Hire good actors who don't show a liberal bias in public, and keep them in those roles for the entire series. Rand's specific physical descriptions are of minor importance. There have been many demographic changes in society since 1943.

In AS 1, the actress who played Dagny had blonde hair, the actor who played Ellis Wyatt didn't look anything like in the book, and the actor who played Dr. Akston looked nothing like I had imagined, but all 3 of them nailed the characters and made them real. I think that's more important than one physical characteristic.
On the other hand, Francisco in AS 3 was just too old for it to work.

Have you ever done anything on a shoestring? When working with a limited budget, you get limited results. There is no way to save without it showing in the production. Hiring a thousand extras is too expensive so you can go to CGI. Less red tape and income to tax, but still pretty damn expesive for a limited budget. However, don't get me wrong. I loved the movie. No, it wasn't an umpteen million $ production which is what it deserves, but the fact that it exists at all is a great accomplishment in this day and age. Is there lots to complain about? Yes. But if a better revised edition or remake happens, it will prove that, just maybe there's hope for humanity after all.

Blonde hair, white hat, white horse/car/airplane/choo-choo and no one will be smoking.
(Me dino just be cutting up here).
I still bet no one will be smoking, though.
That cigarette brand found no where on earth will be just that for absent in the miniseries.

Dagny's hair color is a chestnut brown.

The actor who played Ragnar wasn't what I expected either, but I believed him.

Really? I distinctly recall Rand giving Dagny Taggart blonde hair, not dark. It is Rand's original words we're talking about here, not the hair color of any particular actress.

Pertaining to "freedomforall's post I got this idea. Perhaps even some big "stars" might donate some talent, if you could get them to come out of the closet, so to speak. And maybe even get some big $$$ donations from others not willing to expose their real political views. I'm thinking along the lines of Eastwood types to be in it, and some of the old stars, even a Romney type that might be more willing to believe in a cause and take a chance. Then leak a story about collusion with the Russians in making of the film and people will flock to the the theaters just to see it. Maybe you could even get Putin to play a walk on role, like Alfred Hitchcock used to do in all his films. I think Putin would actually do it, he's kind of Trumpian himself. That would draw huge crowds just to see him in a western movie. (I doubt there is any law against it and it might cause the Pelosi's, Waters', and Schumer's to commit suicide or at least explode into some more beneficial media frenzy.

Just think out of the box. You gotta take full advantage of opportunity, stupidity, and ignorance. GIve the people what they want, what sells. Then too, the storyline from the book is way above comprehension for so many elites. It would bore them to death because they can't understand it. The target audience needs to be those that still have some ability to learn, those that will vote. Declare the movie a deviation from the book, a partial work of fiction, with a little more "action", perhaps a little more "sex", and of course more unsolved murders (Clinton's can actually help you there) to keep their feeble minds in it. And do a "Fund Me" to help spread the word about the Russians. Make it so bizarre that the media won't/can't leave it alone, and our congressional leaders so busy investigating that it will just stir up more interest. Go for it!!! That would conclude my bucket list. Any other ideas? Anyone think Trump might do a walkon? Would that be legal, president promoting a film?

Why have something to overcome, blonde hair, that is not necessary to overcome, and is directly addressed in the book.