Buttercup Cabbage-patch.
fantasia_kitty wrote:I've often wondered if there's ANYONE who could portray Aslan perfectly? Aslan is Lewis's interpretation of Jesus, and everyone has a different view of Jesus. I don't know that there's an actor out there that can encompass all of that into one character. Well, there probably is, but can Hollywood find him? That's the question.
That's the tricky thing indeed! I felt that Liam Neeson's performance was quite lacking and rather one-dimensional, but I'm sure there are plenty of people out there that do feel he brought all of the goodness, holiness, depth, power, et cetera. It's so subjective. I feel like the primary attribute that Neeson brought to the role was
regality, which certainly suits a lion, the king of animals, but Aslan is so much more than that. To me, he seemed too much like an earthly king and not the King of kings.
(Of course, I don't entirely blame Neeson for my issues with the Aslan we see in LWW, PC and VDT; a lot of my complaints are related to the way that the character is written and the lines he's given and the way he was directed to say them. With new writing and direction, it's possible that I could be satisfied with Neeson's portrayal, but at this point, I'd much rather they cast someone new and "reboot" the character.)
On top of the difficulty of competing with people's varying views of Jesus, my understanding of C.S. Lewis's own view of Jesus is that it's almost a paradox: tender and severe, comforting and terrifying. This is
not an easy role... but it's also an incredible opportunity for an actor. I truly don't mind if their interpretation isn't exactly what
I would expect or imagine, so long as it leaves me awestruck and manages to bring that paradox to life. But as for who has the ability to do it... I have no idea who to suggest.