Whedonesque : Comments on 15244 : Recast Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I have this image in my head of gossi coming in here at some point and saying something about a can being open and there being worms everywhere.

[ edited by theonetruebix on 2008-01-17 08:38 ]

theonetruebix | January 17, 11:38 CET

There are actually a few people I'd take out... none of the MAIN cast though.

Dan Corson | January 17, 11:41 CET

Of course, the cast was all so great, there's no need to replace them, but I have to admit, every time I watched Veronica Mars, I thought "This girl could have played Buffy." Kristen Bell is the only person I've ever thought could pull off what SMG did.

And Ellen Page is so awesome, if I was casting Buffy today I would try to fit her in. Or I would just write a damn part for her. (Joss, when are you, her and Marvel getting together on a Kitty Pryde movie? ;-)

jam2 | January 17, 12:14 CET

I don't think Kristen Bell could do Buffy; her acting style seems subtly different, it would be interesting to see though, and I would like to be proven wrong about this.

I'm not knocking her; I think she is amazing in Veronica Mars. Also saw her in heroes, which was a nice surprise, and thought she was great in that too.

I can't imagine characters like Joyce being recast; she is just too perfect.

Vortigun | January 17, 12:59 CET

Given that Hollywood likes to cannibalize its own, I can see a remake of Buffy several years down the line.

Simon | January 17, 13:02 CET

I would make Ellen Muth one of the Season 7 potentials. Don't care which one. (Yes, I'm copping out on re-casting the bigs.)

theonetruebix | January 17, 13:07 CET

This is blasphemy of the highest order! Never has a show been cast so perfectly, not a single even relatively major actor could be recast without upsetting the most perfect alchemy of any ensemble cast in the history of TV.

Otherwise, I'm neutral ;-)

Shey | January 17, 13:17 CET

Buffy: Britney Spears
Xander: Adnan Ghalib
Willow: Alli Simms
Giles: Sam Lufti
Spike: Kevin Federline

From the comments, not my suggestions! Don't ban me!

zz9 | January 17, 13:42 CET

This reply on the site made me spit my cornflakes.

Buffy: Britney Spears
Xander: Adnan Ghalib
Willow: Alli Simms
Giles: Sam Lufti
Spike: Kevin Federline

eth3er | January 17, 13:42 CET

*refrains from posting a "Recast WHEDONesque" thread over on the white*

theonetruebix | January 17, 13:54 CET

The actors were as much creators of the parts as Joss and the other writers were IMO, i'm very much not of the "interchangeable cogs" opinion you sometimes hear re: Buffy. That said ;) ...

Ellen Page is great, I could see her as Willow or maybe Anya, not Buffy though.

Kristen Bell could probably play her, she certainly has the skills but she is a slightly different style of performer - maybe it's just the roles i've seen her in but she always has a cynical edge to her (she plays vulnerable within cynical beautifully but there's still that edge IMO). I can see her directing the troops, and I can certainly see her delivering "And it'll choke on me ...", not so sure I can see her completely falling apart as SMG does in e.g. 'I Will Remember You'.

Someone in the comments suggested Hugh Laurie as Giles and that'd work. As it turns out the guy can do anything and he certainly has a patrician air about him and the right baggage from a role history perspective (i.e. House).

Nicolas Cage's oppo in 'National Treasure' could be alright as Xander (dunno his name). Or Adam Brodie (and he's quite a realistically geeky sort). They might both just be slightly too old in appearance though.

From the list, Spike is the toughest for me - not sure whether to go for another Yank putting on an accent or a Brit. Again from the comments, someone suggests Cillian Murphy (who's neither Yank nor Brit ;) so i'll cheat and nick that I reckon. He was great in 'Sunshine' and can definitely act but he also has a slightly off-kilter look to him, you can believe he's either very, very good or very, very bad. Both of which are very, very Spike ;).

Wesley I won't even try to do. At that point I have an imagination breakdown and just can't see anyone other than Alexis Denisof making "Karaté !" so hilarious and "My throat was cut and all my friends abandoned me" so heartbreaking, lad's got range.

Saje | January 17, 14:00 CET

Iit is so hard because the characters were built, in their details, so much around the actors, and what they did best. It's not that other actors couldn't have done it; it's more that it would have been so very different. And it is kind of fun to imagine that.

toast | January 17, 14:25 CET

Why recast any of the characters from "Buffy"? Just take the suggestions, and make Slayers, Watchers and Scoobies out of them. Nothing wrong with a few spinoffs to keep the Slayerverse going.
Ellen Page and Caroline Dhavernas come to mind as Slayers. I think Kristen Bell is a bit too old to be Chosen, but she could be a Watcher in Training...but with plenty of skills to make a zombie nervous. While Hugh Laurie would make a good Watcher, how about his comedy partner, Stephen Fry?
Or, how about Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry from the 1992 movie as parents who suddenly see some changes in their 16 year old daughter...such as hanging out at graveyards with a stake in her hand? Add a twist that it's not the first time there's been a Slayer in the family, and you're off.

