Or they can cast a Scotsman to play a Spaniard who was originally from Egypt and an American originally from France to play a Scotsman because that makes so much sense in that franchise.
Actually, I'm no Highlander fan at all, but I read a lot about TV series and often come across enraged reactions when such things happen. If a movie (or show) sticks to the elements that made it popular when making a series, fans will usually be forgiving, or simply not have issues at all (see Stargate becoming SG-1). It just takes skill to recognize what it is the fans like - if they had taken Kurt Russell and made a completely different show, the outcome may have been very different, too. This example just came to mind first, because it was a case of the writers specifically saying they didn't bother to watch the material their movie was (supposedly) based on.
I feel like this would happen to BG. However since this film/miniseries will never actually happen in our imagined world where this is made the writers are awesome and respect the source material.
I still believe that, in his prime, Michael Dorn (better known as Worf) would have been perfect for Sarevok. He had the look, the voice and the skill to pull it off:
Does your god do too much good? then buy a Tiax smiting!
I'd love to see Ken Wanatabe as Yoshimo...well to be fare i'd just love to see a Baldur's Gate movie just as long as the author of the novels and Uwe Boll have nothing to do with it.
Artastrophe on DeviantArt put some thought into this: Sadly, I don't know half of the actors (probably because I am not american). And yes oh yes for Gary Oldman as Edwin. Matchmaking made in heaven (or rather the nine hells). I honestly don't believe that Vin Diesel could pull off a convincing Sarevok though. Not just is he not tall enough (imo) but I don't think he is frightening enough, too. Sean Bean as Keldorn would break his tradition of dieing halfway through the story, though And for those who are wondering, Sajantha is Artastrophe's Bhaalspawn.
Oooohhhh I missed this one before. It is quite good. I like how they also picked Kandyse McClure as Dynei. Also Elizabeth Olsen would make a fine Aerie come to think of it.
Mark Strong is ALWAYS great. I'd actually really like to see him as Lehtinan from the Copper Coronet in a Game of Thrones style show.
Olivia Wilde seems like a fit for Jaheira, but to be honest I've barely seen her act at all except for Cowboys & Aliens and I highly doubt that is a good indicator (despite the writer also writing for Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition! which is a really cool coincidence)
I'd like to see Kate Beckinsale (*o*) as Jaheira (she'd be a very alluring Officer Vai... I always see her as a paladin for some reason)
EDIT: Scratch that... Kate Beckinsale as Melissan! Give the character some depth too. I think she is a cool villain, but it would be nice to have her show up THROUGHOUT the series to give her some more significance when it comes to the final showdown. Like maybe she met with Gorion and helped him get Charname away to safety. Or that she would show up at Candlekeep to warn Gorion of Sarevok. Or maybe she can take the role of what Elminster did in the first game.
No, seriously, there are some ok picks, but that would really bother me. Anomen, Keldorn and Nalia would all look more hispanic than their portraits, given their background; Edwin and Minsc more middle eastern.
Well, for one spanish=/=hispanic and I'm also pretty sure that Rashemon is akin to Russia while Thay is Persia/Egypt. Dynaeir's skin at least indicates that they have a mixed ethnicity. Naveen Andrews does look remarkably like Valygar, despite being SE Asian. I like your choice better though. All that said... Viconia is DEFINITELY whitewashing,
I said hispanic because it can apply to many countries, not just Spain. Call it "latino" then, if you will. To me, Antonio Banderas would make a better Keldorn than George Clooney. Thay is indeed Faerun's Persia/Egypt, and Gary Oldman is pretty far from both.
I've also just looked through various wikis and can't find a source for Rashemen being akin to Russia. The only indicator is Minsc's accent - which is close to Edwin's, so it's frankly not the best of points.
My Valygar suggestion isn't "black" either, btw. he's maori. I find both have the looks for Valygar, but I've seen Antonio te Maihoa in a role that comes close to Valygar's personality - somewhat stoic, somewhat bitter and judging others quickly, but also a softer, more understanding side (Valygar does eventually begin to question his blind rejection of arcane magic). So I have an easier time to imagine him in this role than Naveen Andrews.
People in Spain are white. They are at least as "white" as I am (I'm Greek) As far as Rashamen is concerned, the name Minsc is very Russian sounding (indeed, the capitol of Belarus is Minsk). Also Rashemen is suspiciously phonetically similar to Russiamen. Those two facts always led me to believe the relationship (along with Minsc's accent... which I don't think is at all similar to Edwin's, which seems more Italian)
Well, Edwin doesn't sound very Persian or Egyptian. Neither the first name nor the accent, and the geographical name seems more a coincidence. I mean, it's not EgypThayan or PersiThay or whatever either, and many other names also don't match anything in the real world. Still not convinced.
yeah, but what in the world convinces you that Minsc would be similar in ethnicity to Thayans? The fact that they are neighbors is hardly convincing, particularly because Minsc's portrait is white and Dynaheir's is black (which just indicates that "ethnicity" means little in this discussion) Also there is a nation that is a clear representation of the Americas call MAZTICA (no subtlety there at all!!). I think that is all the proof you need to at least consider the idea that the name Rashemen is not unintentional.
