A few things to keep in mind:
There is absolutely no reason, by the text, that the actors cast for Georgia and Shaun need to be white. George is described as "pale" after she's been inside for a long period of time, but that's it. The only characters that really need to be cast Caucasian are Buffy and the older Masons (Stacy and Michael). Buffy because she's blonde, the Masons because they're a very specific sort of suburban archetype gone horribly wrong.
Your Shaun and Georgia should be similar in age, because they're going to be playing off each other a lot.
Explaining your casting/supplying pictures is a big, big plus.
At the end of the week—well, Thursday; I'm on a plane all day Friday—I'll pick the dream cast I like best and send them a signed copy of Blackout. Because I hate the post office but hate thinking about addresses more, this is open to everyone.
Have fun!
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June 25 2012, 14:27:40 UTC 4 years ago Edited: June 25 2012, 14:28:17 UTC
Adrianne Palicki - if I imagine her with super curly hair. I don't know why I picture Buffy with super curly hair. Anyway. She would work for me. She has, to me, that kind of busty blonde goofy look, but not really ... bimbo-y. I am not great with the words.
Georgia is always hard. Currently I am leaning towards Genevieve Padalecki. She has strong features and, from what I've seen of her acting, does kind of ... aggressive firm pushy well. Haha. She'd just have to cut her hair.
For Sean, I want Jessie Williams. Again, I am biased because I am in love with him, but he also kind of has a really mischievous ... expression. Often. And mischievous is how I want Sean to look more often than not, haha. Plus, look at his eyes.
Rick, I vote for Henry Cavill. He's younger than the actors for Sean and Georgia, which if I recall, would not be correct, but his physical age progression in the Tudors leads me to believe he could play older AND I think shows his likely ability to transform from the Rick in the first to the Rick in the last.
Finally, for Ryman, I say Nathan Fillion. He has that kind of ... strong jawed look that should just be a caricature of a politician, plus I think he could play off the fine line between cheesy political posturing and not quite cheesy political posturing that would make a good Ryman. If that makes sense.
June 26 2012, 15:09:57 UTC 4 years ago
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June 25 2012, 15:32:26 UTC 4 years ago
But that changes all my previous picks for George. Will have to ponder this a bit.
June 25 2012, 16:03:02 UTC 4 years ago
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June 25 2012, 15:37:04 UTC 4 years ago Edited: June 25 2012, 15:39:00 UTC
June 25 2012, 22:16:15 UTC 4 years ago
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June 25 2012, 15:42:28 UTC 4 years ago
I like Jesse Williams for Shaun. Paired with a "pale" Georgia, his appearance would be a nice subliminal reminder that a certain objection some readers had about the two has no genetic basis.
June 25 2012, 15:45:06 UTC 4 years ago Edited: June 25 2012, 15:46:23 UTC
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June 25 2012, 17:40:50 UTC 4 years ago
In my mind I picture a guy I know and can't deviate from that but this kinda works.
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June 25 2012, 17:05:07 UTC 4 years ago
Michelle Monaghan or Lynn Collins for Georgia.
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June 25 2012, 17:05:21 UTC 4 years ago
Georgia Mason - Allison Scagliotti
Georgette "Buffy" Meissonier - Leven Rambin
Mahir Gowda - Alessandro Juliani
Senator Peter Ryman - Stephen Moyer
Rick Cousins - Tom Hiddleston
Rebecca "Becks" Atherton - Anna Kendrick
June 25 2012, 17:22:09 UTC 4 years ago
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June 25 2012, 17:31:27 UTC 4 years ago
Again if it were 15ish years ago, I'd cast Salma Hayek (Desperado) as Georgia because Selma plays headstrong women and I generally like Salma Hayek. Maybe Jessica Alba (fantastic Four)? I like the idea of underscoring that Georgia and Shaun aren't genetically related and I can't think of a non-white actor with the Shaun body type off the top of my head. I also think Alba could indeed play a smart and cool character well.
Speaking of Avengers, Scarlett Johansson for Buffy?
The Masons: Timothy Hutton and Sarah Michelle Gellar. Hutton's got the acting chops to play Awesome on the outside, kinda slimy on the inside. Sarah Michelle Gellar would just be kinda funny to cast as Mrs. Mason because everyone knows SMG from the do right Buffy and this role would play to and pervert that.
June 25 2012, 17:57:13 UTC 4 years ago
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June 25 2012, 18:19:07 UTC 4 years ago Edited: June 25 2012, 18:21:36 UTC
photo of Dana Davis & Jesse Williams
But before I got sidetracked thinking about that and as I was reading Blackout, I realized I kept kind of picturing Ethan Peck as Shaun. Based, weirdly enough, almost entirely on his work as Patrick in ABC Family's 10 Things I Hate About You TV series. I think you'd believe him as the guy who just wants to go poke zombies but also as the guy who can take charge when he has to...
photo of Ethan Peck
Also, I think I like the idea of Dichen Lachman as Becks. Not at all what I pictured as I read the books but she popped into my head as I was reading the other ideas here and now I want to go back and reread with her in mind.
