[HPFGU-Movie] Azkaban - Oldman is Inspired Casting

[Kriselda Jarnsaxa]

daughterofthedust recently mentioned:

>   I'm just wondering why so many folks are questioning Gary Oldman
>(who I happen to think is perfect)??  What's really guiding your
>choices, adolescent fantasies (I thought this was a "grown up"
>forum) or actors who actually fit the part?

Well, if you look at my original comments again, Gary Oldman's appearance 
(and whether I consider him sexy or not) wasn't part of my 
consideration.  My issue is that - based on what I've seen of his previous 
work, I can't see him projecting the warm heart that Sirius needs to have 
by the end of the film.  Quite simply, I can't see him giving a 13-year-old 
kid a hug -- or a kid WANTING to hug him, for that matter.  On a purely 
hormonal level, I don't have any issue with Oldman.  He's not someone I'd 
put in my top hunks I want to mosh with list, but he can be rather sexy 
when he wants to, and I certainly don't have a negative reaction to him :)

>  Okay, I'm going to make a case for Mr. Oldman.. He's a fine actor,
>who will CONVINCINGLY make for the chilling mugshot he's suppose to
>sport post-azkaban. Plus, he can pull off the intensity that is
>expressed during that wonderful climax, and the fierce
>protectiveness for Harry.

On this point, I agree - the intensity, fierceness, protectiveness, 
dangerousness and darkness that Sirius possesses - Oldman will do 
fine.  That part of what makes him a good villian. But Sirius must be 
someone we can believe would be capable of bonding VERY quickly with a 
young boy, and who that boy would be willing to trust completely, and I 
just can't see that in Oldman.  The other problem I have is that Oldman has 
a tendency to overact at times, to a point where, for me, it distracts from 
both the rest of the cast, and also the film itself.  That was one of the 
problems I had with him in "The Professional" - every time he was on the 
screen, I lost all track of what else was happening.

>  And contrary to popular belief, he DOES clean up rather well, while
>still retaining his mysterious hard edge (all qualities Oldman has
>in spades, which none of the other suggested actors have).

There we differ in opinion.  The other actors I mentioned were just some of 
the first ones I thought of that, in my opinion, do have a very hard edge 
to them, while still retaining warmth and heart.  Another I'd put in that 
category - though I don't think he'd be good as Sirius because a) he's 
probably too young, and b) he's not British would be Vincent 
D'Onofrio.  He's certainly not someone I'd describe as sexy, but his 
ability to make a single character be both dangerous and caring is 
impressive.

>  Plus, he actually looks like he could have attended Hogwarts at the
>same time as Snape (Rickman).

True, he does.

>   Still your fluttering hormones and go by who actually fits Ms.
>Rowling's description and I guarantee, Oldman comes out on top
>everytime....I mean come on, Hugh Jackman???

Hey, I'd just seen both X-Men and Kate & Leopold this week, so I'd seen 
both his harder, menacing Logan and te very sweet and trustworthy Leopold, 
so he very quickly came to mind.  Note that I had said I didn't have a 
definite candidate, but just some ideas of who I would think of as being 
more appropriate - that was my acknowledgement that the list wasn't 
perfect, but more an idea of the kind of performer I had in mind.

Since then, following the messages in this thread, though, I think I do 
know who I would consider as the best choice - Jeremy Irons.  I forgot 
(SORRY!) who mentioned him, but as soon as I read that it struck me as 
being very much right - right age, right culture (must be a Brit after 
all), able to look both very scraggly and worse-for-the-wear as well as 
dapper and handsome - without being too sexy (it's hard for even someone 
who's cleaned up a bit to look too sexy after 12 years in a horrid prison).

But, at the same time, I do know that Oldman has the role, and I'll be 
interested to see how he does.  It's been known to happen that someone I 
was skeptical of in a role came out just fine (for example, Tom Cruise as 
Lestat)...  but for a character I like as much as I like Sirius, well...   :)


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