whilst Hiddleston went to RADA. I’d love to see these two light up the screen as lovers one day.

The Wolverine

One of my biggest issue with The Wolverine is that I think Wolvie’s love interest is entirely miscast. Sure miss Tao Okamoto is beautiful, she is a fashion model after all, but unfortunately she has no charisma nor the dramatic chops to give her character even an iota of realism. Not to mention the utter lack of chemistry with Hugh Jackman. I think Rinko Kikuchi would’ve been a much more compelling substitute had she not been too busy working on Pacific Rim. I’d even think even Koyuki, another Japanese actress who had a sweet chemistry with Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai would’ve been a better choice if she were slightly younger.

12 Years A Slave

Speaking of weak link, Brad Pitt is the least convincing performer in an otherwise fantastic ensemble in 12 Years A Slave. When his character showed up, it took me out of the movie a bit as he practically looked like a mega movie star playing a role. To make matters worse, he’s got the worst lines in the script, preaching to us how we should feel as if it weren’t obvious enough. As Pitt was the producer, I wish he had cast someone else in that role, perhaps an equally talented actor who’s not quite as famous. I’d suggest Greg Kinnear, who’s exactly the same age as Pitt (50). I think he’d be much more convincing and likely get the Canadian accent right, too.

Jack Reacher (2012)

Now, this one is from 2012, but I saw the movie last year so I thought I’d throw it out there as well who I’d love to see as Jack Reacher. Now, I think Tom Cruise did a decent job and I think the film is decent, but when I read the description of the character in the book, I always get a good chuckle as Cruise’s physicality is so ill-suited for the role.

Reacher is 6’5″ tall (1.96 m) with a 50-inch chest, and weighing between 220 and 250 pounds (100–115 kg). He has ice-blue eyes and dirty blond hair. He has very little body fat, and his muscular physique is completely natural (he reveals in Persuader, he has never been an exercise enthusiast). (per Wiki)

An actor’s physique is crucial for certain roles, especially when the novelist outline it so specifically in the book. So Tom got the hair color right but that’s like the least important thing and they can just easily lighten an actor’s hair if necessary.

Now, Richard Armitage is 6’2-1/2″, obviously much closer to the novel version of Reacher than the 5’7″ Cruise. He’s done a lot of military-type roles so no doubt he’s got what it takes to play a former Major in the US Army. He may not have the 50-inch chest but he can easily bulk up his lean-but-muscular frame. But more importantly, he’s got the intensity and bad-assery for the role, just watch BBC Spooks and the original Cinemax’s Strike Back if you need some convincing. Age wise, Richard (42) is also closer in age than Cruise (50) as Reacher is supposed to be in his late 30s.

Fame at times works against an actor as Cruise has done so many famous roles that it’s hard to see him as Jack Reacher (especially since he looks pretty much the same as he is in other action hero roles), so a lesser-known actor would actually be a more prudent choice.

Well, what do you think of my replacement picks? Also, who which role(s) would YOU re-cast from 2013 movies?