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ASP3: This is John Galt

Posted by sdesapio 11 years, 11 months ago to Entertainment
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Ideally, the actor playing John Galt in Atlas Shrugged Part 3 will appear to have jumped right off of the pages of Atlas Shrugged. However, in our quest to find the perfect John Galt, some tough choices may have to be made. That's where you come in.

If you had to choose, which would you consider the number one priority in casting John Galt?

A. As long as the actor looks and acts like John Galt, I don't care what his personal beliefs are.
B. The actor needs to possess a deep understanding of, and passion for, Ayn Rand's ideas first and foremost.

Leave your answer in the comments below.


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  • Posted by darren 11 years, 11 months ago
    >>>Please remember how foolish the actors were in The Fountainhead.

    The ACTORS weren't foolish; the DIALOGUE was.

    That's what happens when a novelist tries to write for the screen. Ayn Rand should never had done the adaptation of her own work.
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  • Posted by kvicars 11 years, 11 months ago
    Leo Has nailed every part he has played, Howard Hughes, J Edgar, character in Blood Diamond, he could absolutely take this role and make it his own.
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  • Posted by darren 11 years, 11 months ago
    >>>Ideally, the actor playing John Galt in Atlas Shrugged Part 3 will appear to have jumped right off of the pages of Atlas Shrugged.

    The first description of Galt in the novel was something like, "He had a face without fear, or pain, or guilt." Not much to go on in terms of concrete details that a camera can actually photograph.

    >>>However, in our quest to find the perfect John Galt, some tough choices may have to be made.

    The "tough choices" are called CASTING. Instead of crowd-sourcing for suggestions, can't Aglialoro and Kaslow hire a good casting director? Hollywood has many of them.

    >>>A. As long as the actor looks and acts like John Galt, I don't care what his personal beliefs are. B. The actor needs to possess a deep understanding of, and passion for, Ayn Rand's ideas first and foremost.

    You need to find someone who can ACT. You need to find someone who can DIRECT. You need to find someone who can WRITE a compellingly dramatic screenplay.

    The idea that the actor must himself be an Objectivist, or have the "sense of life" of one, is stupid and absurd.

    I can see by this very question that the Atlas Shrugged production team is continuing its fine tradition of doing everything in as unprofessional a way as possible.

    Among other things, the question tells me that the team hasn't a clue as to how to make Galt convincing and interesting on the screen, especially when it comes time for the Big Speech. The question itself makes me highly doubtful that the screenwriting is coming along as smoothly as some claim.
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  • Posted by xba739 11 years, 11 months ago
    Sam Sheppard would be the best choice I can think of. He was terrific in the Right Stuff and comes with little baggage.
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  • Posted by temo 11 years, 11 months ago
    B without any question. Please remember how foolish the actors were in The Fountainhead. Without UNDERSTANDING what they were saying, particularly Gary Cooper, they looked arrogant and aloof. John Galt is the entirety of Ayn Rands perfect man and is an aspiration of such. This however must include the societal standard of strength ie jawline, chiseled features and NOT pretty! These actors cannot recite lines! Sincere passion and matter of fact presentation without arrogance by the strong characters must be displayed. If an actor does not get it, they cannot speak it no matter how good of an actor they are. Their conviction will not be there.
    Break the mold finally when putting Ayn Rand on screen. Fountainhead failed miserably and part3 has got to knock our socks off!!
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  • Posted by TimScharff 11 years, 11 months ago
    Ask Taylor Schilling who she would choose for Galt, then go with her recommendation.
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  • Posted by Bxdwhine 11 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I feel a need, as a supporter of both; to separate- not morph Ayn Rand's philosophy and the U.S. Constitution. There is a fringe hanging between the two brilliant ideals.
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  • Posted by shanelenagh 11 years, 11 months ago
    The director needs to possess a deep understanding and passion for Ayn Rand's beliefs, much moreso than the actors. That is, I suspect, why I found the first movie so compelling. I doubt Taylor Shilling or Jsu Garcia had deep passions for Ayn Rand, but I felt their portrayal really shone through. I'm not a movie guy (done a little acting here and there), but I suspect the primary reason for that, aside from their prior training, was that the director got across to them the intent of the material.
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  • Posted by laughart 11 years, 11 months ago
    For once in my lifetime, I would like to see, as John Galt, a person who really believes what he's saying. And not just some actor who will pretend to believe what he's saying because he's going to get paid to play the role. Surely, out there in the midst of 300 million people, ONE MAN fills both needs . . . fits the physical description AND believes in what he's saying.
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  • Posted by shana02 11 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Dagney's scream at the end of 1 just totally nailed it. You felt her pain. Bring back Taylor Schilling!!!
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  • Posted by shana02 11 years, 11 months ago
    Vince Vaughn. Libertarian, favorite book is The Fountainhead. He's not traditionally handsome, but I didn't get the feeling that Galt was fantastically gorgeous either, very tall and commanding. So is Vince, he has a "quality" about him.
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  • Posted by gwcalvert 11 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I did say "seldom"... But the real point of the comment was that maybe these movies can influence (in the right way) those who seem to form their opinions from what they see on a screen instead of what they read or research for themselves.
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  • Posted by $ winterwind 11 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    You got it right on the bravado, but I disagree on the swagger. Could a swaggering sort of actor play "the worker", Eddie's confidant? Don't think so.
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  • Posted by chuckcross 11 years, 11 months ago
    B. Given the modest production budget, many of the "names" mentioned would be unavailable so I think you have to hire an actor with some philosophical motivation to appear in the film at a price that would otherwise probably be a discount to his normal rate. And you can't start with an actor that already commands a relatively high rate, so I think we're looking at a high quality TV actor since the wage scale would be more in line with what the production can probably afford. I like Caviziel in Person of Interest, but I find him a bit bland for this role. Sinise is also a great actor but strikes me as a bit soft for the role. I love Fillion but this just isn't the role for him.

