bigger names + bigger pay = smaller budget?

[Scully931]

Yes, I agree that big names sometimes pull focus. That is one reason 
so many people were against Haley Joel Osment for Harry. ("Hey, 
look! It's the kid from Sixth Sense on a broom!") I understand the 
reasoning for wanting big names in a movie. But, in this case, I 
think it's unnecessary. They don't need to sell this movie with 
anything other than the quality. If they want someone because 
they're the best actor for the role, that's one thing. And, all the 
actors are fine in their roles. I, personally have big Dumbledore 
issues, and - *not* to get into that discussion again, merely using 
it as an example - I feel they could have found someone better than 
Harris for the role by holding open calls. There are theatre actors, 
even ones unknown to us, that could act rings around a majority of 
movie stars. (Not speaking of Rickman, M.Smith, etc.) 
I do think that the big names for Harry Potter are perhaps less of 
an issue in America than Europe. Obviously, I recognized names when 
they were thrown around, but some people I couldn't really place 
until I saw a picture. I do get frustrated when I read all the posts 
of people suggesting names. I know it's all in good fun, but I 
always think, 'why does it have to be someone we know?' 

Glad to have you posting here, Sassy Snape!

~Deborah

--- In HPFGU-Movie at yahoogroups.com, "Severina Amadenna Salem-Snape" 
<onceupona_party at y...> wrote:
> Hi Sassy Snape - first post here, but I was wondering:
> 
> Does anybody else think the movies are becoming more of a bigger-
> acting-names-must-be-seen-to-be-cool sort of thing. 
> 
> I loved that Quirrel and Tom Riddle were not played by big names 
> (sorry, taking this from a North American perspective)and some of 
the 
> other characters were peppered with some interesting character 
> actors. I know they had some other big names for the unknown 
youths 
> to play off of, but now the kids are names, so do we really need a 
> big name to add to the production?
> 
> Now with bigger names for key characters (Gary Oldman, Ralph 
Finnes, 
> Julie Christie, Dawn French, Miranda Richardson) comes bigger 
> paycheques and less of the budget for the actual film. And these 
> actors may be in the position to ask for more money for future 
films. 
> (Madam Hooch thought she should get more and she wasn't exactly 
huge 
> in NA or had a big part)
> 
> Let's just hope Prince Charles doesn't want to do a walk-on at one 
> point...a little too trendy. Also, I am not saying these actors 
> aren't good actors, just that it could pull the focus from the 
films.
> 
> Sassy