Regardless, Russia is just north of all the Turkish/Ottoman-influenced countries (Uzbeks, Kazhaks, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, etc) and Gary Oldman played a convincing Chechnyan in Air Force One, despite being white. Also Persians are not very distinguishable from whites, in fact I have an Iranian professor right now, who I thought might have been Greek. Oldman would be fine as a Persian, though perhaps not as an Egyptian (though Ancient Egyptians most likely looked VERY different from modern Egyptians, which people never seem to consider in these sort of discussions)
also: Antonio Banderas is actually white and not Mestizo, though he is often cast in Hispanic roles. That is the real whitewashing in my opinion, though his complexion has me convinced he was actually latino in Desperado. I think that, if anything, means that race doesn't really matter for those characters as much as it does for say, Yoshimo, Valygar or Sarevok.
Also a side note: Am I the only one that thinks Ajantis looks Asian? I also think he looks almost as old as Keldorn too.
Russia... Eurasia... There is a certain overlap, yeah. Just not with black populations, and Dynaheir is black. So I put Rashemen more in an area where a black/white overlap is more common. About the name... Well, Rashemen also sort of sounds like Yemen. I guess it depends on your native language. Same for "looks white enough". In Greece, a Persian may not stand out, but in Ireland or Sweden, this is likely different. I went to school with people from Iran and Turkey, and they were distinguishable. It depends on your perspective.
I do, however, not consider portraits because we all know they were based on employees (and are photomanipulations) and that alone limits the pool. If they had no male black employee, they couldn't make a male black character. And in BG2, without that factor, they just moved further away from lore (see Edwin - not bald, wearing a styled, "barbaric" beard, yet still a proud Thayan wizard).
re: Antonio Banderas. He has the look. I don't insist on every NPC being played by an actor of the corresponding nationality or even ethnicity (otherwise I wouldn't suggest a Maori to play Valygar or, somewhere above, a Lebanese-American to play Edwin. My Minsc suggestion is from New Zealand, too.) It's about being believable in the role. That is usually provided by actors of "mismatched" nationality not trying to speak the native language of the character accent-free. (See Heroes - Korean playing Japanese character and speaking mostly Japanese; instantly not believable to Japanese viewers. Or Spartacus - Saxa and to a lesser degree Agron and other 'Germans' who I as native speaker would never understand without subtitles).
Ajantis, Asian? Not really, but he does look rather old for a squire.
It may be the samurai helmet that makes me think he looks Asian, but I think his eyes do as well.
Also do you guys pronounce the "j" in Ajantis as a "jee/gee" sound or a "y" sound?
I think overall the "Faerun lore" should be secondary in a movie. It should be based mostly off the game (therefore the portraits/accents that the characters are depicted with) rather than the Forgotten Realms geopolitical map.
EDIT: I just looked up both Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk on google images. They totally were for those two characters. I also think it is absolutely incredible that they found the time to make Baldur's Gate while completing medical school. Even more impressive: Muzyka specialized in emergency medicine and Zeschuk also has an MBA. These guys are very, very impressive.
The lore should be strong behind the story (i.e. elves not needing to sleep etc) but at the same time, it would be a movie adaptation of the game. People would be confused if Minsc turned up selling spices with a donkey drawn carriage...actually that suits him, damn! xD
But isn't the Greek Hero's name pronounced more like "Aias"?
Yes, but the English translation isn't phonetic at all. Also, for Achilles, the "ch" is not pronounced as a "k" but more like a strong "h" as in Arabic (the letter to represent this sound in Greek is an "x") and the the name should sound more like Ahileas.
Interesting fact: in many translations from Ancient Gree Ajax is actually Ajantos, which would be pronounced "Ah-yan-tous", which is probably why I pronounced Ajantis in the manner I did.
Comments
This example just came to mind first, because it was a case of the writers specifically saying they didn't bother to watch the material their movie was (supposedly) based on.
I feel like this would happen to BG. However since this film/miniseries will never actually happen in our imagined world where this is made the writers are awesome and respect the source material.
I'd love to see Ken Wanatabe as Yoshimo...well to be fare i'd just love to see a Baldur's Gate movie just as long as the author of the novels and Uwe Boll have nothing to do with it.
Maggie Smith would be IDEAL as Nalia's Aunt
Edit: except then I might actually LIKE Nalia's Aunt, so I dunno
Mark Strong is ALWAYS great. I'd actually really like to see him as Lehtinan from the Copper Coronet in a Game of Thrones style show.