[ edited by impalergeneral on 2008-01-17 12:23 ]

impalergeneral | January 17, 15:16 CET

I've always hoped one day Joss would do Middle-aged!Buffy ...

kispexi2 | January 17, 15:31 CET

... and Caroline Dhavernas ...

Oh good call impalergeneral. She had a smallish part in a Chris Cooper film I can't remember the name of (it was about a real-life US double-agent, kind of an American Kim Philby) but apart from that not much recently. Pity cos she's great.

And Stephen Fry would be excellent as a Watcher, I actually thought of him before Laurie but then discarded him because he's not very Giles-esque (too big, too bluff).

Actually, since we're in that neck of the woods, Emma Thompson would be a good female watcher, or how about as an older ex-Slayer, another one that was "killed" so that someone else could be called but then came back except, unlike Buffy, in circumstances such that no-one knew so that she just went on with her life. I see her as a bit world-weary, a bit battle-damaged but still capable - maybe sort of like Sean Connery in 'The Rock' (only younger and better looking, no offence Big Tam ;).

Saje | January 17, 15:42 CET

Recasting Buffy chars? *shakes head* NO! Even though BtVS reminds me a lot of the the characters of Xena and Hercules (you know you saw it too) I can't. It is too painful. Perfection should not be messed with!

The comment about K-Fed playing Spike made me sick even though it was done in a jokey way. I did laugh at Brit/Buffy, pictured Buffy dancing around vamps, holding the stake as a mike, all decked out in pink. Scary. *shudders* Sweet would turn in his grave if he were dead.

OT- I want Sweet to come back!!! We need an Angel musical lol

Mirage | January 17, 15:48 CET

I was playing with that last year:

Bollywood Buffy

redeem147 | January 17, 16:35 CET

These characters are so iconic I cannot imagine recasting them. Couldanyone other than Alyson Hannigan ever play Willow? Not a chance!

But I was intrigued by the call for Hugh Laurie, who I think is a great actor. And I also got a kick out of Chloe Sevigny being recast as Tara; she might bring that same kind of sweetness to the role that Amber Benson did (even though she would have the shade of Brown Bunny hanging over her head).

And if you can fit Ellen Page into anything, that'd be cool. And same for Caroline Dhavernas and Ellen Muth- and so we should also include Anna Friel just to cover all the bases. :-)

Dana5140 | January 17, 16:50 CET

Carey Mulligan as Buffy.
Recast Giles? Are you mad?
Ditto Will.

Is this gonna be deleted? Well OK. I just can't be bothered to register with yet another site.

ZodKneelsFirst | January 17, 17:34 CET

wouldn't recast anyone, but i would kill Riley off after his first episode.

pongluver | January 17, 17:47 CET

Yeah, but of all the orchestral themes, the Buffy/Riley one is the best, so you'd miss out on that.

Banter | January 17, 18:09 CET

Really? I prefer the Close Your Eyes theme for Buffy and Angel.

This is one show that should never, EVER be recast. All the roles landed so nicely. I think Kristen Bell could pull Buffy off easily, but I would never want to see Sarah recast. I'd be much more interested in seeing Sarah and Kristen play together in some new movie/series... And if we could get Nicole Kidman in there somewhere, I'd be in heaven (from which my friends wouldn't bother to take me out of).

Valentyn | January 17, 18:24 CET

ZodKneelsFirst, interesting idea - Carey Mulligan as Buffy. Hmm, an English Buffy, so maybe an American Giles. Mandy Patinkin?

Pongluver, Kill Riley off after the first episode? No way, how can you be so cruel?

Edit to correct grammatical incompetence.

[ edited by alien lanes on 2008-01-17 16:31 ]

alien lanes | January 17, 18:44 CET

Can open, worms EVERYWHERE.

gossi | January 17, 19:02 CET

Mandy would leave halfway through the first season. :-)

How about:
Buffy: Christina Cole
Willow: Jemima Rooper
Spike: Michael Fassbender

Oh wait, they already did that! ;-)

Dana5140 | January 17, 19:09 CET

wouldn't recast anyone, but i would kill Riley off after his first episode.

Please use correct capitalization. Plus you will never get on Simon's good side by killing Riley! ;)

zeitgeist | January 17, 19:10 CET

I know it's no longer cool, at least on "Heroes" boards, to be impressed by her performance, but from the pilot straight through the second season, I think that Hayden Panettiere would be the go-to girl for a new Buffy.

If by recasting, we might reconceive the characters, you could get a great take on Giles from Chiwetel Ejiafor.

An actress that I think could do an interesting take on Willow (but again, a different sort of Willow) would be Shannon Woodward ("The Riches").

And, right now, just because I've been rewatching "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" on my DVR all week, I'll say Thomas Dekker for Xander.

KingofCretins | January 17, 19:18 CET

Buffy: Dakotah Fanning
Willow: AnnaSophia Robb

filops | January 17, 19:23 CET

When I was watching My So-Called Life, Clair Danes reminded me so much of Dawn.

Of course Clair Danes is like 30 now, so that wouldn't work...

