Literature in Film and Television Group

Topic: Best Actor Portrayal of a Literary Character?

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11

One person I'd like to see do more literary characters is Hugh Jackman. He's versatile, striking, and talented. I could see him doing a role in some Brit Lit films, if modern American filmmakers ever get brave enough to try reviving some of the classics.

12

Robert DeNiro as the creature in Frankenstein.  I also liked Gibson's version of Hamlet. 

13

Ahem... my vote is for Alan Rickman as Severus Snape.  I'm a Harry Potter mega-fan and he was absolutely PERFECT in how I imagined Snape would be portrayed.

Gary Oldman as Dracula also works for me!

14

missrice

I was going to say Colin Firth as well.  But I do have to say that a big part of it has to do with Jennifer Ehle's Elizabeth.  She gets it right, particularly with her eyes (she has just the right amount of smirky amusement that I always read the character with), and because of that she edges out Kiera Knightley easily.  I also thought she was brilliant as Christabel Lamotte in Possession.

15

#13 - Alan Rickman as anything gets my vote!!

#14 - couldn't agree more.  I've just started a new topic off that very comparison of Ehle to Knightley.

16

I really think Jack Nicholson's portrayal of Randall McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was brilliant. The literary character in the novel almost appears secondary to the Chief and is a much darker character. Nicholson was able to bring out the absurd insanity of the mental hospital and to gain more of the audience's sympathy in in the film.

17

Daniel Day-Lewis was great as John Proctor in "The Crucible," too.

18

In reply to #13: Amethystrose got Gary Oldman before I could sing his praises, but let me just say...WOW!  Yes, I LOVE him as Dracula, Sirius Black, and Rosencrantz (or was he Guildenstern) in R&G Are Dead...Gary Oldman ROCKS!

Branagh is AMAZING...need I say more?  I love all of his Shakespeare films, but also love Gibson's Hamlet.  I don't know who I prefer as Hamlet himself, though - They were both GREAT!

Colin Firth's Darcy was the best...ever...hands down!  Daniel Day-Lewis...FABULOUS!!!

Now I'm just repeating what everyone else has written, but what a fun topic!!  :)

19

I have to add two more: Derek Jacobi and John Hurt in "I, Claudius." Well, heck, just about everybody in that series.

20

rleahennis

Well not many can keep up with Branagh's ouvre, and no one can really top him; however, I would like to make a case for George C. Scott and all of his primetime performances. Including his Emmy award winning performance for best supporting actor in "12 Angry Men", he has also starred in the following which earned him Emmy nominations: Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", Arthur Miller's "The Crucible", and Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre".

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