ETA: Can't embed my photos so I just changed those into links for the curious.
June 26 2012, 00:39:12 UTC 4 years ago
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June 25 2012, 18:22:19 UTC 4 years ago
Hunter Parrish as Shaun: I know the post said that Shaun and Georgia aren't necessarily white, but I didn't read the Masons as likely to adopt children of a different race because they pay so much attention to their family's "look." Mrs. Mason, in particular, strikes me as wanting a matchy-matchy family with children that look like they actually could be hers. Besides that, Hunter looks like the guy who plays soccer, gets B+ grades, and does dumb shit with cars, which is exactly how I picture Shaun in a zombie-free world. There's also a breeziness about him that I like because Shaun DOESN'T live in a zombie-free world, but he's learned to appear absolutely unaffected all the time.
Anna Popplewell as Georgia: Anna is perfectly pale, and her eyes aren't her most attention-grabbing feature, so I figure she could pull off wearing shades all film. Too, I have this idea that if the world had been normal then Georgia would have been a "normal" girl with the clothes and the make-up, so I wanted an actress who looked like that- one who'd look a little startling hopping on a bike and slaying zombies. And she does a great, "I am currently so unimpressed" face.
Elizabeth Reaser as Mrs Mason: I didn't even have to think about this one. She can totally play suburban mom gone wrong- it's something about her eyes, really- and she looks athletic enough to be a believable Irwin star.
Simon Baker as Mr. Mason: Working off my "matchy-matchy family" theory, I'd decided Mrs. Mason should be brunette like Georgia, so Mr. Mason had to be blonde like Shaun. Then there was an ad for The Mentalist reruns on TV, so yeah. This happened. I think Simon looks professorial enough, too, for the man Mr. Mason used to be.
Dianna Agron as Buffy: She's blonde, she played a cheerleader on Glee, and she actually bears some resemblance (particularly in her hair-styling) to SMG.
Donald Faison as Rick: I love him, and he does a great, "Really?" expression, which would be useful to the character because I think that's Rick's frequent reaction to the Masons- "Really? This is what you're doing?" And he'd be adorable with a cat.
Timothy Olyphant as Peter Ryman: It's the jawline. It just makes him look charismatic. Heh. But, really, put this man in a suit, give his hair just a touch of grey, and you have a polished political contender. Take him out of the suit and you have the guy who works on his wife's ranch. Which brings me to...
Emily Deschanel as Emily Ryman: She's beautiful and I love the way she speaks, so I had to cast her.
Jon Voight as Governor Tate: This goes all the way back to Varsity Blues for me- the man is the quintessential bad guy in a suit.
Shazad Latif as Mahir: I LOVED Shazad in Spooks because it's an amazing show, and he was amazing in it. He played an MI-5 techie, so I'm used to thinking of him surrounded by computers. He'd be spectacular as Mahir, and while that role wouldn't have much face time in Feed, his voice would be around throughout (and it's a great voice), AND having him for the sequel would be a must.
June 25 2012, 18:40:19 UTC 4 years ago
I don't picture Georgia as pale, though, except when she's been kept indoors against her will.
I rather terribly want Adrian Pasdar as Ryman because he does both sunny openness and terrifying shades of grey with complete perfection and can switch from one to the other on a dime.
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June 25 2012, 19:39:41 UTC 4 years ago
Other people? I like the suggestion of Jesse Williams playing Shawn which would work well with Jamie's age. Or Jensen Ackles since he does a good job doing storming around angry at the world. He's probably too old by now though?
I want to cast Maggie but I don't know any young women I like who look like she is in my head. Everyone is too thin and I always pictured her less so but still gorgeous. It's probably not a surprise I can't think of anyone with the body type I would look for :/
I have pictured an actor/director friend of mine as Mahir this whole time but I know it would be wrong since my friend is Iranian and Mahir is Indian but I just cannot shake the image of Kevin Hamadini playing him.
The suggestion as Hayden Panettier for Buffy is a good one. The only other suggestions I have are too old for the role now :P
I don't have more time right now but I will think about some more characters...
June 26 2012, 00:47:32 UTC 4 years ago
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June 25 2012, 21:01:49 UTC 4 years ago
My casting was highly influenced by the fact that I was marathoning Dead Like Me when I was reading Feed, but it's always seemed right in my head and not just because Georgia Lass in Dead Like Me has the same name, and Mason in Dead Like Me has Shaun's last name. Just. Well.