Vortigun | January 17, 19:29 CET

I don't know enough about current younger actors to specualte, and I won't mix living older actors with deceased ones, but here's a re-cast for a remake filmed along the River Styx:

Buffy: Lillian Gish
Willow: Anne Gwynne (40s Universal horror babe)
Xander: Richard Crenna
Angel:Jeffrey Hunter
Giles: Brian Ahearne
Spike:Stanley Baker
Oz: Nick Adams (a James Dean lite type)
The Master: Orson Welles
Ethan Rayne: George Sanders
Harmony: MArilyn Monroe
Faith: Natalie Wood
MAyor Wilkins: Ross MArtin

Cordelia, Tara, Dawn, Joyce, Wesley; no clue whatever

DaddyCatALSO | January 17, 19:33 CET

Give it a few more years and cast Sofia Vassilieva as Buffy and Ariel Gade as Willow (although that would need a few more years).

alien lanes | January 17, 19:33 CET

James Marsters was fantastic as Spike, but if there was no way he would do it then I do like the idea (and would love to see) Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the role.

Passion | January 17, 19:47 CET

In that case, we'd have to have a naked Buffy (or a deaf one), since Meyers told the London 'Metro' newspaper that he hates actresses who won't take their clothes off. He apparently wants to, and I quote, "cut off their ears".

alien lanes | January 17, 20:08 CET

Can we recast the Buffy movie?
Let's start with the director...

Love's Bitch | January 17, 20:08 CET

Well, this is just nutty.

But if it were say all camp, all the time:

Bruce Campbell as Giles
Paula Abdul as Joyce
Harvey Fierstein as Principal Snyder
Kelly Clarkson as Buffy
Carson Kressly as Spike
Quentin Tarantino as Angel

I slay myself. Can't imagine anyone else doing the roles.

Tonya J | January 17, 20:23 CET

I can see the suggestions of Mandy Patinkin for Giles and Kristen Bell for Buffy, but no one, and I mean NO ONE, touches Spike, not even in jest!

luvspike | January 17, 20:24 CET

Simon is probably right that it is inevitable. I hope that when it does happen it's all with leads who are in diapers now and that we won't hear of for years.

Also: note almost identical simultaneous postings by zz9 and eth3er. A real internet moment – two people LOLing at the same thing at the same time on one site then reposting it on another. (PS. Hi, this is my first comment.)

[ edited by KS on 2008-01-17 17:33 ]

KS | January 17, 20:29 CET

Who else could NewBuffy be but Kristen Bell? No one.

patxshand | January 17, 20:39 CET

I can see Simon Pegg as Willow.

Nebula1400 | January 17, 20:40 CET

Giles-- Tom Welling
- I read that in the comments on the other site. Holy crap. Are those people on crack?

You can't recast Buffy. It can't be done. Just like you can recast the original Star Trek...but I digress.

kerfuffle | January 17, 21:04 CET

I can't imagine Btvs recast.

And omg, someone was killing off Riley?

Awww man, I didn't care much for Angel on Btvs but even I'm not that cruel!

menomegirl | January 17, 21:47 CET

impalergeneral said:

Just take the suggestions, and make Slayers, Watchers and Scoobies out of them.

Love that idea.
I'd like to see Christopher Eccleston, Richard Schiff, Idris Elba and Tim Roth as watchers.
*Eccleston -not necessarily in manic Dr. Who mode, but maybe more in freaked out wonder a la The Second Coming
*Schiff - straight up Toby Ziegler-esque moral hand-wringing
*Elba - he did a great job in Ultraviolet (British mini-series worth checking out for vamp lovers) and did a great American accent on The Wire, so we can have a Brit do an American accent for a change of pace
*Roth - anything he would do with it would be interesting

igj | January 17, 22:02 CET

I would only recast Anya, as in not haveing that character in the show at all. Never really liked her that much.

Hanselel | January 17, 22:06 CET

I really don't think that they needed to recast Buffy. Joss casted the show perfectly. Well, with the possible exception of Veruca. I can't see anyone else stepping into those roles.

crazygolfa | January 17, 22:11 CET

Tonya J : I love Bruce Campbell as Giles! It would be a very different Giles but a very interesting change!

alien lanes: I don't know anything personally about Jonathan Rhys Meyers but I've seen him in a couple movies, saw him listed on the page as a possible Spike, and thought he might do a good job. His professional acting is what I considered when I agreed he would be an interesting choice.

I think another cool Spike is Cillian Murphy. Whenever I see him act I am always impressed by his talent.

And love Hayden Panettiere for Buffy.

