Tobias Menzies cast as a lead in The Terror
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digitaldiva — 9 years ago(September 20, 2016 05:55 PM)
Hi pacem23, the first I'd heard about filming
The Terror
was Wikipedia and I agree, they've had to change casting news in the past.
Tobias Menzies is an acclaimed stage actor, most famous to international audiences for
Rome
and
Outlander
in which he had a dual role. He's played a number of dark characters in the past. I'd love to see him as the leading man, wishful thinking on my part. -
pacem23 — 9 years ago(September 25, 2016 12:58 PM)
I have a feeling that he will be playing Crozier, so perhaps you will get your wish.
I once championed Colm Meaney, not just because of facial resemblance but also screen presence, but I think he is too old now. -
digitaldiva — 9 years ago(September 25, 2016 01:49 PM)
Hi pacem23,
I know the historical Crozier was around 50 and Meaney is 63. Hopefully, they'll lower the age. I've never heard Menzies attempt a Northern Irish accent, but I have a feeling he's up for the challenge. -
eloiseshf — 9 years ago(September 26, 2016 07:17 AM)
To be perfectly honest, the novel takes so many liberties in terms of personality with Crozier - who by all accounts was actually a mellow, modest, melancholy man and most likely devoted and not an alcoholic- that nitpicking about Tobias's lack of physical resemblance hardly makes sense.
Moreover, it's not as if Crozier is such a famous figure that everyone knows what he looked like and Tobias can do harsh, dark and brooding like few others, as anyone who has seen Outlander can tell you.
That being said, I keep finding it very strange that announcement didn't report which character he was going to play and that it simply described the role as a MEMBER (not an OFFICER) of the Royal Navy and as A lead (not THE lead). To me the only lead in The Terror is Captain Crozier.
I am a Cat-aholic, cats are my religion. -
pacem23 — 9 years ago(September 26, 2016 08:17 AM)
You are right, though I must point out that the only "nitpicking" I might be guilty of on here is pointing out that Menzies might be too young, but as the OP pointed out, finding someone who might be the same age as Crozier isn't a necessity. The viewer just needs to know that the actor portraying him looks the part and can believably play the part. Even though I believe the role is tailor made for Meaney, or would have been several years ago, I honestly hope Menzies ends up playing Crozier. It might be a huge break for him.
However I disagree with the notion that Crozier is the only lead. I agree that he is the main protagonist, but Simmons presented multiple points of view and I believe some of those are worth seeing on TV. -
digitaldiva — 9 years ago(September 26, 2016 09:04 AM)
Hi pacem23,
I agree that the novel has a number of characters that Tobias Menzies could carry off, but I agree, Crozier would be a huge break for him and prove his leading man ability. Tobias excels in historical dramas, just check out his Brutus in
Rome
or his work in
Outlander
. He can do action scenes too. He has a lead in the newest
Underworld
film, not my cup of tea, but he has several action scenes in it. -
eloiseshf — 9 years ago(September 27, 2016 07:09 AM)
I still think he could do more with Crozier than with Fitzjames or Goodsir, the two most prominent characters other than Crozier.
In particular, his charisma and imposing air would be wasted on Goodsir, the "nice" character in story. And I fear Fitzjames may become an out and out sidekick to Crozier in the show. Again, a wast of his talent in my view.
I am a Cat-aholic, cats are my religion. -
pacem23 — 9 years ago(September 27, 2016 03:42 PM)
I believe Menzies will be playing Crozier. It just makes sense. Like you said, they would cast the lead first, and the lead is definitely Crozier. Menzies apparently is historically more of a supporting guy, but he doesn't exactly fit the profile of the other "leads". I was very aware of the Franklin expedition long before this book came out, and as a fan of Simmons and as someone who was somewhat knowledgeable of the expedition, I was geeked out when I heard about this book and as such I could probably qualify as someone who wants to see actors fit the roles, physically and otherwise. However as you also mentioned not a whole lot of people know about these historical characters and as such the casting possibilities are endless. Based on what I saw in Game of Thrones and based on what I know of the book, I don't believe Menzies was cast as any of the supporting characters. Fitzjames would be my only other choice besides Crozier only due to age, and frankly unless the guy wanted to play him, I just don't see it.
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eloiseshf — 9 years ago(September 30, 2016 07:55 AM)
And Tobias is playing Fitzjames after all. The announcement looked suspicious for a reason.
Not that Jared Harris, the actor cast as Crozier, has got any more of a history as a lead than Tobias. And while Harris is closer to Crozier in terms of age and Irish origins (though not Ulster), he doesn't look any more like Crozier than Tobias does. In fact, Jared Harris's face makes me think more of a Hickley (not his height, though).
I am more and more of the idea that Tobias was never in the running for Crozier and that the announcement was deliberately misleading for promotional reasons, as he is hot off a Golden Globe nomination for Outlander and can bring some female viewers to The Terror.
I am a Cat-aholic, cats are my religion.