Can you imagine anyone else playing the characters?

H

horrorshock666

Dingoes Ate My Baby!!!
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I was just answering to a thread and it got me thinking...

What if Aly was never cast as Willow?
Would Willow still be the Willow many of us know and love?

What if Sarah wasn't Buffy?
Would Buffy be Buffy?

And what about Nick as Xander?

In fact... Can you imagine what it would be like if all of the characters we now know were played by someone else?

Or is it just the writers who create the characters and the actors just are a part of it but not a main component in the equation of characters and their appeal or development?

Or do you see another person being able to step into the shoes of the characters?

Hopefully that made sense! ha ha.
 
Have you seen the unaired pilot? Cause that had a different actress playing Willow. Not good. Well, it was good, but I know I wouldn't have warmed to Willow nearly as much without Alyson.
 
Washburne
Washburne
You know I agree. Sure I love "Willow" but it wouldn´t be the same with a different actress.
My mind melts at your question..............NO!!!!!!

No one else makes sense to me now, they are ingrained on my head and heart....even bit parts like Snyder.

When you feel for the eaten butt head principle....Thats good writing.
 
I will probably be at least attacked from all corners for my following statement or at worst asked to take my opinions and go find myself another forum, but I imagine that there are any number of actors available who could do just as good if not better a job of playing any character in the Buffyverse. There are any number of characters in the movies and on tv who have been portrayed by more than one actor, and portrayed very well. I can remember my mother saying that there would never be another "real" Tarzan after Weismuller, and there were tons of fans who said that Connery was the ONLY James Bond. There's no telling how many actors who have done a very good job portraying Robin Hood, King Arthur, Superman, Sherlock Holmes, or dozens more characters. Certainly, whoever recreated the role of Buffy would at least at first be compared with Sarah, and the same goes for every role on both shows. The future actors would have to live up to who originally created the roles, and strive to surpass them. But it could most certainly be done.

Now, feel free to jump on me if you care to.
 
No, no jumpy, to each their own.

In a way I can relate as I've said before Joss and all the talented writers are more Buffy to me than SMG....yet i still can't see anyone replacing her.

my personality is prone to this. Anyone else voicing vader than a james Earl jones sound alike, I'd flip out. But on the bright side....when you have big shoes to fill the result is usually eather awe-striking or abysmal.

I have yet to see the new batman but most people I've heard from rave about Keith's performance and how he did not try to ape Nicholas and made the role his own, albiet more demented...which suits the joker fine by me....

Who else could you see in their roles for curiosities sake? I'm more than passingly interested. or are you taking the 'open minded' approach and figure good will be good?
 
S
Schillaci
Batman was awful. Some of the acting made me want to cry.
I think everyone is fantastic and I really don't see anyone else as the characters sometimes I get a Chandler from friends vibe from Xander but other wise no x
 
i'm sure other people could play the characters, and play them well at that, but it wouldn't be the same for me. i also think that past a certain point, maybe one or two seasons, that sarah michelle gellar and alyson hannigan and nicholas brendon and tony head and everyone kind of "became" the characters. they knew their mannerisms and their voices and their reactions and they could play them because they were them in some incarnation. because the actors we know and love played those characters we know and love for so long, they kind of became one. at least for me haha. i will always think james marsters is british and alyson hannigan and sarah michelle gellar will always and only be willow and buffy to me haha.
 
R
Relic
very good point; a good actor and time to become the role? that equates what we recieved...awsome incarnate
S
Spirit_Of_Fred
[No message]
No way. I think all the cast members did a terrific job in playing their characters (especially the Scooby Gang), the show wouldn't have been the same if they were played by other people. I saw the unaired pilot of BtVS, and I'm just glad that they decided to go with Alyson Hannigan to play Willow. Even the villains and other minor/recurring characters are great (Andrew, Jonathan, Glory, The Mayor).
 
I agree that maybe someone could play the characters but i do think it would take alot to get someone to live up or be as good to many people as the other people.

I have seen the pilot and i do agree that Willow was really not as nice/likable, i just think Aly is Willow, and although im sure if someone else had played her from the start after the pilot id have been used to her and saying the exact same thing right now, then again if you didnt know any better you couldn't say anything anyway i dont think... but i also have to agree that the writers do create the characters somewhat and so maybe it would be the same.

I really get confused thinking about this question, even though its mine anyway, but i cant decide myself. ha ha.
 
Even though there are times when I really don't like some of the actors and actresses, I'm really glad each person who was cast was, because they all bring something to the show that makes it feel like Buffy. If it were different, I don't think it would be as good. Then again, if there was an entirely different cast in the beggining, I might be saying that about them. But I still love the cast as they are...Well, were.
 
It is weird to think Charisma did audition to play Buffy 😛.
Also the fact that the actress who plays Kendra did audition for Cordelia.
Can't imagine them actually xD.
 
Having watched the show for 7 years and then over and over again it´s not easy to see someone else play a character you´re now used to. I´m sure there´s actors/actresses that would have done a great job as well. Just as good or even better even. But we´ll never find out.

I am very happy about this though.
Five by Five said:
Have you seen the unaired pilot? Cause that had a different actress playing Willow. Not good. Well, it was good, but I know I wouldn't have warmed to Willow nearly as much without Alyson.
Click to expand...
 