Passion | January 17, 22:22 CET

Giles: Christopher Plummer (c. 1965)
Willow: a very young Gillian Anderson or Anne Hathaway
Drusilla: Charlotte Rampling (c.1972)
Xander: a young Jimmy Stewart or Michael Cera
Tara: Nastassia Kinski (c. 1980)
Big Bad: Klaus Kinski (any age)
The Mayor: Tom Hanks (c. 2008)
Glory: Barbara Stanwyck (c. 1950) or Isadora Duncan
Buffy: SMG--hard to imagine anyone else in that role . . . .
Spike: Jim Morrison or the woman who plays Shane on "The L Word"
Joyce: Irene Dunne (c. 1945) or a 45 year old Blythe Danner
Faith: James Dean
Harmony: Jean Arthur (that comic actress from the 1940's)
Angel: that guy on "ER"--Goran Visjnic (sp?)
Cordelia: Natalie Wood (c. l963)

[ edited by stellabee on 2008-01-17 19:35 ]

stellabee | January 17, 22:30 CET

I wouldn't touch any of them but SMG. I thought she did a fine job, but I agree that Kristen Bell would have been amazing. I'd love to see her play Buffy's vulnerability.

Samantha | January 17, 23:01 CET

I always thought Bruce Campbell would have been great as Xander's father (or an older uncle).

menomegirl | January 17, 23:05 CET

My first and last fanfic (well apart from the slash parodies) was about this very issue.

Link:

Go laugh. No one else did *sighs*.

Simon | January 17, 23:18 CET

I'm pretty convinced Cillian Murphy can pull off anything (and he's my desktop right now) so I'd say yes on him, if we needed a new Spike for some reason. Other than that, I'm just not familiar enough with what Hollywood has to offer...

However, who says no Anya? What's that about? *clings to Anya* She's in my top three favorite main characters.

Sabbrielle | January 18, 00:04 CET

I can see Simon Pegg as Willow.

Not as long as Morgan Freeman is still breathing you can't! ;) Let's try not to turn this into a gripefest about which characters we didn't like. This is recasting not decasting.

zeitgeist | January 18, 00:18 CET

Simon: I'm laughing! Brilliant!

Dana5140 | January 18, 00:37 CET

Go laugh. No one else did *sighs*

Yes, in alternative universe I could see that happening (very funny indeed). And it would be called Sunnydale 94085.

Tonya J | January 18, 00:40 CET

For the two people who mentioned Natalie Wood, did you know that her daughter Natasha Gregson Wagner was in the 1992 movie?

Gag Halfrunt | January 18, 00:59 CET

zietgeist - I disagree - this is sarcasting.
::sound of crickets::

ruthless1 | January 18, 01:02 CET

Kristen Bell as Buffy, just see her act in the movie Pulse from 2006.

The rest of the old crew would probably do another season :P

Krusher | January 18, 01:05 CET

you could get a great take on Giles from Chiwetel Ejiafor.

Oooh. I like that...

An actress that I think could do an interesting take on Willow...

Awww, and you were doing so well.

I have to agree with the people who would recast SMG.
She's fairly good, but can't do comedy.

ZodKneelsFirst | January 18, 01:11 CET

Simon; I foudn that both delightful and one of the scariest fics I've ever reead...because in soem universe that probably happened.

DaddyCatALSO | January 18, 01:11 CET

Buffy - Catherine Tate
Giles - Jonny Vegas
Willow - That girl from Tracey Beaker
Xander - Simon Amstell
Cordelia - Letitia Dean

...........hang on...................

Ooh. Sorry everyone, I think I was channelling Russell T Davies for a second there.

Better Now.

ZodKneelsFirst | January 18, 01:17 CET

Not a fan of "The Riches", ZodKneelsFirst? I think Willow is probably the toughest to recast in theory, because Aly made it so completely unique. It's odd, that the only role we've seen someone else play (unless there are screentests I just haven't seen) is the hardest one to figure out someone else to see playing it.

Another idea for a recast Willow... Emma Stone, of Tim Minear's "Drive" and as Jules in "Superbad".

KingofCretins | January 18, 01:21 CET

I don't really want to replace Giles or Wesley, but I know in my heart that Murray from Flight of the Conchords should become a Watcher. And I don't mean the actor who plays Murray - I mean Murray, the character. That's my crossover dream!

Succatash | January 18, 01:26 CET

The Riches?
Sorry, never seen it. Don't get it:)

Oh wait, I see.
I was baulking more at the idea of Willow being recast at all.

[ edited by ZodKneelsFirst on 2008-01-17 22:51 ]

ZodKneelsFirst | January 18, 01:49 CET

zietgeist - I disagree - this is sarcasting.
::sound of crickets::

*rimshot* :)

zeitgeist | January 18, 01:55 CET

Um...why? It's not like 30 years has passed and it's time for some big budget remake and major recasting.

Honestly, as far as the main cast goes, I cannot see anyone else in these roles. They all brought something different to their character and that can't be duplicated. I love KBell, but she is NO Buffy.

