Casting Call

During the online launch party for DREAM HOME last week, I posed a question: who should play the characters in the Dream Series, if it were ever made into a movie.  I’ve had some thoughts along those lines myself, but there were some good suggestions, and I was also inspired to a new addition to my personal “dream” cast.

For Sara, Ashley Rickards was mentioned for the college-age Sara of the first two books (she’s born in 1992, which makes her exactly the right age for it), and Alexis Bledel for the mid-30’s Sara of the later books (Alexis was born in 1981, so she’s 33 now – perfect for WAKING DREAM, DREAM REUNION and DREAM HOME).  I think Alexis almost looks young enough to maybe pull off the 21-year old Sara of DREAM STUDENT, but that’s a tough call.

Now, as everyone who’s read it knows, DREAM STUDENT is set in 1989-90.  If a movie of it had been made at that time, there’s really only one choice (why, yes, I did watch “Say Anything” the other day, thanks for asking): Ione Skye.  Her character in that movie is actually fairly close to Sara (although Diane Court could have used a father like Howard Barnes instead of the tax cheat she had in the movie!) .

Ashley Rickard

Alexis Bledel

Ione Skye (in “Say Anything”)

The revelation I had was about who should play Sara’s father, Howard Barnes.  I already know that, if it’s up to me, Nicola Bryant (Peri Brown, companion to both the 5th and 6th Doctors in “Doctor Who”)  would play her mother, Betty Barnes.

Howard ought to be played by another British actor (I’m sure he can do an American accent just fine!), Mark Williams.  You might know him from “Doctor Who” (he played Rory’s father last season), but you definitely know him as Arthur Weasley in the “Harry Potter” films:

 

 

And there’s no question – Sara’s mother in law, Helen Alderson, has to be played by Kelly Bishop (Emily Gilmore in “Gilmore Girls”)

 

So there you have it – the cast is coming along nicely, don’t you think?

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