New faces

[pansy]

Who are the new up-and-coming A-listers in acting?

It's a very cyclical biz. Old faces fade away, with only a select few weathering the test of time (Sean Connery).

So, who are we writing for now? I mean, let's be real. Probabaly be a few years before any of us see our work make it to the big screen, hypotheticaly speaking of course!

Try as I might, I can't think of a new face/s that has that charisma that makes them a household name.

P

www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com (http://www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com)

[ALLWritety]

Who are the new up-and-coming A-listers in acting?

It's a very cyclical biz. Old faces fade away, with only a select few weathering the test of time (Sean Connery).

So, who are we writing for now? I mean, let's be real. Probabaly be a few years before any of us see our work make it to the big screen, hypotheticaly speaking of course!

Try as I might, I can't think of a new face/s that has that charisma that makes them a household name.

P

www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com (http://www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com)

I can't really think of any at the moment either!
Kevvers

[NikeeGoddess]

shia laboeuf - the new loveable a-list geek (disturbia, transformers)
josh harnett is still in need

but, its a waste of time really trying to write for these guys. if your script works for them -- great! but probably by the time you're finished they'll have several contracts lined up.

[pansy]

Not writing FOR them specifically. As writers we watch film and watch performances, and write our characters based on what has come before. If, for example, I want to do a screenplay that has a blind character, I am going to watch other films that had blind characters, such as Scent of a woman, plus try and interview or observe blind persons before attempting a final draft.

Each new 'generation' of performers brings fresh thinking to writing characters, and writing stories. Who here remembers when a man and a woman cound not be shown in bed together, or when body counts rarely went over one? Times change, and faces change with them.

As a writer, I am very curious who we are or will be ''working'' for.


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[scripter1]

and the Whalburg brothers will make the long haul.
Matt can do anything and Whalburg is the new tough.

Heath Ledger has carved out a nice place for himself and seems quite capable of doing almost anything as well. I expect that he will create a new iconic niche for the Joker in the Dark Knight.

Christian Bale is great, just watched him in the Prestige.
Hugh Jackman is pretty good.

As for young guys:
Silly as it may sound I think Hayden Christensen has some real potential.
Let him age a little, bulk him up a bit, and give him a great director and I think the kid could deliver all kinds of cool roles.

What has Josh done that's ever made an impact?
His one really good role was in Black Hawk Down. Everything else has been only so so, or not that great.

If Kutcher did a really sweet role that had some serious character depth to it then he might become a contender. I think he has more of the TV play for fun tilt to him though.

I think Shia is really dead serious about acting BUT I'm not sure if his looks will match him up to many roles. He will have to grow out of that dorky, boyish look he has.

[scripter1]

I don't ever write for a specific actor THOUGH I always have several potentials in the back of my mind.

I have a serial killer script that I am having quite a bit of fun working on right now. Just about finished with the first real draft. It will be going into the polish stage in a week or so.

I'm entertaining myself by plugging different actors into the role of the King of Hearts, a twenty something health club manager who molds his married female victims into the "perfect woman" and then cuts out their hearts when they prove themselves unfaithful.

Just imagine boy scout Tom Welling in the role.
Or sweet cherubic Hayden? How about amiable, playful Orlando?

The character I've written stays the same no matter what, but each actor would bring a very different personality to the role.

[nielsty]

Hmm, good question.

Gael Garcia Bernal has some depth in my opinion.

Keira Knightley could make it pretty far in Hollywood on her face and accent. I'm not saying she's the best actress, but she has shown some good things earlier. Anyone of you saw "Pure"?

Anne Hathaway could be one for the future.

Scarlet Johansson could also be a female lead for years to come.

Matt Damon is not a new name, but with the Bourne Trilogy he has shown a versatility which only few actors have. And he still has a few good years left in him...

And then there's all the Danish stars who are gonna flood Hollywood for years to come, but I won't bother you with them :-)

[NikeeGoddess]

scripter - i think she was talking about "future" a-list stars. your names are already a-list with varying degrees of course.

when anne rice adapted interview with a vampire she wrote her lead role of lestat with rutger hauer in mind for the part. by the time they were close to production the "up and coming" almost a-list actor, tom cruise got the role. she was so disappointed but then later quite pleased with his performance.

I think Shia is really dead serious about acting BUT I'm not sure if his looks will match him up to many roles. He will have to grow out of that dorky, boyish look he has. men have always had an easier time with getting roles regardless of their looks than women. so,this may not be the case with him. and it's definitely a new generation of acceptance of the geek. as new technology has flown over our heads we see the geek as our hero -- the one who can fix our technology ignorance. on saturday night we go to the movies. on saturday night the geeks read the techno manuals. and we love them for it.

ok, i'm done with that rant. off to back up all of my scripts!!!

[zagoraz]

When I think of actors with A-list potential only one name comes to mind - Dave Coulier.

[cadge]

I'm not an expert and I've only completed two screenplays, so feel free to discard what I say, although I've only ever given consideration to what actors would fit the roles after I've completed the screenplay. The only scenario where I would be likely to write a part for someone specific would be if I was in a similar position to Tarantino writing Pulp Fiction (the part of Jules was written for Samuel L. Jackson) and I was fairly confident that I would be able to direct and choose the cast myself.