CloudyVisions | January 18, 02:24 CET

i agree it'd be sacrilege to attempt to recreate such level of perfection, nonetheless it is fun to imagine.

but you know what is more fun?
reading the comments.

there are, well, interesting ones, like:
Buffy - Kristen Bell
Xander - Shia LeBeouf
Willow - Ellen Page
Giles - Hugh Laurie
Spike - James McAvoy
mainly cause it's go Hugh Laurie and James McAvoy. i'm not crazy about Shia LaBeouf.

i liked this one, too,:
Buffy--Michelle Ryan
Willow--Tina Majorino
Xander--Kyle Gallner
Giles--Jude Law
Spike--Jason Dohring
though it makes no sense. if you're using Mac,Cassidy and Logan in basically the same roles, you might as well use Veronica.
and Jude Law? that i do not get.

or:
Buffy-- Ellen Page
Xander-- Chace Crawford(from Gossip Girl)
Willow-- Zooey Deschanel
Giles-- Tom Welling
Spike-- Chad Michael Murray
Clark Kent as the watcher? CMM as a evil vampire? as angel, maybe, but as spike, no way.
and Nate? i don't see him playing a low-profile, geeky guy.

so, just cause i'm bored:
Spike - David Anders. the first that comes to mind. a bit clichéd, but i like it.
Xander - Steven Strait. or maybe Burn Gorman.
Buffy - Kristen Bell is not a bad choice. Billie Piper could be fun,too.
Giles - John Simm
Willow - Tina Majorino would be fantastic, no doubt
Cordelia -Samaire Armstrong

The Mayor- David Tennant
Anya - Ellen Page
Joyce - Sarah Parish
Faith - Katee Sackhoff
Angel - James McAvoy.

and of course there's a million actors more i'd try to work in, in whatever way possible.

okelay | January 18, 02:37 CET

With the best will in the world, I think a fair few of the lists in the comments basically translate to "Here's a list of people I fancy" ;-).

Makes for interesting reading, getting everyone's perspective but I also wonder about e.g. Tom Welling playing an authoritative, stuffy father figure. What is he, like, 28 ? And for a re-imagining he's not different enough.

(Tina Majorino could do Willow in a heartbeat though, that's a good one)

Saje | January 18, 03:10 CET

With the best will in the world, I think a fair few of the lists in the comments basically translate to "Here's a list of people I fancy" ;-).

*ding-ding-ding* Ladies and Gentlemen (not THOSE Gentlemen ;)), we have a winner!

zeitgeist | January 18, 03:26 CET

Cool, what no-prize have I no-won ? I wouldn't mind not winning a breadmaker cos frankly I don't have much use for one but if I were to not-win e.g. 5 chart DVDs (including box sets and special editions) i'd be a bit peeved ;).

Saje | January 18, 03:36 CET

I can't say I especially fancy Mandy Patinkin, as much as I liked him in 'Dead Like Me' and 'Criminal Minds', and if it were the case for Sofia Vassilieva or Ariel Gade I would be extremely worried and, at the very least, in urgent need of psychiatric help.

I do rather like Carey Mulligan, though.

alien lanes | January 18, 03:37 CET

You've actually not won a refurbished breadmaker with a dodgy lid mechanism, so you're in luck ;)

zeitgeist | January 18, 03:39 CET

KingofCretins said:

An actress that I think could do an interesting take on Willow (but again, a different sort of Willow) would be Shannon Woodward ("The Riches").

I loved The Riches! Shannon Woodward is a very talented actress. It would be great to see her work with Joss in some way. Not sure I could see her as Willow though.

As for recasting, I am not sure that anyone else would have the same chemistry. I think these actors are part of what made the show special.

jenofthejungle | January 18, 03:40 CET

Yeah, that really was lucky zeitgeist, pheww (I mean it could've been anything, right ? ;).

Saje | January 18, 03:45 CET

I do NOT fancy Jonny Vegas, and anyone who says I do is lying.

God, how many times do I have to say it?

ZodKneelsFirst | January 18, 04:36 CET

well, i think any list is bound to contain people you fancy
i mean, they're the ones you're going to think about first, the one you see in tv and movies you like and whom you'd like to see more of.
although putting people like Tom Welling or Jude Law in the role for Giles is simply insane,IMHO.

though if i were making a tv show, there's no doubt i'd try to work with people i fancy,admire,etc.

(Please use capitalization and not every sentence needs to be its own paragraph. -zeitgeist)

okelay | January 18, 05:39 CET

I personally don't think that any character should be recast, but that is just me. I really think that each actor was perfectly chosen for his/her role and really fell into and embodied those characters. I especially could not imagine anyone else playing the core 4. To me, each actor/actress used their special talents and really brought their character to life in a way I think no one else could have. They each made their characters so relatable, and so believable. If the characters were recast, than, it just wouldn't be Buffy anymore, imo. Why mess with a good thing?

Jossfan_21 | January 18, 05:54 CET

This is really hard and certainly got me thinking.

Buffy- Teresa Palmer from 'December Boys'. She's blonde, with the chops to carry the show.
Xander- Paul Rudd- uglied up a bit, though.
Spike- Gotta go with Cillian Murphy- those cheekbones!
Cordy- Emily Blunt- no one does supercilious better.
Dawn- Willa Holland from the OC (more because I always thought her and SMG had a very similar 'look' and acting style, plus she pulled off an excellent bratty kid sister.)
Angel- Jared Padalecki- cos he's just SO darn purty! He does a superb evil side, too.

However, I can't even BEGIN to think of a more perfect casting choice for Giles, Joyce or Willow than what we got.

