If you look up Quasimodo on mycast.io one actor who comes up again and again is Taron Egerton. Egerton is a welsh actor who rose to prominence with his role as Elton John is the biopic Rocketman. He was praised for the role and some critics said he carried the film but most of them just praised his overall performance. He even learned to sing for the movie and has sung in other roles. However the question is…
Would Taron Egerton be good choice for Quasimodo?
Seeing how most of the fan casts are for “Disney’s Quasimodo,” sing skills are a moot point unless somehow, something happens and we either get a live action Disney version or different movie musical based on the Hunchback happens. Anything this could happen. But putting that aside does the popular consensus have this casting option correct?
Taron Egerton as Elton John, “Rocketman” (2019)
Looking through his filmography, Egerton varies in his roles and project types. The only thing I’ve watched prior to this post that he was cast in was Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. In that show he voiced, Rian one of the main characters and he was great. That show was a treasure trove of talent, it’s a crime that is was canceled, A CRIME I say!
It’s fairly safe to suggest that Egerton would have little to no issue effectively play the role as he is a very nuanced actor and has great sense of physicality both of which are very much necessary for playing Quasimodo.
Taron Egerton
Egerton as has a very approachable warm look without any dramatic angles to his face which makes him a good fit to play Quasimodo. Based on his role as Elton John it’s easy to envision Egerton as Quasimodo because the characters share similar coloring.
Taron Egerton
Egerton has the acting skills to brilliantly play Quasimodo and he has a good look that would be a good basis for all the transformative details that is need to portrays the iconic hunchback.
This suggestion was left in a comment on the last fan-cast post. I think it’s a crime that Vincent Cassel has NOT played Frollo, like in what reality does this man go through life having never played Frollo?
I don’t think I have seen enough of his movies to peg him for a specific type but I think he could pull off a very intense dramatic depiction of the character if the script called for it. OR he could play it more subdue. The point is I think he could pull off most takes of on Frollo. Preferably a dramatic version but if it’s a comedy, he would still deliver a great performance. He did voice Monsieur Hood in Shrek so he could handle a “humorous” take on Frollo if that is the version that was getting made.
The Look
Black Swan
Cassel also has the exact right look for Frollo. He’s has an angler, triangle shaped face which would work so well for Frollo, no conturing necessary. He also has a intense stare which is also needed.
Seriously how has he never played Frollo?
The Role
Vincent Cassel
There are few actors working today that are as perfect for a role as Vincent Cassel is for Frollo. It is an injustice that he has never played the role in a movie or series.
But What do you think? Would Vincent Cassel make an ideal Frollo? Or can you think of someone better suited to the role?
If you have a casting suggestion, please leave it in the comments, I’d love to read them.
Back with another Hypothetical Casting Post a.k.a a Fan-Cast.
This one is a suggestion from a reader for Saray Rubio Montoya for Esmeralda. I think the idea was behind this suggestion was for the live-action Disney version, which isn’t getting made right now but let’s just consider that version of the character for this casting post.
Saray Rubio Montoya is Spanish of Romani descent, so she already has the right look for Esmeralda. I mean she looks so right for Esmeralda. She is also is a good age range for the role and has a background in singing and dancing which are defiantly plus for the role. Her dancing also includes flamenco.
As far as her singing voice goes it has a warm quality. A rendition from her of God Help the Outcast would be very lovely.
Her music
And some of her dancing:
Can She Act?
Saray Rubio Montoya in her Mi Origen Music Video
One hinderance to this casting choice is acting skill. Saray Rubio Montoya is not a screen actress, she is a performer skilled in singing and dancing. However acting, while there is a talent involved, is a skill that can be learned. With the right coaching, director and script she very well could turn in a great performance as Esmeralda, showcasing Esmeralda’s strength, warmth, and charm. The hardest part of the role for any actress playing Esmeralda would really be the singing and dancing and Saray Rubio Montoya is already skilled in those areas.
Saray Rubio Montoya as Esmeralda… Yay or Nay…?
