Julia Hoffman Cast!

[spider]

Sukie Forbes interesting!

[darkshadowsweb]

Actually I remember reading about it and I'll try to find it again, but it's been a while now and I'm not sure if I can find it again, so I know Carol did read it online. Please be nice to each other. There's no need to even hint at being negative towards anyone here. This is a great forum, I would hate for it to turn into the name calling pit that a lot of DS-topic boards and groups have turned into


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[jtfolden]

Originally posted by zahir
Is it even necessary that Kelly Hu play anyone in 1795? The 1991 series intercut between the modern day and the 18th century, which could give Julia Hoffman plenty of screen time.

No, it's not... in DS91 not all of the present day actors had roles in 1790. ...and they had several actors only being used for the 1790's portion of the episodes. I'm sure they'll pick and choose at will this time around, too.

[darkshadowsweb]

Well, whatever she may play, I have to admit that I am finding myself darned curious to see how these cast choices work in the new DS. And let's face it, casting her and others have made it possible for the pilot to get more spotlight media attention, which is good for making sure DS does become a series, don't you think?

[Tori]

I know I don't think everyone in the cast needs to play someone in 1790. It would be better if they didn't have every character in 1790/95 or whatever year they make it played by one of the main actors. I feel they could use guest stars to play some of these people this time.

Making just some of the characters resemble each other would give the ones that do look alike more shock value, I mean after a while Victoria wouldn't be so stunned by everyone looking like someone else that she had met in 2004, also if everyone in the present resembles exactly someone in the past it makes Barnabas' resemblance to the Barnabas from 1790 less of a shock. Roger and Elizabeth look like Naomi and Joshua; there must be paintings of them around too. Why would they be so surprised by Barnabas looking like his ancestor if they do too.

Tori

[Carol04]

Guest stars would be much better than what the original series and 1991 series had done.

[ShardStar]

FAmily resemblance

Yeah but sometimes family resemblance can be VERY strong. For instance my sister looked just like my mom when she was little. My newborn baby looks just like my sister when she was a newborn. Alot of ppl say I look like my mom.

[Tori]

Yes, but do they say you look just like your great great great grandfather, who looked just like your uncle?

Tori

[victoriawinters]

Re: What kind of acting cred does the new cast need and have?

Originally posted by Michael Evenden
I am beginning to get concerned, though, about how many of the cast are models-turned-actors with only a few smallish TV and movie roles as opposed to people who trained as actors. I have a professional bias toward stage training (and college education, too) and maybe that's a blind spot--talent comes from lots of directions; but consider how many of even the young-and-starting-out cast members of the original series had trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Art and had some stage experience

Quite true, many of them did have theatre training, graduated from formal drama school or had loads of experience like David Henesy as even a young child.

But, let's remember here that the demands of the actor in TV have changed over the years. It's no longer recorded basically live to tape with no chance of editing or filming another take of a scene. At the time of the original DS, DC needed actors that could deal with that live aspect of the show. He needed folks that could think fast on their feet with the ability to improvise their lines if they forgot or in the case of Clarice Blackburn, could cue their co-actor with their lines. That is the hallmark of the stage actor.

However, they don't have to do that now. And, in fact, improvisation is frowned upon.

vw

[Michael Evenden]

Victoriawinters, with all due respect, do you really think that, generally speaking, the only, or even the essential, difference between an untrained model-actor and an educated and stage-trained actor is likely to be the ability to improvise to cover an on-camera slip-up? That's it? Four years at Juillard and that's all Jessica Chastain got out of it? Get that Estee Lauder model a Shakespeare contract?

I'd put the difference in an untrained v. a trained imagination, body, and voice--with training come more ability to assume a character's persona rather than your own, more bearing and ability to reach emotional depth, more craft and variety in characterization, more power. An untrained person cast to type and well directed can probably get by to some degree, especially in a contemporary character in a casual situation; the more extreme the situations and emotions, and the more characters and period styles they need to portray, the harder it'll be. (A clear comparison, in my mind, is the difference between Alec Newman and that poor young woman who played his corrupted sister in Dune Part II--Newman could maintain a dignity and reserve that let us read in the inner qualities of a nearly super-human leader; she, a model-turned-actress, who may be an intelligent and powerful woman off-camera as far as I know, seemed to me to be floundering in the shallows of the role--she was simply in over her head and was pretty much an embarrassment.)

Look, there are always exceptions--trained actors you don't want to watch and untrained talents who surprise you; where these issues may be suggested by the new cast's resumes, we can always hope for the best. But in how many professions are training and experience irrelevant considerations? And how easy do we think the extreme situations and multiple characters of Dark Shadows are to carry off? There's more to this work than not flubbing your lines.

[darkshadowsweb]

not sure if anyone's considered this but part of the charm that got so many people hooked WAS that the cast played different roles. I remember conversations going on in groups and on bboards about people trying to guess who would be playing who and then tuning in next week to see who was right. just food for thought


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[victoriawinters]

It's just one or two aspects of theatre craft. Surely, not all.

I'm not saying they should have no training or that training is not important. But, TV acting is a different craft from stage acting. Many young actors do spend time with private coaches or go to the Lee Strasberg Studio. While perhaps not college trained, I'm pretty sure most have taken classes to learn their craft.

To me it doesn't matter what their training is. It matters that they have the chops to perform the role. I just don't believe that it's as important that they come from a theatre background. It's helpful true, but not the most important thing.

Since we haven't seen them in action yet, I think it's best to reserve judgment until they actually either prove themselves, or fall flat on their face.

[FangFan]

If you want to know why they hire models instead of actors, just take a look at American Idol. I am utterly disgusted with that show. People don't want talent, they want to look at someone pretty. The casting people are just giving them what they want. It's a shame, because there are so many talented people who are passed over for the next cutie.

[Witches of Morva]

ORWEN: Tell me about it! I mean, I've got so much talent that's just BURSTING to come out! But what GOOD does it do me? Just because I happen to be a plus-sized witch--who can't resist a couple of boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts a day--I get passed over for all these OTHER witches, who don't have NEARLY as much talent as I do. And it isn't FAIR! I mean, just look what Endora got to do--and her with that nasty disposition of hers! Then there was Aunt Clara and Esmeralda. Back in the 60's and 70's there wasn't nearly so much discrimination against a witch's looks or age as there seems to be in this current society...

[darkshadowsweb]

well, I guess we'll find out if they're good or not when the pilot aires


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