In fact, scrap all of the above suggestions and don't even THINK about changing a darn thing!

missb | January 18, 06:32 CET

I thought it was an old Hollywood tradition--to cast actors one fancies. (&, in my opinion, the original cast of BTVS was extremely sexy....) Are you saying that we shouldn't take sexual magnetism into account when we cast the show?

stellabee | January 18, 07:04 CET

Jossfan_21, i doubt anyone wants to recast. not for real. this is all just for fun, a what if of sorts, if you could run the show, but without the original actors, who would you choose?

kinda like casting people into your favorite books
...or at least i do that.

okelay | January 18, 07:54 CET

Please use correct capitalization. Plus you will never get on Simon's good side by killing Riley! ;)

don't care about either, Riley is a marked man.

pongluver | January 18, 08:02 CET

Well, you can start caring about capitalization and punctuation if you want to continue posting here. The other part, you can take or leave :)

zeitgeist | January 18, 08:07 CET

You'd actually kick someone off for a capitalization error? Wow.

pongluver | January 18, 08:10 CET

Not for a capitalization error, certainly. However, if you never capitalize anything, and you've been reminded of the rules, then yes. From the About page:

Please use proper grammar, capitalization and spelling as best as you can. This will help keep the discussion on topic and it makes your posts easier to read.

It saves us from running around cleaning up posts all day and night for readability. If you'd like to discuss further, please email myself or one of the other admins.

p.s. - Thanks for using capitalization in your most recent comment.

Okelay - please make an effort on this front as well.

zeitgeist | January 18, 08:16 CET

Oh yeah, Bruce Campbell as the Xan Man's dad is a great idea.

zeitgeist:
No, that's reasonable. The way i read it just surprised me. Never struck me as a removable offense. However, in excess i can see the problem.

pongluver | January 18, 08:26 CET

Its totally cool, I didn't mean to come across as a jackass :) and it wasn't directed solely at you, there's an inline edit to another post asking them to watch it as well. Hard to convey tone, especially when getting sleepy at the keys :) Absolutely agree that Bruce Campbell is in the Harris family tree somewhere!

zeitgeist | January 18, 08:29 CET

If everyone would just stop saying Kristen Bell as Buffy, I could sleep tonight. I do not think that I could be more sick and tired of any other actress on this Earth. Feh and ugh.

You are all insane-os. There is NO WAY.

There is no other B. Ever. Get over yourselves. ;)

Willowy | January 18, 08:46 CET

Oh yeah, and I can't wait till SMG comes back in ten years and reprises Buffy, and is STILL the man.

That. Will Be. The Shit.

Willowy | January 18, 08:48 CET

Totally agree with you Willowy. Kristen Bell was good on VM and I've liked her on Heroes but I don't get what is with all this fascination about her.

Simon, thanks for that Fanfic! Had me laughing right from the beginning with Aaron Spelling producing it and David Hasselhoff as Giles!!

Firefly Flanatic | January 18, 09:28 CET

Many amusing entries, but I can't help feeling that a large proportion of members are missing the point - it's not, "should Buffy be recast," it's "who would you pick if it were recast." I don't think it slights the original cast to indulge the question.

SoddingNancyTribe | January 18, 10:06 CET

I don't think Buffy should be recast, not while we've still got a while during which the original cast could still perform believably in a Season 8 context. I never did mind the idea of going ahead with the Animated Series (or, how about this, an animated feature, a la Beowulf or the Final Fantasy movie a few years back) recasting as needed. Giselle Loren was great in the Buffy video games, and could have stepped in if Sarah wasn't interested in another project that only needed her voice.

KingofCretins | January 18, 10:16 CET

I just had some friends pop in for coffee and just for fun we came up with an ALL AUSTRALIAN BUFFY CAST! (Sorry for those who don't recognise the names...)

Buffy- If not Theresa Palmer, then Abbie Cornish. (My friend joked 'Holly Valance' and DIED when I told her about the old Season 8 rumour! Her Russian accent in Moonlight? Horrendous!)
Angel- Errol Flynn (as he was in the late 1930's, SO charismatic!)
Or, possibly, a young Hugh Jackman.
Spike- Heath Ledger (from his '10 Things...' or 'Casanova' days, not his slob-a-bout now days.)
Willow- Asher Keddie has a vulnerable side while still displaying strength.
Xander- Dan MacPherson. Too cute? Noah Taylor, then. Too ugly? Gosh, there's no pleasing some people. ;-)
Giles- David Wenham.
Wesley- Guy Pearce.
Joyce- Toni Collette- a little older (she plays mothers like no-one's business)
Cordy- Jolene Anderson- is too nice on 'All Saints' and needs to play a bitch.
Dawn- Tammin Sursok- now on Y&R, I believe.
Anya- Saskia Burmeister, was also our runner up for Cordy.
Riley- Chris Hemsworth could have totally pulled that role off.
Glory- Horseface, whoops, Melissa George.
Chaos Demon- Russell Crowe.
Clem- Ray Meagher ('Alf' from Home and Away) No makeup required.

