We return to the wonderful world of Multiversity Casting Couch, this week bringing our TV show adaptation of Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris’ creator-owned smash Ex-Machina. This practically screams television, as it pairs Sorkin-esque political dealings with superheroics. It’s one of our favorites, so it is a natural fit for our return to Casting Couch. So let’s get to it, shall we?
Showrunner: Damon Lindelof
Is it aiming pretty high to go for someone like Lindelof? Sure. But this is our fantasy TV show, so deal with it. Anyways, there is logic there, as he has allegedly recommitted to TV AND he has a known affinity for BKV’s work (not to mention they worked together on Lost), and his ability to crack out top notch scripts and push stories with non-traditional narrative structures make him a perfect fit. We can’t resist, nor should Lindelof.
Mitchell Hundred: Billy Crudup
We know, Crudup doesn’t really like acting. From what I understand, he prefers cashing in with voice-over jobs for things like Mastercard. BUT, once again, this is our fantasy casting. Throw this show up on AMC or HBO, and they would have the bandwidth to put enough green in front of Crudup to make this happen. And he’s spot-on – he has the gravitas to center this cast, while still having the analytic, almost robotic nature of Hundred down pat. Plus, those dreamy eyes!
Dave Wylie: Mekhi Phifer
Mekhi Phifer is an excellent actor who, in a lot of ways, has been looking for the right role for a long time. While this might not be it, as Wylie is really a secondary character in a lot of ways, we know he’d be able to do the things needed with this character in stand-out ways when necessary. He’s our break glass in case of emergency player, and we know he’d crush it.
Amy Angotti: Maria Bello
Another ER vet, like Phifer, Bello has had a long career of near hits but not a lot of actual ones. Which is a shame as she is a talented and charming actress, and one who could easily handle the stern and powerful nature of New York’s police commissioner in the fictional Ex-Machina world.
Rick Bradbury: Bobby Cannavale
Rick Bradbury is Hundred’s not so clever but oh so loyal bodyguard, and the guy who would do anything for his boss and best friend. Bobby Cannavale has basically made a career of doing just those characters (particularly in Thomas McCarthy’s work, not so particularly in Boardwalk Empire), and in my mind, nobody does them better. The guy is pretty much the most charming person on the planet, and he has charmed me enough to cast him even though he doesn’t look a ton like Bradbury. He’d crush this part, and I’d love to see him do it.
Journal Moore: Brie Larson
Journal Moore is the spunky heart in a lot of ways of the first half of the series, and you need someone young who really can stand out with her energy. While I’ve only seen Larson in one movie – 21 Jump Street – she managed to stand out in a movie that had a lot going on in it. That’s saying something, and I think Larson would be pretty fantastic in this role.
Kremlin: David Strathairn
This is a hard role to cast for a number of reasons. On one hand, there is the “cast an actual Russian-ish actor or someone else who is just good that can possibly go Russian a bit on us?” question. On the other hand, you have a role that brings a lot of importance with it while being a kind of peripheral, villainous role in some ways. Is that a desirable role for actors? Maybe. Either way, our decision was to go with the best actor available, thus Strathairn, an Oscar-nominee and someone who has long succeeded in roles like this. Not only that, but we know he’s cool with TV as Alphas showed. We want him on our TV show.
