loonyblog.

According to SciFi Wire, Natalie Portman is in talks to star as Evey (presumably) in the Wachowski brothers’ adaptation of my favorite graphic novel of all-time, V for Vendetta. I’m not a big fan of hers, but I’m not offended by this at all. She can certainly act, and that’s a lot better than some people. My first choice actually would have been Gwyneth Paltrow, or at least the Gwyneth Paltrow from a few years ago (right around Shakespeare in Love would have been perfect). I had some deep-routed fears that someone like Kirsten Dunst would wind up in the role. Actually, I guess I have that fear for a lot of movies, since this is the second time in three days I’ve made that same statement (here’s the first). Does this say anything about me? I don’t think so, I just think she can’t act.

In any event, I really, really, really hope they pick the right voice to play V (and since you never actually see the man behind the mask, it really is primarily a voice they’re casting). I always pictured someone with a very theatrical voice in the role…V is, after all, a vaudeville-esque character (he says so himself). My first choice would probably be Avery Brooks, good ol’ Captain Sisko from Deep Space Nine. This isn’t just me being a DS9 fanboi (which I most certainly am) — Brooks is a classically trained actor with just the right amount of theatricality. Also, the comic never actually says why V was in that internment camp. In the comic that’s a perfectly acceptable literary device, but whoever is cast in the role will inevitably give off some kind of suggestion as to the background of the character. Putting an african american in the role gives a reason without coming right out and saying why (for those who haven’t read it, in the book, minorities, homosexuals and other “deviants” are rounded up by an oppressive English government and put into camps).

But of course, I doubt they’ll cast a relatively unknown actor like Brooks. My more mainstream picks would be people like Laurence Fishburne (again, a classically trained african american actor), Patrick Stewart (again with the Star Trek reference, but he’s certainly got the theatrical background) or even Wesley Snipes.

Needless to say, I’m on the edge of my seat with curiosity. While Superman is the adaptation I’m following the closest (well, duh), this is a near-second. I think the Watchowski brothers can handle this well (even if they are only producing) and the material is ripe for adaptation. I think a stage adaptation would have been great, but short of that, this could be worthy of its source material.

I hope.