'The Stand' Casting

The Stand is the longest book I've read since I CHOSE to read Les Miserables in High School (it was a mistake. I totally didn't finish the book). But I did finish The Stand and I loved it! And it gave me a lot of time to get to know the characters and figure out exactly who I think they should be portrayed by. There's a new movie in the works, so maybe I can out my casting vibes and influence the producers...
Adrianne Palicki as Frannie Goldsmith

I actually haven't seen a second of her actually performing, but her image was ingrained in my head after all the Wonder Woman madness. Frannie seemed like she would be strong and sassy but also really vulnerable at times. And I guess that's Wonder Woman for me.

Will Patton as Stu Redman

Amageddon. Remember the Titans. Will Patton is my go-to, down-on-his-luck, noble Texas fellow. And I'm from Texas. I know my shit. And whoever plays Stu has to carry large chunks of the movie/series on their own, and he could totally pull it off.

Young Gil Bellows as Larry Underwood

I watched all of Ally McBeal earlier this year, and Larry reminded me so much of Billy (Gil Bellows) on that show. He fancied himself a nice and noble guy, but was actually kind of a dick. I tried to think of a younger equivalent to Bellows, but nobody really fit the bill.

Anton Yelchin as Nick Andros

Nick was one of my favorites from the book but I couldn't pin him down for awhile. Fright Night came out while I was reading the book, and at one point I caught a trailer, and I was like 'duh, he's totally Nick.' Nick is quiet (obviously), and in the regular world that makes him weak, but post-plague, his quietness seems to draw people in and gain him respect. I think Yelchin is the perfect young dude to pull that off.


Richard Dreyfuss as Glen Bateman

I'll be honest. Richard Dreyfuss is my default 'older, wise, sassy white guy' choice when it comes to casting, so I probably could've been more creative with this one. Oh well. It's Mr. Holland!

Jonah Hill as Harold Lauder

This was kind of an immediate casting. I know Jonah Hill would be too old to play a teenager at this point, but he's just got that perfect air of conceitedness and cowardice. I haven't seen some of his more serious roles yet, but I think he would do an amazing job with Harold.

Ryan Hansen as Tom Cullen

This popped in my head just as Tom was described in the book. He was blond and happy and kinda clueless, and my brain jumped right to Ryan Hansen who was so fantastic in Party Down. Tom would be a really difficult role to tackle, and I have absolutely no idea if Hansen's qualified, but in my head he was the perfect Tom right up until the end.

Lauren Hutton as Rita Blakemoor

I couldn't remember her name for the longest time, but Lauren Hutton would be a great Rita. Rita has to straddle the line of being young and sexually exciting but also old and losing her grip on reality. Women in Hollywood get cast off so easily once they hit a certain age, so whoever plays Rita has to have held her own against all the starlets.

Cicely Tyson as Mother Abagail

Mother Abagail was just a vague archetype for me for a long time, and then eventually I started being able to see her. She still never really looked like a specific person to me, so I had to do a little research to find her. And I figure Cicely Tyson would be pretty capable of fleshing her out.

Stephen McHattie as Randall Flagg

I also had a hard time seeing Flagg. He kept shifting. Then we watched Pontypool, and I highly recommend that you do likewise, and McHattie was just phenomenal. Especially his voice, and that seemed key for the Dark Man. I could hear his voice so clear in the book, and that made a lot of stuff much creepier.

Billy Bob Thornton as Lloyd Henreid

I guess Billy Bob is another default casting guy (he's also another favorite Armageddon alum). But he can be a great good guy and a great bad guy, while also masterfully playing around with the gray parts in the middle. Lloyd is too complex to just be a henchman; he needs someone who can bring him depth.

Rhys Ifans as Trashcan Man

This was another instant casting. And I'll admit that it solely comes from Ifans' look in Notting Hill. That scruffy, out-of-it, just-plain-weirdo look. But he's got a sweet dopiness to him, and with all the things that ended up happening to Trash, that sweetness made him much interesting and sympathetic.

Albert Hall as The Judge

This is another result of watching Ally McBeal. Albert Hall played an awesome and stern and wise judge, so he sort of floated on over. I feel like he'd also have a lot of fun with driving through the West in a Jeep all by himself.

Morena Baccarin as Nadine Cross

Baccarin has that strong yet fragile lady thing going on, which is defintely Nadine. I made this casting before she started moving to the dark side, but I'm quite pleased with myself when all is said and done. She and Jonah Hill could pull off some awesomely creepy sad scenes.

Anna Gunn as Dayna Jurgens

I didn't really see Dayna until she went off to Vegas, but then it made perfect sense. Between Deadwood and Breaking Bad, Gunn has that hardened lady beat down pat. She also looks formidable which would be quite necessary to make Dayna believable.

Todd Lowe as Ralph Bretner

I know Ralph is supposed to be much older, but he just seemed like Terry from True Blood: a sweet man who's not too bright, but totally has your back in a fight and loyally trusts those he respects. I didn't expect him to play such a major role in the end, but with Todd Lowe in the role, it was a nice surprise.

Sarah Hyland as Julie Lawry

Another immediate casting. I don't watch many of the 'youth' shows on TV, so maybe there's some other young actress better suited, but Hayley from Modern Family seems like she'd turn right into Julie post-plague. Those big eyes could get her into and out of a lot of trouble.

Sam Levine as The Kid

This started off as a fun casting and I was happy to have Levine and Ifans off on an adventure. And then shit got creepy. And really fucking sad. And then I sort of regretted this casting. But it happened. I can't undo my stupid brain.

Jane Lynch as Sue Stern

Lynch kinda has a cartoonish quality about her sometimes, and it makes me happy when actors like that get placed into really serious roles. It's jarring and has a tendency to make a character even more real than if a normally dramatic actor portrayed them. I also think that Jane Lynch and Anna Gunn could have a really amazing bond on screen.

Anna Paquin as Lucy Swann

Another True Blood casting, I know, but Lucy just seems like she's sweet and looking for someone to mend. I like Anna Paquin a lot as Sookie, and though she's not always written really well, I think she has enough moxie to make Lucy a little bit more interesting and feisty.