Saray Rubio Montoya
Aside from the question of her acting chops, Saray Rubio Montoya ticks all the other boxes to play Esmeralda. She would make an ideal Esmeralda casting choice for any adaptation of the character.
But what do you think? Would Saray Rubio Montoya make a great Esmeralda or she too green in acting to play her???
If you have a casting suggestion, please leave it in the comments.
It been a VERY LONG TIME since we have done a proper Hypothetical casting post so I thought let’s get back into the groove and cast multiple characters from a single show.
Let’s looks at Bridgerton, which I enjoy (season 3 hype) for casting options.
For those of you who do not know Bridgerton is Netflix show based on Julia Quinn’s Recency Romance Book Series. It has so far one spin-off series with Queen Charlotte but for this casting we will just source the flagship series (I will add a two actors from Charlotte as bonus because I think they would suit the role too.)
For this casting let’s use actors who have appeared in Bridgerton for a Disney version, plus one extra character because I want to. These casting picks are based on the Disney movie so the picks are based off of looks and acting. Let’s ASSUME they all can sing. Side note the gargoyles were a puzzler…..
Jonathan Bailey as Quasimodo
Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton Season 2
Quasimodo requires nuance to play and I think Jonathan Bailey could be up to the task. I mean he could Phoebus or even Frollo but we’re going Quasimodo. Give Bailey as bit of an acting challenge. Plus most actors would love to play Quasimodo.
Simone Ashley as Esmeralda
Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma Bridgeton Season 2
Simone Ashley has already been in one live action, The Little Mermaid it wasn’t a leading role. She would make a PERFECT Disney Esmeralda. She has the right type of look and she plays the head-strong, smart, no-nonsense type but with a soft sensitivity that Disney’s Esmeralda has in spades. Plus she has danced in Bridgeton.
Anthony Head as Frollo
Anthony Head as Lord Sheffield, Bridgerton Season 2
Anthony Head is one episode of season 2 so it counts. Bridgerton, and I might just have rewatch it, doesn’t have a large swath of what I would consider “Frollo-types” in the cast but I think he could make a great Frollo. He has the right look for the part and is a decent age for Disney Frollo, he can also sing which is a plus.
Freddie Stroma as Phoebus
Freddie Stroma as Prince Friedrich, Bridgerton Season 1
Phoebus should be an easy casting and that makes can make it hard. Freddie Stroma would be fine in as Phoebus but Bridgerton has many options and this just the one I picked. Originally I had considered Jonathan Bailey and Regé-Jean Page for Phoebus however Freddie Stroma just edged them out for Phoebus.
Regé-Jean Page as Clopin
Regé-Jean Page as Duke of Hasting Bridgerton Season 1
Regé-Jean Page as Clopin just seemed right. Don’t know why just does. I think he could have fun in the role furthermore couldn’t just see him killing the songs.
Hugh Sachs as Hugo
Hugh Sachs as Brimsley Bridgeton
Hugo was the hardest to cast. I think if there was new iteration of the gargoyles they have to tone them down like in the German musical, especially Hugo. So in the end I just considered just voices so it’s Hugh Sachs who plays Brimsley, also very coincidental about the names. He really the only one from the Bridgeton cast would could voice Hugo effectively.
Julian Ovenden as Victor
Julian Ovenden as Henry Granville Bridgerton Season 1
Originally it was going to be Anthony Head for Victor and Julian Ovenden for Frollo but the deciding factor was age. Disney Frollo skews older than other versions of the character so I swapped them. I do think Julian Ovenden can play the stately, sensitive slight comedic Victor very well and he can also sing very well.
Julie Andrews as Laverne
Julie Andrews
This is an indulgence because it is the treasure to humanity Julie Andrews. She is perfect and would make a perfect Laverne I have no doubt. Goldie Rosheuvel and Adjoa Andoh would also be great picks for Laverne but had to go with Andrews.