Ellen Muth as Georgia. 1. 2. 3. First reason I'd want her to be Georgia is just because of how perfectly Georgia she is in Dead Like Me. Sarcastic, dangerous without really acknowledging it, and clever as all hell, so we know that Ellen Muth would be able to handle the role well. Maybe Georgia Mason would be quite a bit more lethal than Georgia Lass, but I have a feeling she'd roll with the part. Second are her features. She has very dark eyes. In some shots you can tell that they're brown, but in most shots they're so dark that they look black, same as I'd imagine Georgia's retinal Kellis-Amberlee. Her hair tends to be blond in most shows, with the roots showing through dark. This is very Georgia without having had a chance to dye her hair in awhile to me, though for Ellen Muth with properly dyed "Georgia" hair, there is this.
Callum Blue as Shaun. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. If anything, Callum Blue's Mason has far more in common with Shaun than Ellen Muth's Georgia Lass has in common with Georgia Mason. There are the obvious differences, but for those of you who have seen the show, Mason had a mischievous personality with the thrill for danger that is so essentially Irwin. He's protective of those he cares about, and his love for people is both secreted away and so blatant that it's ridiculous. And Ellen Muth and Callum Blue are beautiful when they play off of each other, same as Georgia and Shaun would be.
Pictures of those two together: 1. 2. 3.
June 25 2012, 21:02:19 UTC 4 years ago
Buffy is difficult, because I saw her as a combination of people (Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kristin Bell, Dianna Agron, Laura Harris.) For the same reason as before, my opinion is biased towards Laura Harris. And the image of Buffy making Shaun dance with her makes me happy. While Laura Harris' Daisy in Dead Like Me acts a lot like Buffy, I still can't see it.
Sendhil Ramamurthy as Mahir. 1. 2. 3. 4. In my head Sendhil is around Mahir's age, if not just slightly younger. He's also brilliant at playing the most clever of people, which Mahir is.
Bill Pullman as Governor Tate. 1. 2. He's entirely too good at playing the villain behind everything, and looks the part.
For Rick, I agree with
Gina Torres as Becks. 1. 2. While she's a little older than I'd put Becks, she is also an extreme badass and I can see her being a brilliant Becks.
I had people in mind for the (older) Masons and Senator Ryman, but for the life of me I cannot remember them now.
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June 25 2012, 21:02:29 UTC 4 years ago
Georgia Mason: Molly Quinn (although she may be a little young) or Rachel Nichols
Georgette "Buffy" Meissonier - Emily VanCamp
Mahir Gowda - Sendhil Ramamurthy
Senator Peter Ryman - Timothy Olyphant
Rick Cousins - Jamie Bamber
Rebecca "Becks" Atherton: Alison Brie
Mr. Mason: Peter Gallagher
Mrs. Mason: Mariska Hargitay
June 26 2012, 01:53:41 UTC 4 years ago
(he could play a rock on the side of the road and it'd be excellent... it would be such a sexy rock)
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June 25 2012, 21:59:07 UTC 4 years ago
More ethnically diverse option for Georgia: Freida Pinto (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2951768/) who would be more likely to bear a resemblance to Mahir's wife.
Shaun: I see several "Heroes" alumni have been mentioned for roles, so how about Thomas Dekker (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0215281/) who appeared in the first season and then went on to play John Connor. He has the bonus of being close in age to my pick for Georgia.
Buffy: I have to agree that Hayden Panettiere would be a good pick for that role.
Stacy Mason: I don't know quite why, but I keep seeing Natasha Henstridge (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000449/) in this role. She does make a good action girl.
Michael Mason: Tough one, most of the actors I can picture as being professorial tend to be about 70, Upon further review of the source material, I'll have to go with David Caruso based on the physical description from Blackout.
Rick Cousins: I'll take Joshua Jackson (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005045/) for this one.
Senator Ryman: Simon Baker (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0048932/) who, in addition to his acting skills, has previously demonstrated a willingness to appear in a zombie movie (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418819/).
Governor Tate: John Lithgow (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001475/) who can definitely fulfill the role and is unfortunately too old to play Michael Mason.
June 26 2012, 17:53:11 UTC 4 years ago
June 25 2012, 22:02:14 UTC 4 years ago
There's really only one choice to play Doctor Abbey, though. Mira Grant herself.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as the Masons. Making (as suggested below) Jon Voight as Tate a fun casting.
While I am having fun with it, Nathan Fillion and Gina Torres as the Rymans. Adam Baldwin as Steve.
June 26 2012, 02:44:26 UTC 4 years ago
When I read the novels I always hear her as Georgia.
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June 25 2012, 22:02:34 UTC 4 years ago
Stacy Mason: Sharon Stone
Michael Mason: Pierce Brosnan
George Mason: Soo Ae
Shaun Mason: Ian Somerhalder
Buffy Meissonier: AnnaSophia Robb
Mahir Gowda: Aasif Mandvi
Rick Cousins:Brad Dourif
David Tate: Kurt Fuller
Peter Ryman: Jon Hamm
June 26 2012, 03:27:15 UTC 4 years ago
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Speaking of Dollhouse, maybe Dichen Lachman for George?
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