"Casting The 40ish Napoleon" Topic

If you were Stephen Spielberg (meaning your company has access to every SAG card holder anywhere) how would you begin the casting process for a film of Waterloo? Which (ugh term) 'A' list actors do you start offering the part to, wondering who is interested? Who among the plethora of brillant character actors do call for auditions? Let some names come up :)

Tom Hanks as Blucher.

Kevin Spacey as Napoleon

Alec Baldwin as Wellington.

Philip Seymour Hoffman as Ney.

Rod Steiger as Napoleon

Given that Steiger has been dead for 11 years, I'm guessing he'll be unavailable

Danny DeVito as Napoleon

and how long has Napoleon been dead?

Jude Law as Wellington

Armin Müller-Stahl as Blücher.

Couldn't we get an actor to play Wellington, rather than the above suggestions. Obviously Benedict Cumberbatch.

Arnie as Blucher.

Wow- Armin as Blucher- excellent idea

Benedict Cumberbatch. Can you give me a link to some previous work? I only ask because as an American I really don't know- part of our handicap.

Tom Cruise as Napoleon

Never mind- you are right- that 'kid' could play a middle-aged
Wellington. Great range of haughty expressions :)

It can't be Tom, because it needs to be Napoleon, not Tom, as Tom well knows.

Robert Di Niro as Napoleon

Couldn't we get an actor to play Wellington, rather than the above suggestions. Obviously Benedict Cumberbatch.

As God is my witness, I first considered Cumberbatch, but I couldn't get past those cheekbones. With regards to the bona fides of Mr. Law, I quote Sean Penn, "Jude Law is one of our most talented actors." Now, Penn may be a humorless, self-important douchenozzle, but he's no slouch when it comes to the thespianic milieu, and in this case I think he's mostly right.

Napoleon was tough, but I think I found him. The right balance of good actor and "close enough" in terms of appearance.

Colm Feore

Ney is tough. He would require an actor of consummate skill to carry the role, and the fact that he was a distinctive looking fellow doesn't make it any easier. But then I thought, "Who is supremely talented at completely disappearing into a role, has depth and subtlety, and also owns acres of forehead."

Answer: Gary Oldman

Justin Bieber. He will be box office magic!

no…he needs to be some poor English foot soldier that gets a Lance in the face then trampled by a lot of cavalry.

Another try with a shorter URL for a picture:

Joaquin Phoenix looks a lot like him, right age, has been known to act well.

link

Napoleon.

Jean Reno.

link

If John Woo was in charge we could have Vin Diesel as Wellington, Schwartzenegger as Blucher with Jean-Claude Van Damme as Napoleon.

And more blood than was shed in the actual battle.

Jean Reno is (approximately) eight feet tall! Napoleon was of average height. We can't have him towering over the Grognards!

Mike Myers as Napoleon,
Sir Ian Mackellen as Blucher (Or John Hurt)
Daniel Day Lewis would be able to do a good Wellington.

Although Dutch, Rutger Hauer is now the perfect age to play Blucher, and would have fun doing it.

Liam Neeson has to play Picton.

That bloke who played Wellington in the first two Sharpes was a good fit for Welly. Might be too old now though.

Jude law is a baby face.

It's a tough one now. I'd have Hugh Jackman as Wellington. Max Von Sydow as Blucher (not dead is he?) if he can't then Christopher Lee.

For the big man… The Devil Himself. Napoleon.

Anthony Hopkins maybe. Need some hair dye though.
With Rod Stiegar, John Candy, James Gandolfini all dead very few would look the part. Jack Black? But he's crap.
Gerard Depardieu just wouldn't look right. Harvey Keitel?

Belushi!! The one that's not dead.

Ney should be played by a Frenchman. It's only right and proper.
Vincent Cassel.
Really he'd be a better Murat I think. But he's not there. Red wig. Boom. Jobs a good un.