Should the actresses playing Joan be around the same age as
Joan was? Casting is perhaps one of the
most important things in the movie industry; the choice of who plays certain
characters ensures that the storyline is represented accurately. If Joan is portrayed in a way that the
audience perceives to be wrong it will be hard for the audience to enjoy the
movie.
At the same time the movie industry is always trying
something new to be the “next big thing.”
When the movie industry alters what people look like or their past it
offends historians but the non-history viewers may enjoy the movie. Historians are about the small details and in
class we have often discussed Joan wearing a red dress when meeting the
Dauphin. When this is absent in popular
culture representations historians are forced to “bite their tongues” or appear
as though they are too critical.
During class Wednesday we discussed how Sandrine Bonnaire
looked older than Joan would have been.
In addition to being older than Joan, she looked determined like Joan
was. Surely there was a younger woman
who could have played Joan that had the same look of determination as
Joan. Should the producer find perhaps
an inexperienced person to replace the small flaw with a more professional
actor/actress? In short, yes. Not everyone will do research on Joan and
therefore producers have an obligation to provide the most accurate
representation of history as possible.
Works Cited:
Images: Google Images
So get your thinking caps on . . . who might be good?
ReplyDeleteOf actresses around Joan of Arc's age, I think the youngest girl from the Chronicles of Narnia, Georgie Henley, might be a good physical representation. The only thing is that she is English and would have to eliminate her accent.
ReplyDeleteI believe that having an actress who is closer to Joan's age will have a positive impact, however, that actress should be able to show the same maturity level as an older actress. Joan does show maturity beyond her years and I believe her actress should as well.
ReplyDeleteAs for an actress to play Joan, I would recommend: Maisie Williams who plays Arya Stark in Game of Thrones. I looked it up and she is right at the Joan age.