Who Should Play Captain America?
Sep 22, 2009 by Kofi OutlawDoes Steve Rogers (aka Captain America) HAVE to be played by an American actor in the upcoming film? Here are some possibilities…
RULES OF ELIGIBILITY
Let me ask you a couple of the questions right now, up front, which I think will be big subjects of debate later, once the official casting of Captain America comes to light:
Does Cap HAVE to be played by an American actor?
Does Cap have to be white?
Does the actor playing Cap have to be at least 6′ tall?
I’m not just pulling these questions out of thin air – they’ve all come up in some form or fashion in our past Captain America posts.
For example: when it was rumored last year that Will Smith might play Captain America, the issue of Cap’s race came to the forefront (it was coincidentally rumored at that same time during Cap’s “death” that Marvel could possibly introduce a black character to replace the late hero). When I read that Smith might be in the running, I immediately thought that the masses would be 98.9% against such a casting move (not because of race, so much as mucking with the source material). Low and behold MY surprise when that percentage turned out to be slightly more evenly divided. While people agreed that casting a black Cap would be a serious veer left from the source material, they also felt Smith had the quality of an American hero and movie star that was all too fitting for the role.
I also remember when Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt were rumored to be prime candidates for the part. The latter I think it’s hard to argue against (Pitt does have that movie star appeal) – however, poor Leo immediately got slammed for not having the proper leg extensions to play the part (by me for one, and I’m a shorter guy myself!). So you better believe that people care about height.
But regarding this question of nationality…
It’s hard to say that an actor like True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgård wouldn’t make a strong Cap – tall, blond, square-jaw handsome (no jokes please), good actor with older AND younger appeal, who has already put it DOWN as an example of American military finesse, starring as Sgt. Brad “Iceman” Colbert in HBO’s acclaimed miniseries, Generation Kill (see below). But Skarsgård was born in Stockholm Sweden, the land of neutrality – should that fact effect his candidacy to play an American icon and symbol, who is out there fighting for freedom?
I gotta be honest with you: I’ve been a big Alex Skar fan for awhile now…but yes, IMHO, Captain America should probably be just that…an American. And before you go getting the tar and feathers ready for me to be dipped in, remember two things:
- Casting almost ANY Hollywood role is a pretty exclusionary affair (often they’re looking for something specific).
- How do you make a movie about the embodiment of American Patriotism with a foreign actor in the lead?
And no, I’m not an idiot: I realize that the POINT of acting is slipping into a new skin and portraying somebody that you’re not. Duh. So why do I think an American actor should be playing Cap? Because I believe that doing otherwise would likely cause so much of a stir that it would distract (and perhaps detract) from the enjoyment of the movie. I can already see people sitting in the theater, marking off boxes on their crazy checklist of “Americanisms” that the foreign actor “got wrong” or “couldn’t POSSIBLY understand.”
Then again, a foreign actor playing Captain America might also lure MORE people from all over the world (and America) to the theater, if only to witness the spectacle (and possible train wreck) of a foreign actor playing an American icon. Maybe Disney/Marvel wants to stir that hornet$ nest after all?
If they do, I say take a hard look at Skarsgård. The guy is in his prime and ready for a big breakout role like this.
But why outsource the role? Whatever happened to the good-old-fashioned American leading man?
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Mark Valley is truly the best choice.West Point graduate. U.S. Army officer. Decorated Gulf War veteran.He looks EXACTLY like Steve Rogers and is a good actor.America's hero would be portrayed by an American hero.(They could even put that on the movie poster:-)But if you wanted to go with a “big name”.Matt Damon could do the role justice.He is physically huge in Invictus and we all know he can handle action scenes.he has the gravitas to hold his own against Robert Downey Jr. and Samuel Jackson.But I will be disapointed if he gets the role.Mark Valley has command presence and would be convincing as the leader of the Avengers.Too old??? My reply,is C-G-I:-)Seriously check out Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or Ray Winstone in Beowulf and you can see how a little CGI could erase a few critical years from Mr. Valley's physical age.He would be a perfect Captain America.
By the way,just to show how easily the ball is dropped…
Not too long ago there was a huge controversy about Terence Howard being replaced by Don Cheadle for Ironman 2. Originally it was envisioned that after Ironman,eventually Howard would be spun off into his own franchise featuring James “Rhodey” Rhodes as War Machine.Part of this was predicated on Robert Downey's then status as a Hollywood has-been.That is why Howard was actually paid more than Downey for the first Ironman film.(That can be verfied easily.Check it out.) But Ironman became a hit beyond expectation and Downey became an A-lister.Howard soon found himself fired from the sequel.The powers that be claimed all kinds of reasons,but tipped their hand by replacing him with Don Cheadle.Instead of a tall,handsome,ladies' man/leading man type as Jim Rhodes is depicted in the comics,we get a short,unattractive,character actor who could never be a credible action hero,but is a perfect sidekick and foil.That is why Terence Howard was not replaced with Michael Ealy,Vin Diesel,Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson or Tyrese Gibson. Will Smith has been mentioned(wrongly) as a viable option to play Cap.No one has mentioned he would have been a pretty good James Rhodes.I am not a fan of Will Smith.But the Philadelphian might have jumped at the chance to play one of the few black superheros,and a superhero who also hails from the City of Brotherly Love,and he would have done well.
Check out this headline:
“Clive Owen Replaces Paul Walker in PROTECTION”
It goes on to say… “While Production Weekly tweeted about it yesterday afternoon, Empire Online confirms that Clive Owen will replace Paul Walker in the action-thriller, Protection.”
Maybe Paul Walker got selected, and choose not to do this movie???
John Cena should play Captain America!!!!!!!!
Cena,Cena,Cena!!! HELL YEAH BROTHER
Scott Porter IS Captain America! No one would work harder, or portray this character with more honesty.
Scott Porter IS Captain America. No one would work harder to bring an honest portrayal of this character.
kellan lutz or taylor lautner should play captin america
Why are all the Super Heroes White Dudes? America IS a melting pot you know. There is no time like the present to have an Ethnic Super Hero. There are none that I know of. Now is just a good a time as ever and my choice would be Xzibit. Its time he played a cool role. Provide the opportunity for other cultures to prove that they too have heroes among. Black President- Black Super Hero. Now digest that.
Thomas Lane should play Captian America.
Thomas Lane should play Captian America.
Hey, Champion,
Guess you never heard of:
The Black Panther
Luke Cage (aka Power Man)
Storm
John Stewart (aka Green Lantern)
Spawn
Bishop (From X-Men)
Cloak (of Cloak and Dagger)
Shadowhawk
Chapel (of Youngblood)
Static Shock (and pretty much all of DC's Milestone imprint)
Falcon (Cap America's partner for a time)
War Machine / Jim Rhodes
Among MANY MANY others. I just used African (American) heroes – not even all ethnicities.
Guess the real question is: why aren't YOU reading more “ethnic” super hero comic books? Isn't that the way to get them more exposure?
Although Ben Affleck was already cast as Daredevil, I seriously think that he would make a great Captain America.
That blue eyes,
The height,
The old-school swagger..