Bonus: Jessica Madsen as Fleur de Lys
Jessica Madsen as Cressida, Bridgerton Season 1
Fleur de Lys does not appear in the Disney version but Madsen as Cressida is much like a Fleur de Lys that I HAD to mention the casting. Plus a remake could add her in, the musical sort of did but is was more of name drop/homage.
Extra – I think Sam Clemmett (young Brimsley) and Guy Henry (Dr. Monro) from Queen Charlotte would be great picks for Quasimodo and Frollo respectively but I just wanted to keep this to Bridgerton but they were my first initials picks.
If you like this let know maybe I will do more like it and suggestions for casting are always welcome though I have a backlog.
Nine years ago I did a casting post on Henry Cavill playing Phoebus which you can read HERE. I still think he could play Phoebus BUT I also think that he could play another role. A role that would be an acting challenge for him. A role that most actors seem to want to play.
That’s right, I think Henry Cavill for Quasimodo.
Given the news that Cavill is no longer playing Superman in the DCU and few months ago it was announced that he was no longer playing Geralt in The Witcher Series, everyone on the internet is casting him for everything.
First reason for this casting pick is that it goes WAY against his type. Henry Cavill is very attractive. Geralt did go against his type but still is his wheelhouse especially since he a fan of the series. Quasimodo pushes actors in all the areas of acting which is why actors spearhead productions to play the role. Whether they are success or not is another story.
Also Cavill is the right age to play Quasimodo. And when I say “right” I mean the average age. Quasimodo in the book is 19 BUT the average age of the actors who have played him in the eight “well known’ productions (movies/mini-series) is about 40.
This is not a casting pick that probably anyone wants nor does it make any sense but it would be intresting to see Cavill playing a role like Quasimodo.
What do you think? Could Henry Cavill play Quasimodo? Or different role like Phoebus? Which actor would you cast as Quasimodo?
This was a suggestion by Roman. I suppose for this suggestion to make sense we are going to have to posit that this casting would have to occur in the early 2000s, like after 2002 with Spears’ film debut in Crossroads but before she gave up her dream to be a film actress because Spears had the good sense to not pursue that path.
Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake
Spears did have enough influence prior to her break-down that she COULD have play rich-bitch Fleur de Lys though it might have depended on the style of Hunchback. Like if it was all star cast for a teenage MTV demographic. So maybe Justin Timberlake as Quasimodo, Freddie Prinze Jr as Phoebus, Shannon Elizabeth or Eliza Dushku as Esmeralda, Ashton Kutcher as Gringoire and Paul Rudd as Frollo. You know, a 90s/2000s teen comedy take on Hunchback. That sounds abysmal and yet I would have to watch that train-wreck of an idea while at the same time cursing the heaven for allowing to exist.
Britney Spears in the Work B**ch music video
So Britney Spears as Fleur de Lys? Well that best I can say for that idea is at least she’s blonde. Fleur de Lys has long been cast as blonde to counter Esmeralda’s dark hair, however it’s mentioned in the book that she has blonde hair and that she wears sky-blue. So Britney Spears fits that important hair color criteria.
Britney Spears as Lucy in Crossroads
As for acting, well Crossroads was nominated for a lot awards, mostly Razzies of which Spears herself won worst actress and worst song. But is playing a jealous bitch all that hard? Could Spears have pulled it off? As far as Fleur de Lys goes in other versions, I often find her delightful. I think there is an art to making a unlikable character come off as interesting and in some way likable. Whether it was a case of the acting other characters or just her actresses, Fleur de Lys would have been out of Spear’s range as an actress. That isn’t saying much as her other film rolls were a Flight attendant in Longshot which was a cameo, in the music video “Boys” in Austin Powers in Goldmember, a cameo in Pauly Shore is Dead and finally a cameo in Fahrenheit 9/11. She also had a cameo on Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Not sure if you noticed a pattern. She did cameo as herself, not acting. She can’t act and didn’t try after Crossroads.
