[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: the casting of Emma Thompson as prof. trelawney

[julie w]

Ali wrote:

>--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "zoelouisepike" 
><zoelouisepike at y...> wrote:
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>>Was anyone else disappointed in the choice of Emma Thompson as 
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>Prof. Trelawney? Ok, she's a fantastic actress but I can't help but 
>think JKR's insistance on using British actors has gone too far this 
>time. 
>I just felt Thompson's charming 'Englishness',as it were, just 
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>wasn't right for the eccenticity of the divination teacher.
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I personally thought it was perfect.
Her costume left something to be desired, but the part was played to 
goofy perfection....I can't wait for Sybill's big scene in OOTP (if they 
leave it in, of course) I think Thompson will get it just right.

>Ali:
>
>I think perhaps that you're confusing two issues: one, whether it is 
>right to insist on British actors for the films, and two, whether 
>Emma Thompson was good as Prof. Trelawney.
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>For me, I am interested in the best actors available for the roles. 
>It is also important for me that they *sound* British. It is much 
>easier to sound British, if you are British: I've seen relatively 
>few non-Brits actors who can really get through the "Ali test" for 
>sounding authentic. Thus, in general, it will be easier to have a 
>British actor playing a British part - but that is a generalisation.
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>In terms of whether Thompson was good for the part, I liked her 
>interpretation of Trelawney - although it was different, and more 
>comical than I had imagined. I can't define Thompson by 
>her "Englishness": I'm English, and I don't see the stereotyping 
>there. She is playing an eccentric English character, eccentrically. 
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>It's very clear with most of the actors, that different people have 
>very different views about how they rate the performance, but I 
>think it unfair to blame any perceived shortcomings in Thompson's 
>performance on the fact that JKR wanted British actors. I personally 
>believe that was to ensure the films retained their basic British 
>character and not to be unduly Americanised. There still are phrases 
>which I do not believe an English child would say, but on the whole, 
>the films have retained the basic character of the books.
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>Ali
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As an American who adores British films and the fantastic slew of actors 
and actresses across the pond I am so very, very glad that we have not 
had to endure a star turn by Brad Pitt, Johnny Deep, Keanu (sp?) Reeves 
or (God Forbid!) Tom Cruise. Its not that I do not like these actors, I 
do (well all but Cruise), its just that there are so many great British 
ones why get a American who might (but probably will not) be able to 
handle the accent? To me the movies have always been at their best when 
the adults are on screen......
I just seems silly to make what is a essentially British film (ie 
Bridget Jones Diary) and use American actors.
Julie W in AR

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