Actor for Alexander
I've been asked a bunch of times which actor I think could play Alexander. Mostly, I've had to say, "Nobody." And, "Cast a complete unknown."
I still, honestly, think that would be the way to go.
Pulling off Alexander takes not just Peter O'Toole levels of talent but Peter O'Toole levels of charisma. And unconscious arrogance. (He played Lawrence or Arabia in a very Alexander-ish way, below with Omar Sharif.)
That's the problem. Colin Farrell was, imo, not right for the part. He's a good actor in "small screen" intense sorts of roles. Liked him in Phone Booth. LOVED him in Ondine. I did not like him as Alexander.
Buck Braithwaite is, I think, better, although I have issues with some of how they directed him. Still think William Shatner beat them both in sheer presentation.
Of people NOT cast as Alexander, Michael Hurst (who played Iolaus in the old '90s TV show Hercules) would have been a dream cast for me. Even in the '90s show, he was too old, but man, he's an amazing actor and looked right for the part. Stick that man in a Macedonian cuirass pronto!
Jon Bon Jovi in his youthful days could totally have played him. Blond hair AND he's (relatively) short. Total command of the stage.
It's not an accident I picked a rock star.
I believe I've finally found a (current) "name" actor I would not hate in the role (again, depending on how he was directed).
It took seeing him in Elvis, and also in Dune II, but yes, Austin Butler could, imo, play Alexander. He's blond and blue eyed, and he has a long face (which Alexander had). He's really too pretty, and definitely too tall. At 32, he's also too old (especially for younger ATG), although the baby face helps. But he's got the charisma in front of a crowd that many actors (even good actors) don't have. I think he has the emotional range to be both terribly charming and frighteningly fierce.
So if you had to cast a name actor, Austin Butler could pull off ATG, imo.
But ANY name actor is going to have the same issue ... baggage from prior roles. in that respect, Buck Braithwaite was not a bad choice. He did have film experience, but I'd never heard of the guy before. (He was still too old.)
If Austin Butler were cast as Alexander, could audiences NOT see him as Elvis-Alexander or Harkonen-Alexander? Dubious.
So yeah, I STILL think that finding a talented, YOUNG, hungry, super-charismatic unknown would be the way to go. Alexander should be a young actor between 22-24, imo. They can age him up easily. Harder to age him down, but still possible. Colin Farrell was just 26 at filming, and he still looked too old, imo.
Alexander was a BABY when he crossed to Asia, just 22. He needs to look it, for the full impact of what he did to really knock your socks off.
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My Broken Boys Of 2022, Ranked
1. Ben Whishaw (Women Talking)
So completely shattered inside, sweet and soft and all-around devastating.
2. Peter Dinklage (Cyrano)
Undone by his own self-loathing, no one has ever yearned so openly.
3. Brian Tyree Henry (Causeway)
Just look at those sorrowful puppy dog eyes. Don't you wanna hug those eyes?
4. Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin)
He just needs the love of his friend and his miniature donkey. Highly relatable.
5. Gabriel LaBelle (The Fabelmans)
Like, you know he is going to be okay, but also, he's never going to be okay.
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Don't Do call it a comeback.
The Golden Globes - the least respected awards show, but one that the industry loved because of the fawning, star-f*cking Hollywood Foreign Press Association and, hey, who doesn't a party and free flowing drinks - returns after the industry had to put on a time-out because of controversies surrounding their leadership.
While there were some film and television critics who called on press to not write about the event as they didn't feel the HFPA has truly addressed their failings, and celebrities who didn't even comment on their nominations because to do so would seemingly mean that they have forgiven the HFPA, there was still a good bit of star power on hand. And I must say I am pretty happy with the winners.
BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
The Fabelmans
*It's Spielberg so it's a well-made film, but it wasn't extraordinary. As I exited the screening someone ahead of me turned to their friend and said, "Well, not all of his films can be epic.". Spielberg has the hard task of topping himself. Upon reflection though, I appreciate the film more. Yes, I think he should have chosen to either focus on the familial relationship and his parents' marriage (the most interesting part of the film) or focus on a teen chasing his love of filmmaking - honestly, Spielberg's documentary exists so this film needn't cover both. But it's a brave thing for him as a son to examine their parents as mere humans and come to a place of understanding and acceptance of that (in reality it took Spielberg much longer than his film counterpart to come to peace with his parents' failed marriage).
BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
Steven Spielberg (The Fablemans)
BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
The Banshees of Inisherin
MORE WINNERS
BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin)
*The award was always Farrell's to lose and while I love he won, I was also pulling for Ralph Fiennes (The Menu). In typical Colin Farrell fashion he gave a wryly funny and heartfelt acceptance speech (which he started out big-upping Ana de Armas for her work in BLONDE), thanking Martin McDonaugh, his cast and his two sons James and Henry.
James is 19 already!
BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin)
*McDonagh thank his cast including "new friend Barry Keoghan who almost stole the movie and Kerry, an old friend who did steal the movie."
McDonagh attended with his partner Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
I wonder if Waller-Bridge bumped into Donald Glover. The two were to star in Amazon's TV adaption of MR. AND MRS. SMITH - a project that Glover brought to the streamer. He brought in Waller-Bridge who he became close to when they made SOLO (he also feted her when she won her BAFTA-LA honour). But in 2021 it was announced they had creative differences and she left the project. When Glover wrote about it in his self-interview in Interview magazine last year he wrote, "I still like her. I assume she still likes me." Waller's replacement is Maya Erskine of PEN15.
BEST MOTION PICTURE – NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Argentina, 1985 (Argentina), Prime Video
BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Cate Blanchett (Tár)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
Justin Hurwitz (Babylon)
BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Austin Butler (Elvis)
*Austin was asked about his still present Elvis accent. He says he doesn't think he sounds that much like Elvis anymore, but says it is now in his DNA.
Maybe when he does commentary for the DVD?
BEST MOTION PICTURE – ANIMATED
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
*A great film and deserving but I have a soft spot for PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH. I highly recommend it.
BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
*First major award win for an MCU project.
Her 1994 win vs. 2023.
Bassett and husband seemingly gathered their son after he participated in a TikTok prank ans told them Michael B. Jordan died.
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN MOTION PICTURE
Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All At Once)
*I think Ke Huy Quan's return to acting has eclipsed Brendan Fraser's role in THE WHALE as this awards season feel good story. Quan gave an emotional and enthusiastic speech, shouting out Steven Spielberg who cast him at 7-years old in INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM and later GOONIES which Spielberg executive produced.
While Quan has recently reconnected with Harrison Ford at last year's D23 (where Ford was stomping for the next Indiana Jones film and Quan season 2 of LOKI),
Quan and Spielberg has kept in touch over the year. After not finding acting work Quan began working behind the scenes in film as a stunt choreographer and assistant director. and Spielberg would frequently invite him to his film sets.
And while THE GOONIES cast has often reunited over the years like for their DVD commentary and other things, the one Goonie Quan remains the closest to is Jeff Cohen who played Chunk who has been Quan's lawyer for years.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“Naatu Naatu” (RRR)
*This whole time I thought "Naatu Naatu" was the end credit song of RRR, but no, that's "Etthara Jenda", which to me is the much better song. Some people speculate it's a bit too political which is why the studio didn't put it forward for consideration because you have to remember, India did not put RRR forward for anything - its American distributor is running this campaign. It's that distributor who has put it forward for Best Picture for the Oscars.
How big is RRR here in the states? Los Angeles based Beyond Fest announced they were selling tickets for a IMAX screening and cast Q&A and the tickets sold out in 98 seconds.
BEST TV SERIES – DRAMA
House of the Dragon
BEST TV SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Abbott Elementary
BEST ACTOR IN A TV SERIES – DRAMA
Kevin Costner (Yellowstone)
BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES – DRAMA
Zendaya (Euphoria)
BEST TV LIMITED, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR TV FILM
The White Lotus
BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED, ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR A FILM MADE FOR TV
Evan Peters, Dahmer (Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)
*Years ago I went to a panel Evan was on IIRC it was when Evan did the American Horror Story season of CULT and Evan talked about how supportive and caring Sarah Paulson is because AHS darkness often takes a toll on him and Paulson held enough awareness that she could tell when things were getting too rough on him and she would step in if the director/s were making him do too many retakes or if shooting went on too long. I hope in that time he has built up the armor he needs to not get worn down if he's going to keep playing in Ryan Murphy's toybox.
BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED, ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR A FILM MADE FOR TV
Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – TV LIMITED SERIES/FILM
Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – TV LIMITED SERIES/ANTHOLOGY/TV MOVIE
Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird)
*I am just going to assume Taron made this special post to show people that there are no hard feelings over PWH not thanking Taron during his speech.
Taron (in Giorgio Armani with his mum) was nominated for a SAG Award.
BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary)
BEST ACTOR IN A TV SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)
*Very happy for White but I really wished he had been recognized during his SHAMELESS years. He was as good as the often recognized William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – TV SERIES
Julia Garner (Ozark)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – TV SERIES
Tyler James Williams
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