If you judged an artist’s legacy by the actor that helms hisbiopic, Bob Dylan could probably claim "greatest entertainer of alltime" status. In the Todd Haynes-directed I’m Not There (due November 21), Dylan has not one, not two, but six actors playing him: Christian Bale,Heath Ledger, Richard Gere, Ben Whishaw, Marcus Carl Franklin, and…CateBlanchett!? The trailer that’s been knocking about the Internet goes for theusual biopic strategy of playing a song and flashing some vaguely provocativephrases — He is everyone. He is no one. But what’s really got me intriguedand slightly disturbed is this clip of Blanchett playing Dylan in an impromptuexchange with Alan Ginsberg (David Cross). There’s something about herappearance and tone that conjures images of BoysDon’t Cry, lady boys, and other things that make me feel weird. I mean, I’venever found Dylan attractive, just confusing. I guess the same could be said of lady boys.
Anyway, while Dylan even has actresses clambering to fillhis shoes, the late Notorious B.I.G. doesn’t have anyone to play him. Clearly ignoringGary Susman’s excellent casting picks for the Biggie biopic back in 2005 (whenFOX Searchlight secured the rights to his story), the producers — including momVoletta Williams and manager Wayne Barrow — have put out an open casting call for therole of Christopher Wallace. (The Village Voice even ran a gallery of potential nominees.) Barrow says that only Forest Whittaker stands outin the Hollywood crop, though clearly he hasn’t seen Norbit. The obvious choice for hip-hop fans has always been West Coast rapper Guerilla Black, who might be able to turn the flack he caught for his Biggie-jacking on 2004’s "Compton" into a silver-screen debut.
But there are some less obvious picks, as well. A guy named Jed, who houses mybrother in a You, Me, and Dupreetypeof situation (note: my brother is Dupree), suggested John Goodman, butI think was pulling my leg in that way that people fromPhiladelphia do. But then again, if Blanchett can play Dylan, isn’tanything possible? I bet Horatio Sanz could pull it off. Meryl Streep’sprobably run out of ways to challenge herself by now, so maybe her?Carmen Electra once rapped on "Go Go Dancer."Sort of. Sign her up! And I’m betting within 48 hours, some bloggersomewhere will start a Rosie O’Donnell rumor. Who else shouldplay Biggie? Who will be the best as Dylan? And which of them is abetterrapper? Hallelujah holler back!
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“I’ve never found Dylan attractive, just confusing. I guess the same could be said of lady boys.”
That made me laugh out loud. Especially the phrase “lady boys.”
Anyway, the choice for me is Anthony Anderson (Isn’t Forest Whitaker like WAY too old). Anyone who’s seen him in “The Shield” (as opposed to “Transformer”) knows Anderson has the dramatic chops to pull it off.
I was thinking the same about Wjitaker, Caballos. As for the Dylan movie, it’s not Blanchett I’m worried about. She’s fantastic. (She even made taking a crap in ‘Notes on a Scandal’ look good). I’m apprehensive about Ledger. Is he going to use that horrendous accent from ‘Brokeback?’ That was irritating.
I was thinking the same about Wjitaker, Caballos. As for the Dylan movie, it’s not Blanchett I’m worried about. She’s fantastic. (She even made taking a crap in ‘Notes on a Scandal’ look good). I’m apprehensive about Ledger. Is he going to use that horrendous accent from ‘Brokeback?’ That was irritating.
What about Jon Travolta in a fat suit?
I liked Christian Bale, I think. But still … isn’t it odd to do a biography on a man who is still both alive and performing?
How about Ruben Studderd or Sean Kingston
How about Dark Dot? Dark Dot full of snot, head shaped like a pot, lives next door to an empty lot, sleeps on a two by four cot, eats worms for her evening slop. She walks with a limp because of the shot with a BB gun for fun. I say yes, Dark Dot full of snot.
I believe Studdard is spelled this way. Perhaps it is time to leave the time zone and catch up.
I was gonna suggest Anthony Anderson, but Ceballos beat me to it.
i dont even like bob dylan but this trailer looks awesome… cate blanchett looks amazing and im sure she’s gonna pull this off better than everyone…
As much as I wish the Weinstein Brothers well, I have to believe this movie will tank like most of what they have put out since starting up their new company. I am a big fan of what Harvey and Bob have done in the past, but this one reeks from the get go.
You, perhaps they are wrong to center a movie around biggie smalls at all. I thought 24 Hour Party people really captured the essence of Ian Curtis, precisely because he wasn’t at the center. Perhaps they should just do a rise of Bad Boy records story and have Biggie in it…it might avoid the standard hagiography.
Why embed a horribly compressed stolen version of the trailer from Youtube when you could embed it from the source:
OK, I’ll bite…Who’s Biggie?
The embedded trailer is crystal clear once you hit play….just not the way it looks when it’s static.
If the trailer, or you, Mr. Schonberger, had left out the actual actors names, and left it up to us, the viewers to decide who they actually were, it would have been a lot more fun reading the ridiculous guesses of those of us who don’t recognize people so well.
The element of surprise and ingenuity and has eluded the entertainment industry, I suppose.
Remember, this is a Todd Haynes film. The same director who made “Superstar, The Karen Carpenter Story” starring Barbie dolls. Having six actors play Dylan could be a very interesting challenge that pays off for Mr. Haynes.
Remember, this is a Todd Haynes film. The same director who made “Superstar, The Karen Carpenter Story” starring Barbie dolls. Having six actors play Dylan could be a very interesting challenge that pays off for Mr. Haynes.