Casting Call for "The Rover"

Antonio

I was once told that the best way to learn about the characters in a play or book is to cast it.  Here goes.

Don Antonio—Greg Vaughan

·        Friend to Pedro who is a possible match for Florinda and tries to sleep with Angellica as well.  He seems like the 'rich boy' type, especially when he tries to 'get away with' sleeping with Angellica and still marrying Florinda. Good looking, sense of entitlement and scrappy.

Pedro

Don Pedro—Steven Strait


·         Brother to Hellena and Florinda who attempts to fulfill the demands of his father.  He duels with Antonio over Angellica.  He seems like a kid in way over his head.  He tries to control his sisters and is a bit rebellious but he has no substantial authority. Strait looks like the fun-loving kid who has had authority dumped on his shoulders.

Belvile

Belvile—Josh Duhamel

·         In love with Florinda but they have been forbidden to marry and she has been promised to another.  He is a colonel and from references in the play is trying to work his way up the social ladder. Duhamel looks like a guy who takes authority and is not afraid of confrontation.  

Willmore

Willmore—Christopher Egan


·         The Rake of the play who secures the services of Angellica without payment and becomes engaged with Hellena.  He attempts to rape Florinda.  The actor needs to be good looking, obviously conceited and cocky because the character is a die hard flirt, pushes the boundaries and has no respect for personal space.  Libertine.

Blunt

Blunt—Chris Pine


·         Becomes infatuated with Lucetta, a ‘jilting wench’ who fools him and robs him.  Chris Pine is the perfect Blunt because he would be able to play a completely serious Blunt but make the entire situation ridiculous and add true comic relief to the play. He played Pike in the recent Star Wars film and the scene where he is inoculated for space diseases and his tongue and hands go numb is one of the most hilarious scenes I have watched.  This guy has no problem being a fool.

Florinda

Florinda—Emily Blunt


 · Promised to an old man and almost raped by her brothers friends.  She is not as outspoken as Hellena and is more venerable to the whims of men.  Florinda is in an impossible situation but seems less enthusiastic than Hellena to drastically act out in order to change her circumstances.

Hellena

Hellena—Zooey Deschanel

·A young spitfire who falls in love with the Rake Willmore though she is destined for a nunnery.  Deschanel seems like she has the right mix of innocence, naivety and spunk to play Hellena.  Hellena walks a bit on the wild side, speaks out and openly challenges male authority. 

Angellica Bianca

Angellica Bianca—Abbie Cornish


·        A costly courtesan who, despite her own resistance, falls in love with Willmore and is then rejected by him.  Cornish has shown in her role in 'Elizabeth' that she can act the subtle emotions of a love triangle and a woman scorned would be right up her alley.

Lucetta

Lucetta—Bryce Dallas Howard

·         The ‘jilting wench’ who trick the fool, Blunt and makes off with his money. Nothing says fiery like red hair and an attitude.  Howard played a nasty vampire in one of the latest twilight movies and a thieving pro/ seductress would be a piece of cake.