    My first choices would be imothy Olyphant or Aaron Eckhart. They have the acting chops with the right mix of intensity and purpose in the roles I've seen especially in Live Free or Die Hard and Battleground Los Angeles, respectively.

    Another would be Game of Thrones alumni Nikolaj Coster-Waldau or Tom Wlaschiha who played the great and mysterious Jaqen H'ghar.
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  • Posted by samnjoeysgrama 11 years, 11 months ago
    Keep in mind that unless there is a major change in Hollywood, the actor who plays John Galt may never work there again.
    I would like to see someone with at least a high enough IQ to read and understand the complicated ideas. Passion for the ideas is wonderful, but that doesn't make a convincing or talented actor. (Picture Ron Paul as Galt. Nope. Doesn't work).That said, Aaron Eckhart has the perfect look as far as I am concerned.
    As with many things, this is a decision that may have to be balanced in both camps. It would be tragic for the actor to badmouth the book in interviews. But it would also be tragic to have the actor be an untalented, yet passionate Objectivist..
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  • Posted by t2ghost 11 years, 11 months ago
    Personally, I would put a vote in for Brad Pitt.
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  • Posted by ConnieVH 11 years, 11 months ago
    Don't forget the world of soap operas.... they are professional but not necessarily recognizable. A few suggestions, all blondish: Scott Reeves (known to be conservative, in his 40s, sharp good looks); Peter Bergman or Billy Miller (Jack and Billy, Y&R - politics unknown); James Scott (E.J. DiMera, Days - politics unknown - British but could lose the accent, surely). Eric Martsolf (Brady, Days - politics unknown). Wish I knew more of their political views, but the smart ones keep their mouths shut!
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  • Posted by FoxHill 11 years, 11 months ago
    I suggest Jim Caviezel. I believe he is conservative although I don't know about libertarian. He does appear to be a very ethical man. He is tall and very good looking although not in the most obvious way. He has also played atypical roles.
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  • Posted by Non_mooching_artist 11 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Oh did you nail that! Yes, he will be lean, like whip with a mind as sharp. No weak chinned men need bother. An unknown, so no one has a tainted, preconceived idea of how we think the person should portray JG. I don't want to see a Harrison Ford up there, as he's not believable in that role. I'm sure this will be the most difficult task set before the producers/director.
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  • Posted by khalling 11 years, 11 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I just posted a response to overman outlining how I see Galt. although he is a hero, Paul is not as magnetic in front of the camera as I think JG needs to be. I don't want to be talked to, even if I agree, I want to be transported into falling for this guy every bit as much as Dagny does.
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