However not being able to act hasn’t stopped other would be actors. To be fair she did fake the world with her early days innocent act. Maybe Spears could have played Fleur as herself? Like if there was a case to cast Spears as Fleur de Lys, then the project would have been less about the characters and plot and more about the notoriety of the casting so it wouldn’t have mattered if she could act or not. The name would have been enough.
Britney Spears
Fortunately, Spears hasn’t been in a movie in since 2004 even as cameo and I don’t think any studio would take a depressing book and make a rom-com for teenagers using former “it” celebrities. But the idea of it is super cringe-inducing.
But what do you think? Could you stomach the idea of Britney Spears in a version of Hunchback?
Sometimes bad casting isn’t about a terrible actor or a celebrity pretending to be an actor, sometimes it just bad casting. Like the absolute wrong person for the role and John Cena would make a terrible Frollo.
John Cena
John Cena is a WWF personality. He’s been in a few movies but they seem more like comedies and action thrillers than dramas based on literary classics (or based on classic Hollywood movies.) Being in the WWF means he is an actor but he is not a heel (bad guy,) he is a face (good guy). I learned those terms from GLOW, I’m not much one for wrestling. So I least hope that I got that he is a face and not a heel correct. The point is he is already not believable as a brooding, lustful control freak.
So why would I bring up Cena for Frollo and not Phoebus as he looks like a Phoebus. Well that’s the point. Can you imagine a buff conventional attractive Frollo? Can you imagine a Frollo looking like a the cover-art of a smutty romance book? The answer is yes and no since we sort of already got that in the 1956 version. Alain Cuny was the wrong type but not as extreme as Cena. The point is Cena as Frollo would not be believable as Frollo and it wouldn’t matter even if he gave an amazing performance.
John Cena
But could Cena even give an amazing performance as Frollo? From what I have seen maybe BUT most likely no. The WWF is all about being big and over-the-top and actors playing Frollo rarely are allowed to go that big in their performance. Maybe a big over-the-top Frollo who doesn’t hide his emotions but yells a lot would be good? Doesn’t seem like Frollo though.
John Cena
So an attractive overly emotional Frollo? That sounds more like Gaston than Frollo but then again we got two versions of Frollo that were Gaston knock-offs. So John Cena could play Frollo in the Live action version of the Enchanted Tales Version of Hunchback.
Oh dear God! That would be awful. The idea of that makes me psychically ill. There is the horror of this casting. It’s not just Cena would be woefully unfit to play Frollo but that there is actually an iteration of Frollo that he could play convincingly.
John Cena
At least there is no chance of the Enchanted Tales version getting any sort of attention. At least Hollywood can’t be that cruel. Can it? Unless it would be to make money at a loss, which I mean would be a great idea if the idea to make money on a flop. But as a standard film version John Cena, darling of The WWF, would make a terrible Frollo in all aspects of the character.
Awhile ago I did an Anti-Hypothetical Casting Post for Kim Kardashian and while she best worst choice (as far as people involved in Keeping up with the Kardashian go), Kylie and Kendall seem more topical and in the right age range to play Esmeralda.
Kendall Jenner
I guess Kendall makes more sense than Kylie but honestly these two run together for me, I’m not sure which one is which. I thought of Kylie first since I tend to watch make-up/nail polish content of youtube but Kendall seems to have more a filmography and she did that social justice Pepsi commercial. So let’s just consider Kendall Jenner for this post.
Kendall Jenner in a Lil Dickie Music video
I can’t pretend that I know Kendall Jenner’s acting prowess but I’m going to assume it’s low to bad. But she is a model who was on a reality show, has been in a bad music video singing about her vagina and a not self-aware soda commercial so she seems like she’ll do whatever for notoriety.
Kendall Jenner
Since she “sang” in that horrible music video and since she has that Social Justice Pepsi ad maybe she could play Esmeralda in a musical version. Maybe a Disney live action version. I mean Disney likes popular people in their movies. And for some reason she is popular, I still don’t get it and I never will. Also Disney really doesn’t live Hunchback version much but wants to curtail to fans so maybe casting a reality show star turned model turned some form of celebrity is a good bet for them? You know, for money.