Thanks for the laughs and the great conversation piece, Whedonesque!

NB- Just my 2c, I LIKE that the grammar nazis are in residence over here. Just because the writers are on strike, doesn't mean WE all need to be.
Anyhoo, in a country that doesn't actually HAVE 2c pieces, this opinion rounds down to exactly nothing...

missb | January 18, 10:20 CET

Am I the only one who thinks Joss himself would make an awesome Giles?

"Giles, do the dance of unconsciousness"

onthemightofprinces | January 18, 10:33 CET

Hayden Panettiere as Buffy? Ugg kill the cheerleader and save the Verse.

Tina | January 18, 10:41 CET

Boy, this is a tough one. I agree with one of the commentators who said that we've got to at least try to be a little age appropriate. Which is a pain because that removes Kristen Bell, who is the only other person I can even imagine pulling off that role off besides SMG.

I don't know for all the roles, but here's what I've got:

Anya: Olivia Thirlby
Joyce: Sigourney Weaver
Darla: Katee Sackhoff
Tara: Samantha Morton
Willow: Ellen Page
Xander: Topher Grace
Giles: Hugh Laurie
Oz: Justin Long
Jenny Calendar: Tina Fey
Riley: Josh Hartnett
The Mayor: Bryan Cranston
Spike: Jude Law (If we can't get Bender to do it...)
Dawn: Aimee Teegarden
Andrew: Michael Cera
Faith: Christina Ricci

As for Buffy, Wesley, Cordelia, and Angel, I've got no idea.

[ edited by everbeen on 2008-01-18 07:46 ]

[ edited by everbeen on 2008-01-18 07:49 ]

everbeen | January 18, 10:46 CET

Oh no- I forgot Faith! And Tara, Jenny, Oz, Andrew, Snyder, Maggie Walsh, Flutie, the Mayor...

Faith- Evan Rachel Wood
Tara- Maggie Gyllenhaal
Jenny- Michelle Borth (Carmen from Supernatural. Dead ringer.)
Oz- Giovanni Ribisi (he's alternatively succinct and hilarious)
Angel- would love a younger Adrian Pasdar to have sunk his er, teeth into it. Especially as Angelus.
Andrew- Michael Cera would be GREAT! Or DJ Qualls from 'Road Trip'
Maggie Walsh- Hilary Clinton
Snyder- John Malkovich!
Flutie- Any of the SNL-ers like Mike Myers, Darryl Hammond, Will Ferrell etc.
The Mayor- Steve Carrell (would make a great Flutie, too.)

And if we're recasting 'Angel', can I have David Tennant as Doyle, pretty please? Come, on, I promise to not post in this thread anymore!

missb | January 18, 12:07 CET

I'd cast myself as Giles. Zeitgeist make a good Xander. Simon would have to be Riley. Milo would be Willow. And Herb would be Oz.

And you, dear readers, the cast of thousands.

Caroline | January 18, 13:10 CET

Oh cool, if we get bit parts I wanna be one of the cowboy vampires, those guys were rootin' and tootin'. Or the policeman in the 'Parking Ticket' bit.

stellabee: I thought it was an old Hollywood tradition--to cast actors one fancies. (&, in my opinion, the original cast of BTVS was extremely sexy....) Are you saying that we shouldn't take sexual magnetism into account when we cast the show?

Since that "you" may well be me :) ... no, i'm not saying that at all - as is the way with Hollywood, casts of films/TV shows tend to be very fanciable (unless they're deliberately not) and that's fine, i'm happy the cast of BtVS are sexy, sexy's good ;).

My point was, some of the lists seemed to be just because they're fancied rather than because they are in any way appropriate for the role (I mean seriously, Tom Welling as Giles ? Pull the other one, you might get the first few bars of Jingle Bells out of it ;). Basically, in Hollywood, pretty people are ten-a-penny, talented and appropriate people ? Not so much.

Saje | January 18, 13:28 CET

Kristy Swanson as Buffy and Donald Sutherland as her Watcher... Oh, no, wait a minute...

Missb, Errol Flynn as Angel - classic casting.

Saje, what about pretty people who who are also talented and appropriate? That's pretty much the real cast of 'Buffy'.

alien lanes | January 18, 14:31 CET

Yep, pretty, talented and appropriate is the casting trifecta and Joss (with his casting director) has long had the knack for hitting that mark every single time.

Saje | January 18, 15:06 CET

Caroline - I could see it, I've been told I'm at times Xanderish and at times Ozlike :)

alien lanes - that's exactly what Saje was saying. The thing missing from these posts most often was appropriate for the role :)

zeitgeist | January 18, 17:07 CET

The Kristy Swanson reference made me think of something -- she just turned 38 years old.

I rewatched the Buffy movie about a dozen times OnDemand studying for finals because it was handy and free, and grew to appreciate that... she wasn't that bad. She seemed, watching it, to "get" the Joss touches that survived, Buffy's reluctance, her world turning upside down, etc.

Point being... I'd cast her as Joyce now.