Olivia Wilde seems like a fit for Jaheira, but to be honest I've barely seen her act at all except for Cowboys & Aliens and I highly doubt that is a good indicator (despite the writer also writing for Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition! which is a really cool coincidence)
I'd like to see Kate Beckinsale (*o*) as Jaheira (she'd be a very alluring Officer Vai... I always see her as a paladin for some reason)
EDIT: Scratch that... Kate Beckinsale as Melissan! Give the character some depth too. I think she is a cool villain, but it would be nice to have her show up THROUGHOUT the series to give her some more significance when it comes to the final showdown. Like maybe she met with Gorion and helped him get Charname away to safety. Or that she would show up at Candlekeep to warn Gorion of Sarevok. Or maybe she can take the role of what Elminster did in the first game.
No, seriously, there are some ok picks, but that would really bother me. Anomen, Keldorn and Nalia would all look more hispanic than their portraits, given their background; Edwin and Minsc more middle eastern.
Valygar...
Naveen Andrews does look remarkably like Valygar, despite being SE Asian. I like your choice better though.
All that said... Viconia is DEFINITELY whitewashing,
Thay is indeed Faerun's Persia/Egypt, and Gary Oldman is pretty far from both.
I've also just looked through various wikis and can't find a source for Rashemen being akin to Russia. The only indicator is Minsc's accent - which is close to Edwin's, so it's frankly not the best of points.
My Valygar suggestion isn't "black" either, btw. he's maori. I find both have the looks for Valygar, but I've seen Antonio te Maihoa in a role that comes close to Valygar's personality - somewhat stoic, somewhat bitter and judging others quickly, but also a softer, more understanding side (Valygar does eventually begin to question his blind rejection of arcane magic). So I have an easier time to imagine him in this role than Naveen Andrews.
As far as Rashamen is concerned, the name Minsc is very Russian sounding (indeed, the capitol of Belarus is Minsk). Also Rashemen is suspiciously phonetically similar to Russiamen. Those two facts always led me to believe the relationship (along with Minsc's accent... which I don't think is at all similar to Edwin's, which seems more Italian)
Regardless, Russia is just north of all the Turkish/Ottoman-influenced countries (Uzbeks, Kazhaks, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, etc) and Gary Oldman played a convincing Chechnyan in Air Force One, despite being white. Also Persians are not very distinguishable from whites, in fact I have an Iranian professor right now, who I thought might have been Greek. Oldman would be fine as a Persian, though perhaps not as an Egyptian (though Ancient Egyptians most likely looked VERY different from modern Egyptians, which people never seem to consider in these sort of discussions)
also: Antonio Banderas is actually white and not Mestizo, though he is often cast in Hispanic roles. That is the real whitewashing in my opinion, though his complexion has me convinced he was actually latino in Desperado. I think that, if anything, means that race doesn't really matter for those characters as much as it does for say, Yoshimo, Valygar or Sarevok.
Also a side note: Am I the only one that thinks Ajantis looks Asian? I also think he looks almost as old as Keldorn too.
I do, however, not consider portraits because we all know they were based on employees (and are photomanipulations) and that alone limits the pool. If they had no male black employee, they couldn't make a male black character. And in BG2, without that factor, they just moved further away from lore (see Edwin - not bald, wearing a styled, "barbaric" beard, yet still a proud Thayan wizard).
re: Antonio Banderas. He has the look. I don't insist on every NPC being played by an actor of the corresponding nationality or even ethnicity (otherwise I wouldn't suggest a Maori to play Valygar or, somewhere above, a Lebanese-American to play Edwin. My Minsc suggestion is from New Zealand, too.) It's about being believable in the role. That is usually provided by actors of "mismatched" nationality not trying to speak the native language of the character accent-free. (See Heroes - Korean playing Japanese character and speaking mostly Japanese; instantly not believable to Japanese viewers. Or Spartacus - Saxa and to a lesser degree Agron and other 'Germans' who I as native speaker would never understand without subtitles).
Ajantis, Asian? Not really, but he does look rather old for a squire.
I never guessed Coran=Greg Zeschuk, though.
Also do you guys pronounce the "j" in Ajantis as a "jee/gee" sound or a "y" sound?
I think overall the "Faerun lore" should be secondary in a movie. It should be based mostly off the game (therefore the portraits/accents that the characters are depicted with) rather than the Forgotten Realms geopolitical map.
EDIT: I just looked up both Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk on google images. They totally were for those two characters. I also think it is absolutely incredible that they found the time to make Baldur's Gate while completing medical school. Even more impressive: Muzyka specialized in emergency medicine and Zeschuk also has an MBA. These guys are very, very impressive.
I pronounce the j in Ajantis like the english J, but then I am a Brit.
Interesting fact: in many translations from Ancient Gree Ajax is actually Ajantos, which would be pronounced "Ah-yan-tous", which is probably why I pronounced Ajantis in the manner I did.