Kendall Jenner
She does have a good look for Esmeralda. So that is one thing working for her.
But would Kendall Jenner even want to play Esmeralda? I honestly don’t know enough about her to say but maybe. Though the Pepsi commercial did cause some pushback maybe she would want to double-down on it and want to play a beautiful, desirable, social justice warrior of a repressed people. Or at least just a character who is beautiful and desirable and in some versions and known as a social justice warrior, like Disney’s version. Activist by association!
Kendall Jenner
This casting idea scares me. It’s just bad. I wouldn’t want it in a so bad it’s good way. Kendall Jenner would be a bad choice. I hate it!
This idea both horrifies and excites me, so it’s perfect. It’s like the pope of fools in movie form. So let’s break down idea of Tommy Wiseau playing Quasimodo.
Tommy Wiseau
In Greg Sestero’s book, The Disaster Artist, Sestero referenced to Wiseau looking like “the Hunchback of Notre Dame following corrective surgery.” So the groundwork for this idea is already in place. Also let’s not forget that Wiseau has already funded one passion project with The Room, which has given him a lot of notoriety and has spun a cult following with midnight showings, a hit book about the production and an Oscar nominated movie based on the book based on the production of The Room. If he wanted to play Quasimodo he could, he doesn’t need to go through a studio, he already has one. And it’s a two in one deal because he could get Sestero to play Phoebus, because of course he would. Side note Sestero was in Best F(r)iends with Wiseau, so they are like a package deal.
Tommy Wiseau in Best F(r)iends
But the question is would Wiseau even want to play Quasimodo? Well as has been stated by me, many, many times, Quasimodo is a dream role for men to play. It’s both super psychically demanding and very emotional. So If Tommy wanted to show the world that he could play a serious role why not Quasimodo? I mean he was already liken to Quasimodo so why not just lean into it and play him.
Also Quasimodo is from a famous French novel and Wiseau in the past has pretended to be French. So it could give some French cred.
Tommy Wiseau in The Room
Now if you have watched The Room, or The Neighbors, or Best F(r)iends or anything else he has been in or done, Wiseau has a weird cadence to his voice and a weird way of saying things that did in fact turn The Room into a comedy. Since Quasimodo is deaf, Wiseau’s unique voice could add something to the role. What it could add? I don’t know what but I would be curious see it.
Tommy Wiseau
One the hand this casting would be so bad but I still would HAVE to see it and not going to lie, it might be so bad that it’s good again although still scary. I dread the idea but it might be amazing in all the wrong ways.
Would you watch a Wiseau version of Hunchback?
Also here is a challenge, for Halloween this year dress-up as Tommy Wiseau as Quasimodo, Here is a tommy Wiseau wig or you can just dress-up as Tommy Wiseau from the Room.
This was a suggestion of one of those lists I found a while ago and truthfully this is a great casting idea. Ralph Fiennes would be a perfect Frollo.
Ralph Fiennes as Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights
As far as Fiennes acting prowess goes, he can played Frollo regardless of the type of Frollo the version is depicting. Whether it be sympathetic or cruel or some mixture of both. Fiennes has a very unique ability to make his villains likable yet still very threatening. Even his hero gambit run the gambit from nice to intense.
Ralph Fiennes
Fiennes has a good look to play Frollo. Not only is he age appropriate to the role but he has a great bone structure for Frollo’s angular, austere yet intense face.
Ralph Fiennes
He’s got it all. He has good look for the role, he’s age appropriate (if you care), and he’s capable of playing a likable bad guy. Fiennes would be an ideal casting pick for Frollo in any induration of the character. But what do you think? Would you like to see the actor who played He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named play Frollo?
Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort from the Harry Potter franchise
Also the idea of the actors who played Voldemort and and Dumbledore playing the same character makes me smile.