KingofCretins | January 18, 17:23 CET

alien lanes - that's exactly what Saje was saying. The thing missing from these posts most often was appropriate for the role :)

What, are you saying Steven Seagal wouldn't make a good Giles?!

More seriously, I think a lot of shows out there have come up trumps with the casting and there is a lot of very talented young actors working in Hollywood right now.

alien lanes | January 18, 17:36 CET

:) Nicely done. What do you mean Tom Cruise wouldn't make a good Xander? Didn't you see his performance in the Scientology Recruitment vid over at Defamer/Gawker/etc.? ;) Lindsay Lohan as Buffy for sure! (so so so so so joking)

zeitgeist | January 18, 17:44 CET

Yep, she's clearly better suited to Willow, Paris would play Buffy, natch ... What ?

Saje | January 18, 17:49 CET

What do you mean Rue McLanahan and Betty White are the final two for casting of Joyce and the one who loses out gets to play Tara? That doesn't even make sense, Saje, not while Morgan Freeman breathes!

zeitgeist | January 18, 18:12 CET

Clare Kramer should play Ben and Charlie Weber should play Glory. Hang on a minute, I'm getting confused. Glory is Ben and Morgan Freeman is Cordelia?

alien lanes | January 18, 18:20 CET

I think Charlie should play Glory and Clare should play Ben... wait... Morgan Freeman is quaking in his stylish yet affordable boots!

zeitgeist | January 18, 18:24 CET

What do you mean Rue McLanahan and Betty White are the final two for casting of Joyce and the one who loses out gets to play Tara? That doesn't even make sense, Saje ...

But that's not what I said, I said the loser arm wrestles Bea Arthur and the loser of that plays Tara, which is sense incarnate, it's like a giant adder of sense to the universe, a sense quasar if you will.

Besides, Morgan Freeman fears no-one ! Well, maybe Cary Elwes a little bit.

Saje | January 18, 18:47 CET

If everyone would just stop saying Kristen Bell as Buffy, I could sleep tonight. I do not think that I could be more sick and tired of any other actress on this Earth. Feh and ugh.

You are all insane-os. There is NO WAY.

There is no other B. Ever. Get over yourselves. ;)

Not altogether surprisingly, we disagree. Kristen Bell, IMO, is a far better actress than the already competent SMG. However, she kept the Veronica Mars character likable, something that SMG was unable to do with Buffy Summers. It's funny that I am just now starting to *like* Buffy as a character now that she is no longer played by SMG.

I'm probably in the minority with thinking that Bell could be a BETTER Buffy, but I think most people would agree she is at least second best. Though, after reading some of these comments, I very much agree that Ellen Page would be a good replacement as well.

patxshand | January 18, 20:17 CET

I'll cast myself then, Caroline. ;-) BtVS Wesley, I'd imagine.

SoddingNancyTribe | January 18, 20:25 CET

Not angsty, sexy AtS Wesley? ;)

zeitgeist | January 18, 20:30 CET

patxshand

Not altogether surprisingly, we disagree. Kristen Bell, IMO, is a far better actress than the already competent SMG. However, she kept the Veronica Mars character likable, something that SMG was unable to do with Buffy Summers.

Well, we certainly disagree on all three of those points...

Rowan Hawthorn | January 18, 20:31 CET

My first and last fanfic (well apart from the slash parodies) was about this very issue.

That's very funny. Except for the part where I'm visualizing "Standing in the Way" sung by Hasselhoff.

*vigorously scrubs out mind*

Sunfire | January 18, 20:33 CET

I want to be Harmony. That's a fun role! All I need is a good stylist for bleaching and extensions, and some inappropriately snug outfits.

Love's Bitch | January 18, 22:07 CET

missb: I think your second cast list is odd & brilliant. Giovanni Ribisi! John Malkovich! Steve Carrell! Yes!

stellabee | January 18, 22:44 CET

SNT!? - You wouldn't be Spike?

Tonya J | January 19, 00:17 CET

Spike? Hardly, TJ. Definitely early-Wesley, with perhaps a dash of late-Wesley bitterness and weltschmerz. Yes indeed.

SoddingNancyTribe | January 19, 09:06 CET

Ah, I see. In that case I'd say, Mrowr, SNT, but I don't want you to get the wrong idea. :>)

Tonya J | January 19, 20:29 CET

The suggestion of Zachary Levi as Xander was very interesting, and could probably work.
I think that it would be fun and quite interesting to see Johnny Depp as Spike, )especially after his performance as Sweeney Todd) Johnny is a great actor, specifically with his ability to turn on a dime, which Spike does all the time in the show :)

Spike's Gal | January 22, 09:05 CET

I can't think of anyone else I'd like to play the roles.

Maybe in the future they'll be able to animate the actors convincingly and we'll get a real season 8 written by Joss and the whole gang...

Well that be one of my 3 wishes gone!

SmileTime | January 22, 14:50 CET

okay that messed with my head, i had to stop reading peoples suggestions.
call me old fashioned but i like my buffy cast just the way they are.....were....whatever

shpedoinkel | January 25, 09:22 CET

January 17 2008