ST Domhnall Gleeson (General Hux) in Episode VII

Hoggsquattle makes a good point. Gleeson was at that meeting, while as far as we know, Nyong'o, Christie, Andersen and Clarke were not. That implies that he'll have a bigger role than those four, though we won't know for sure until either we see the movie or Abrams decides to let up on the secrecy

 

It does NOT mean he'll have a bigger role than those four. The reason Lupita and Gwendoline were announced later on could be a lot of things. Maybe they were still in the middle of negotiating they're contract.

 

We've seen candid pictures of Dom while he's off set. Is that what you meant?

 

LMAO! Yeah; I can't believe any one would think he was being serious.

 

THIS.

Social media can make brains go crazy and assumptions to escalate. Perhaps the reason why Ridley and Boyega use social media the most could be because they are the youngest on set. Additionally, I always felt that Domhnall seems to be the one who's MOST scared of revealing any secrets about the plot. This could possibly be because he has a very central character....

Either way, he has to be relatad to Obi-Wan or Luke... Anything else just doesn't make sense, he looks too similar to them.

 

That should balance out a bit now that super-tweeters Boyega and Ridley have both deleted their Twitter accounts. Still, for some reason I still feel like they are probably the two leads from among the younger actors.

 

Liam Neeson, Frank Oz, Ray Park, and so on weren't at the table read for TPM yet Dhruv Chanchani (Kitster) was one of about ten or fifteen there.

Christopher Lee and Jimmy Smits weren't cast until filming had already begun.

 

Ian McDiarmid didn't show up to film ROTS until around the same time Lee did for AOTC. But I guess McDiarmid's screen time in ROTS justifies that. I'd also argue that Lee portrayed the fourth most important character in AOTC.

It's all about scheduling. You might get lucky and be able to film all 15 of your scenes in 2 weeks or you might have to film 15 scenes over the course 3 months. If you're not needed for a location shoot in Abu Dhabi, then maybe casting will focus on those that need to be there a bit more. Maybe you have 3 scenes but they're all to be shot during the first week or two of production.

 

Right now, it's hard to come up with a cohesive story that fits in everyone who has been cast without forcing them into it. Yet, I assume that the story was written and they needed all the people who were cast because the story called for it.

I keep getting images in my head which has transgressed into an entire storyline with Dom. In it, he's the leader of a group of young Force sensitive individuals who have evaded being hunted by the bad guys and have settled in a remote but sheltered world. Daisy and John end up there somehow and at least one of them knows at least one person who is with the group.

 

Given AD's possible sighting in a rebel flight suit, I don't think we can exclude DG as being an aristocratic Sith-obsessed villain.

 

I knew it!

 

But....but.....but.... the Variety and Report from Hollywood said Driver was the main vein of Vader villains.

I like the look. He's versatile enough for you Old Man.

 

How dare you suggest he is someone other than Luke or Obi-wan's kid!

I kid, I kid. I wouldn't be surprised...but at this point he could be playing a giant talking tree who only says "I am a Weasley" for all we know

 

This happens from time to time - actors aren't always available and the casting process isn't always complete.

Chanchani was likely included to introduce him to the others as an icebreaker - he was 10 years old and being brought halfway across the plane - it makes sense that he meets the people he'll be spending time with.

What is this photo from?

This is not unusual. Why would they be there if they had no work to do?

 

double post

 

That's exactly my point. Actors may have not been available for the script read (like Sydow?) or casting wasn't complete. It doesn't however mean that Gleeson, who made it to the script read, plays a more pivotal role or has far more screen time than Lupita Nyong'o or Crystal Clarke. He might, but him being present for the read doesn't mean that he does.

As for Chanchani, I'm sure they were interested in his interaction with Jake Lloyd. That said, he still ended up not being much of a character and even got 39th billing. It's just a reminder that not everyone who attends a script read is a lead actor or plays a crucial role.

Exactly. Scheduling can be key. Christopher Lee filmed about 15 scenes for Count Dooku in AOTC but wasn't given a casting announcement until not long before he was ready to film. That was well into casting announcements and the start of principal photography.

But you can also be cast many months before you film your scene or scenes. Bruce Spence had one scene and yet was cast months in advance. One reason could be that they needed the time to perfect his makeup and costume. Or maybe it was just easier to cast that character? Andy Secombe was cast as the voice of Watto before principal photography and yet General Grievous wasn't cast until well into post production.

