Gabriel Oaks

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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Far from the Madding Crowd

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ronfirv — 12 years ago(April 13, 2013 01:27 AM)

Bates was really very good in this role but the Brit actor, Matt Kennard, now 31, would be perfect as Gabriel. He seems to have the right "look",rough country lad, sturdy, and an interesting latent (barely) sensuality.
From Press reports, Carey Mulligan has been offered the role of Ms Christie's part in the forthcoming re-make, and a strong possibility as Gabriel might be a Belgian actor, whose name escapes me.
There is some wonderful acting talent around, internationally, but for a re-make of a Hardy novel, and this specific part, I would plead an English actor be considered as first choice.
To pick otherwise would be like choosing an Englishman to play Charles de Gaulle!

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louiseculmer — 11 years ago(March 25, 2015 12:09 PM)

I agree. Choosing foreign actors for this very english story seems quite odd.

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jrhpax — 10 years ago(July 04, 2015 09:01 AM)

Yet, as Gabriel Oak (not Oaks), Matthias Schoenaerts gave the movie's standout performance.

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Li-1 — 10 years ago(August 07, 2015 03:06 PM)

I've never seen Matthias Shchoenaerts before, but he was fantastic as Oaks. A best supporting actor nominantion doesn't seem likely since the film got such an early release, but he'd be deserving of it.