[Joe Unidos]

when anne rice adapted interview with a vampire she wrote her lead role of lestat with rutger hauer in mind for the part. by the time they were close to production the "up and coming" almost a-list actor, tom cruise got the role.

Nit-picky maybe, but Tom Cruise (already having done The Firm, A Few Good Men (GG nom), Far and Away, Days of Thunder, Born on the Fourth of July(Oscar nom, GG nom), Rain Man, Cocktail, The Color of Money, Top Gun and Risky Business (GG nom)) was hardly an '"up and coming" almost a-list actor' when he was cast as Lestat. He was a solid a-lister. In fact, Rice was concerned that he was too big a star for the part --too much Hollywood's golden boy.

[Rainy Night]

When I think of actors with A-list potential only one name comes to mind - Dave Coulier.

I'll start writing a big screen adaptation of Full House right now! Think we can get Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen to reprise their roles?

[NikeeGoddess]

joe - you're right risky business was really his break-thru flicker

but it doesn't negate the anne rice mistake of writing for an actor who would soon be a has-been by the time they were ready to make the flick.

[Joe Unidos]

joe - you're right risky business was really his break-thru flicker

but it doesn't negate the anne rice mistake of writing for an actor who would soon be a has-been by the time they were ready to make the flick.

I agree 100%.

[zahra]

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I direct your attention to my current sig. He was in 'Band of Bros' and most recently, TV serial 'Cape Wrath' - 'Meadowlands' in the US. He has amazing power as an actor, and I'm using him as the model for my MC. My MCs being Brit, I'm not thinking in terms of Hollywood, particularly.

[scripter1]

Mentioned actors lasting as long as Sean Conner I figured that opened it up to young to middle aged guys who had a shot at lasting that long.

Matt I think qualifies. He really can do anything.
Heath Ledger is another that I think will last as long as Connery.

As far as the really young ones, I don't know. It's hard to say.
They could be really really good and then burn out.
They could end up just being mediocre and kind of fade out as they try to make that really harsh turn from teen actor to adult.

I like Shia, think he has great comedic and dramatic timing. I don't know if the entire world is really going to embrace the "geek" as hero.
Most of the films I see out right now still really make fun of the geek.
I haven't seen Transformers yet so I don't know how well Shia did as an action hero.
I saw the trailers for Disturbia and thought he looked good in that.

Hayden's got a lot of films in progress and we'll see if any of them help his trajectory. I think he will either fade out OR he'll get a nice role out of the blue, blow us away and then rocket off.

Now that I'm really thinking about this I'm going, "Do I even really know who is up and coming? Heck, how long has it been since I noticed the credits for anyone younger then me?"

I ought to know. Since I'm a writer.
I ought to know.

So, who are the up and comers?

[pansy]

men have always had an easier time with getting roles regardless of their looks than women.

Oh really !!

Ok, next point ...

Frances O'connor has a good face and charisma.

a

[NikeeGoddess]

Ok, next point ...
it may have something to do with playing bad guys - bad guys can be ugly but bad girls need to be hot and sexy.
and on tv sitcoms (i don't watch them so i don't know their names but...) fat guy husbands with thin cute wives?!!! there are too many of those and you never see the reverse.

ok BACK ON TOPIC:
pop stars and rap artists are always looking for cross-over vehicles. there's a long list of success starting with elvis... then marky mark... the ll cool j... and most recently justin timberlake. and i don't know the artist who this month is putting out a series of full-length, storytelling music videos. it's a slightly different market but it may be easier to tap into.

[pansy]

fat guy husbands with thin cute wives?!!! there are too many of those and you never see the reverse.

Few, but rare. It will change eventually. Gilmore girls comes to mind, hopefully more will follow.

To keep it in a fair perspective, I am sure there are a number of female executives or even casting directors that share the guilt. Pretty women attract viewers. Period.

Right or wrong is up to the ages to decide, but beauty has long been a blessing and a curse in society, and probabaly wont go away anytime soon. Both men AND women like to see beautiful women; men can't wait to ogle them, women can't wait to find their one fault, then scratch their eyes out.

It's my hope film and television will do more to make casts look more like society as it really is.

And, I'm sure there are many men complaining how easy it is to get into film if you are a pretty woman. The man has to get a job based on merit alone, the pretty woman, ah hell, we'll find a role for you. Here, put this short skirt on, checks in the mail!

A


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[scripter1]

we still don't really have a working list of up and coming actors to base opinions on.

So far we've only got Shia, Hayden, Josh, and some dude in a picture.
Is that it?

[Liverpool]

I hear Charlie Chaplin is up and coming.

[zeprosnepsid]

Here are some youngins' (although they seem to range in age from like 18 to 35) I think are here to stay (whether or not I think they're any good is another question...):

James McAvoy, Emile Hirsch, Michael Pitt, Matthew Goode, Shia LeBeouf, Chris Evans, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Casey Affleck, Daniel Radcliffe, Ryan Gosling, Cillian Murphy

Keira Knightley, Scarlett Johanssen, Eva Green, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kristen Bell, Evan Rachel Wood, Michelle Monaghan, AnnaSophia Robb, Rose Byrne

That's all I can think of off the top of my head....

[zeprosnepsid]

And Ben Foster, did you see 3:10 to Yuma? Anyone who can show up Russell Crowe and Christian Bale certainly has a future.

And Zac Efron. What? He's probably still going to be around in 10 years. He could be the new Tom Cruise. Except with more dancing.