NarniaWeb Community Forums

With the recent news that Netflix has the rights to all 7 books, it seems like a good time to put together a dream cast. This thread is for discussing suggestions for actors to play Nonhuman characters.

What if they actually made the White Witch youthful like in the books? I think Daisy Ridley would be an interesting casting choice

Also, I've grown fond of the young Tumnus idea. I'd like to nominate Iain De Caestecker for the role. If you seen Agents of SHIELD, you know he can hit all the right notes for the role!

Lastly for now... David Tennant as Mr. Beaver

I'm really getting into this casting stuff haha, this one has a bit of a backstory to it. Firstly I'd like to clarify that I loved Warwick Davis as Nikabrik and I'm very sure Netflix and whoever works behind the scenes will cast actual dwarf actors in the roles of Nikabrik, Trumpkin etc.

Although, ever since I watched the Snow White and the Huntsman, very underrated film in my honest opinion, I've never not been able to see Ian McShane as Nikabrik. Here's an image of him as one of the dwarves in the film:

http://oi63.tinypic.com/dxoeug.jpg

Finally, someone who appreciates Snow White and the Hunstman! Haha

Also, I like your suggestion for Nikabrik. I’m not sure how to say this without sounded insensitive... but I rather them not cast dwarf actors just because it’s easier. It sort of breaks the fantasy-fourth-wall for me, seeing as how dwarves are actual fantasy ‘creatures’ and I would like them to take a more unique spin on their appearance, like Lord of the Rings and Snow White did. (Now, that’s not to say I dislike Warwick Davis and Peter Dinklage in their respective roles, because they were excellent.)

That said, I suggested Tom Hardy for Aslan at one point... now I’m thinking he’d make an excellent Trumpkin XD thoughts?

Monty Jose wrote:Finally, someone who appreciates Snow White and the Hunstman! Haha

Also, I like your suggestion for Nikabrik. I’m not sure how to say this without sounded insensitive... but I rather them not cast dwarf actors just because it’s easier. It sort of breaks the fantasy-fourth-wall for me, seeing as how dwarves are actual fantasy ‘creatures’ and I would like them to take a more unique spin on their appearance, like Lord of the Rings and Snow White did. (Now, that’s not to say I dislike Warwick Davis and Peter Dinklage in their respective roles, because they were excellent.)

That said, I suggested Tom Hardy for Aslan at one point... now I’m thinking he’d make an excellent Trumpkin XD thoughts?

Interesting choices @King_Erllan, and as for your choice for Trumpkin, @Monty Jose, I personally think Hardy would be better suited to doing voice work, either for Aslan or another noble creature in the Narnian universe.

I personally, again referring back to Snow White and the Huntsman, would cast Toby Jones in the role. He has the ability to be the serious and hardened side to Trumpkin's character and the softer side that we get to know and love throughout the story. Here's an image of Jones in the film:

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sno ... 0701073005

As well as this my suggestion for Puddleglum is Gustaf Skarsgård:

https://images.spoilertv.com/cache/Vikings/Season%205/Promotional%20Episode%20Photos/Episode%205.02/v5_02_10072016_ah_00166_FULL.jpg

I'd also like to see some cool effects like this for the HAG in Prince Caspian. Let's have the hags look like actual hags rather than birds, as cool as they looked. When one actually speaked in Prince Caspian it didn't work as well for me:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/58/9c/a0/589ca0be2b3bdfee50def0eb697dcd11.jpg

How about Olivia Coleman as the Queen of Harfang?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6O6wR44AY4

Speaking on behalf of dwarf actors (and the plural is dwarfs except in Middle Earth), it would be very inappropriate to cast someone 5'6" as a dwarf - Lewis describes their height as being much smaller than the children, so it would be insulting in all sorts of ways to have such a role played by a much taller actor (no matter how well acted).
You may know that there are over 200 forms of dwarfism, although the commonest is achondroplasia. Many Little People are of average proportions, and there are a lot of good actors who have dwarfism.

I actually think it would be fun to have Warwick Davis return in some role for the Netflix series, considering that he was in both the BBC and Walden adaptations. It would be kind of cool Easter egg for Narnia fans.

coracle wrote:Speaking on behalf of dwarf actors (and the plural is dwarfs except in Middle Earth), it would be very inappropriate to cast someone 5'6" as a dwarf - Lewis describes their height as being much smaller than the children, so it would be insulting in all sorts of ways to have such a role played by a much taller actor (no matter how well acted).

I get it. Hollywood doesn't tend to cast anybody without a perfect body, let alone people who are seen as "disabled" or "not-normal", so when a role is available for someone outside of their cookie-cutter world, it's like "yay! Finally!"
But I would like to point out that very recently Peter Dinklage was cast in the role of a giant in Thor: Ragnarok. Did you see it? It was quite impressive!
So with all due respect, I'm with Monty Jose on this one. I'm not at all opposed to seeing a normal sized person shrunk down to a dwarf character. But I also say lets let little people be the giants! I really liked the look of Peter Dinklage as a giant, and I think that would be fun to have that look in Narnia as well.

@PrinceRillianIX, you must watch a lot of movies and TV. I love almost all of your suggestions. Olivia Coleman as the Queen of Harfang particularly made me laugh. "You look like a badger."

fantasia_kitty wrote:@PrinceRillianIX, you must watch a lot of movies and TV. I love almost all of your suggestions. Olivia Coleman as the Queen of Harfang particularly made me laugh. "You look like a badger."

I do indeed haha And thank you, I appreciate that. Yeah, I think Olivia would be perfect as the Queen of Harfang. Although, if not her, then I think Frances de la Tour would do a good job.

I'm interested in your thoughts on my suggestion for Puddleglum, which is also posted above.

Having just seen The Favourite, I'd like to suggest Rachel Weisz as The Lady of the Green Kirtle. Here's an image of her in the film: https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/the-favourite-tf-03469-r-rgb-1546623683.jpg

What do you think of her as the White Witch? I think she'd be a fantastic WW. She's a bit old for me for the LotGK. But I'm an oddball and want a young LotGK.

fantasia_kitty wrote:What do you think of her as the White Witch? I think she'd be a fantastic WW. She's a bit old for me for the LotGK. But I'm an oddball and want a young LotGK.

I could see that. How about Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey? A french LOTGK could be quite interesting.

https://images5.alphacoders.com/831/831093.jpg

I wouldn't be opposed to a French actress, but I'm going to suggest Rose Leslie, a Scottish red head with green eyes.... Yeah, she's pretty much spot on for how I pictured LotGK.

How would Tom Hiddleston be as Mr. Tumnus?