As for my McDiarmid comment, I was being sarcastic. Tatooine Twilight Twins suggested that Lee being cast so late was reflected by the amount of screen time he had. But had McDiarmid been new to the saga and been cast as late as Lee, he would have had 4th billing and plenty of screen time in ROTS because he shot for several months despite arriving weeks into principal photography. He just wasn't needed right away because of scheduling. Plus I'd argue that Lee, with his 15 scenes, ended up being rather important to the movie.




P.S. That photo of Gleeson is from the Harry Potter movies.

 

This is true. But to me, if Gleeson was going to play the baddie, he'd look more like that, and less like this:



Because to me, something about that haircut and that beard scream "good guy," not "villain."

 

Actually, it does and not just his presence, but the fact that the script read and announcement happens the day after he was cast in the part.

I don't just mean interacting with other actors - he was 10 and being brought far from to work with a massive group of adults. He'd family with him, but that ids still a scary ordeal. Bringing him to the script read is a way to introduce him to some of the people involved.

 

Actually it doesn't. It just means his deal was finalized in time for the read and thus he was able to sit down with them. Had it not been finalized, the read would have continued as planned without him. Again, he could very well have a larger role to play than Christie, Nyong'o, Clarke and Andersen, but we just don't know yet.

It's pretty safe to say though that not everyone at the script read is playing a lead role. Only seventeen people got casting announcements and yet there are always more speaking roles in these films than that number. Miltos Yeromelou? So that puts at least 10 plus of the announced in the supporting role category. I feel like we're talking the difference between Jar Jar Binks and Darth Maul, Captain Typho and Lama Su, Boss Nass and Sebulba, Watto, and Nute Gunray, Sio Bibble and Captain Panaka or Admiral Piett and Boba Fett.

Most of his scenes were shot in the studio. Maybe he just arrived in England for costume fitting and then tagged along for the script read.

 

Does too

Like you say - we just don't know. Maybe the script read would have gone ahead. Maybe not. Maybe the read, but not the announcement. I think the annoucement was for the core group of characters - the central and most important ones.

No, but they are the central characters. The core group. Star Wars has three leads, everyone else is supporting.

 

I just realized I missed what you said in an earlier post because it wasn't separated from my quotes. So I'll reply now.

I agree to an extent. Lee though played a big role in AOTC and didn't get a casting announcement until weeks into filming. Therefore I leave the door open for Christie, Nyong'o, Clarke, and Andersen to be playing someone just as important.

Well as I said, Liam Neeson and Frank Oz didn't attend the script read for TPM and they went ahead without them. I'm sure they would have survived without Gleeson no matter who he plays.

At the very least there could be 4 more that are as equally supporting that just weren't cast yet.

Yeromelou represents the many actors who will get speaking lines but no casting announcement. Even if he himself isn't actually in the movie.

Also I'm not willing pardon Nyong'o and Christie without giving Clarke and Andersen the same deal.



As for Kitster, well we've come up with several reasons why he could have been at the script read for a character of his size. Therefore I'm willing to keep an open mind as to why some were at the Episode 7 read. Let's face it, Peter Mayhew probably wasn't contributing too much in the way of reading for Chewbacca.

 

I used to double post a bit myself. For me, I was finally able to break the habit by immediately changing threads as soon as I had commented, refusing to return until someone else posted a message. Challenging sometimes, I know!

 

???

I agree to an extent. Lee though played a big role in AOTC and didn't get a casting announcement until weeks into filming. Therefore I leave the door open for Christie, Nyong'o, Clarke, and Andersen to be playing someone just as important.[/quote]

Yes, important characters can be cast much later, which is why scheduling and logistics are very important.

I'm going to disagree on the rest though - Gleeson is one of the new Big Three, worst case scenario he is the Lando. Which is still pretty sweet.

Yes, as I said earlier it isn't always necessary or possible. Von Sydow and Baker aren't there. Gleeson had to hurry back to the States to finish filming Brooklyn. He may only have been in London for the script read - the contract could have been signed easily in America.

There was an announcement of "three new young leads" - traditionally this doesn't include the villain (Driver if the fan opinion is accurate) and discounts Serkis.

Obviously, Ridley and Boyega (unless that fan opinion is way off and he is a bad guy). This leaves Gleeson and Issac. I think the 3 of new Big 3 is between those guys.

Yes, they aren't going to officially announce every actor. Only major players, the open call and the prize winner.

Sorry, I don't follow.

Kitster - yeah, there are probably who have a dozen more readings.

Script Read/Mayhew - yeah, but he is one of the Originals and deserving of being at the event. Plus, he will be on set a lot and as the only person who can do Chewbacca he needs to know what others will be saying to him and pratcising his performance.

 

Alright, I take it back. My point is, he's probably got a good sized role