Is it true Charisma Chase originally went for the Buffy role??
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I meant to write, Charisma Carpenter! haha, forgive me, I'm ill.
 
I guess the original Buffy is Kristy Swanson (BTVS Movie)
but for me the real Buffy is SMG. She's definitely good and no one can replace her for her role
 
I think this is one of the hardest questions for a fan to answer. We love the actors who played the characters, so of course we're gonna say we don't think anyone else can play Buffy/Willow/whoever. But we can't honestly answer.

There may come a time, a few years down the line, when Joss decides to bring either show to the big screen, and all of the cast sign up. Except one. What does he do? Cancel the whole project? Or find someone else to fill the role? I guess it depends on which actor it is. James Marsters gave himself 5 years after 'Not Fade Away' where he'd be willing to reprise the role of Spike, after that he said he'd be too old to play a vampire who never ages. Same probably goes for David Boreanaz, and Juliet Landau, Julie Benz, and Mercedes McNab, although I think the girls could get more than 5 years.

So what do we do if that happens, and Joss has to find a replacement Spike/Angel? Do we sit here and gripe about it? Or do we give the actor a fair chance?
 
That's an interesting question.
In another thread there was a brief discussion on recasting Star Trek as a comparison.

The thing is, can a role be recast? Yes.
Will the public be willing to accept it? Possibly.
James Bond has been recast numerous times, as have other iconic characters.

Does there need to be a similarity in appearance (call it clone if you like) for the characters? Not necessarily.
For Buffy, it is a short stature blond (and why SMG had to color her hair). That is a prerequisite for the characterization.
The ditzy blond cheerleader who kicks ass and isn't the helpless waif.
The latest Bond (Daniel Craig) looks nothing like any previous Bond actor yet was a smash hit.

One of the reasons Star Trek was mentioned is that Kirk, Spock et al. are icons who have not been recast before (40 years). A true test of absolute icon recasting.
How will the public accept the differences? That might be a good yard-stick measure as comparison.
Is Buffy iconic enough to the general public to be completely identified with SMG, or only within its fan base?
Is "looking" like the original actors of more importance than say actually being able to portray the character?
Would you be happy with a doppelganger who phones in their performance simply to satisfy the "look alike" factor?
 
Superstar said:
For Buffy, it is a short stature blond (and why SMG had to color her hair). That is a prerequisite for the characterization.
The ditzy blond cheerleader who kicks ass and isn't the helpless waif.
The latest Bond (Daniel Craig) looks nothing like any previous Bond actor yet was a smash hit.

One of the reasons Star Trek was mentioned is that Kirk, Spock et al. are icons who have not been recast before (40 years). A true test of absolute icon recasting.
?
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Buffy is the epitome of the dumb blond cliche, and I agree, it would be hard to replace with a different general body type, but it could be done by the right actress. The major real requirement is "ditzy." In fact, Sarah just might have done such a good job of dispelling the "dumb blond" cliche that a completely different type would work better.

I'm going to avoid venting my spleen on the choice of Mr Craig as Bond, except to say that I read the books, and he misses Flemming's original character more than any actor to play the part yet with the exception of Roger Moore. Beyond that he doesn't play the character any worse than the others have (I can say the same thing about Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan, so I'm not just singling out Craig).

As for the immortal Kirk, Spock, and company, having the characters appear at a much younger age will help with those roles. Beyond that, I'm saving my comments until after I see the movie. I am hopeful, though. Old Trekkers never die.
 
I think the actors they got for Buffy complemented each other, and at times brought the best out of each other. However its the writing where the characters are created and I pretty much think any decent actor could replace anybody on Buffy.

Having said that, some people are just born to play a certain role. When James Marsters gets 'all done up', he just is Spike. Anthony Head is pretty spot-on when it comes to Giles. I really don't see how the rest of them couldn't be replaced by another actor of equal talent.

The question is, or the thing is, it is not just about playing a part, would the chemistry between the actors still be there? That's a big part of what makes a tv show successful. Some actors are just shaped a certain way, and fit together to complete part of the success puzzle.

I guess that's a big part of the casting process and whatnot, it isn't just about finding the actor to play the role, you also have to find out if they work well with the other actors, if they all fit together.
 
H
hazzard
i agree about the fitting, and i think that's a huge factor in buffy because all the actors work so well together.
It's really tricky trying to play the "what if" game. Of course NOW we could never imagine any other actor pulling off the characters we know and love from the Buffyverse, but thats because we're used to it. Had other actors been cast in the roles originally we would now be used to them playing the role and if asked could you imagine SMG playing the role of Buffy insead of "blank"? We'd be like hell no. But I think thats why casting is such a vital part of the production process. A show is greenlit and its on the casting team to find the perfect people to fill the roles. All I can say is thank god they found who they did cause had any part of the formula that made Buffy been even a smidgen different it might not be the show we all know and love today.
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Lyri said:
So what do we do if that happens, and Joss has to find a replacement Spike/Angel? Do we sit here and gripe about it? Or do we give the actor a fair chance?
Click to expand...

Sorry to double post but I just read your post and I have to answer your question. For me its just not feasible to have either Spike or Angel recast were a feature about to be made and the actors were unavailable, I just would never be able to accept it, i would rather it not be made at all, or to have them leave that particular character out of it. Such a vital character like that just cannot be recast. I mean what would be the point, I think it would leave most fans feeling completely disengaged.
 
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