Casting Fire: Fancasting Brian Cox for Plutarch
You asked us to do more ‘Catching Fire’ cast predictions, and we answered! Each week up until official ‘Catching Fire’ castings are announced, the staff of Mockingjay.net will be running a series called ‘Casting Fire’, taking a look at potential casting choices for other ‘Catching Fire’ characters. Thursday brings us to our ideas for Plutarch Heavensbee, and to kick us off we are starting with Brian Cox.
Brian is best known for his roles in X2: X Men United and Troy and is currently 65 years old.
Beth
I’m not sure how I feel about Brian Cox as Plutarch. I’m not openly against it, but I’m not convinced it would work either. He seems too cold to me. Maybe I’m unfairly judging because his character in The Ring creeped me out so badly, but I just don’t really see anything warm and fuzzy about him. I know Plutarch isn’t warm and fuzzy, but he’s not cold. He’s friendly with Katniss at the feast when he’s excited to show her his watch. Plus, I think he a lot older than I imagined Plutarch. Maybe I imagine someone younger because I was used to Seneca as the Head Gamemaker, and he’s a relatively young guy. I’m just not convinced with Brian Cox. My overall vote is no.
Ciara
Brian Cox is such an incredible actor and there really is no debate that he’d be able to play any facet of Plutarch’s character (and he genuinely has one of the nicest, smoothest voices in Hollywood – just sayin) It’s true that perhaps due to the casting of the handsome Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane it might be a little more difficult to buy Cox as a product of the Capitol. But maybe Snow wanted someone a bit older and more reliable. We don’t know Plutarch’s age. He’d perfectly play the part of the powerful tactician and he has that look where you never really know where his loyalties lie. Plus with the caliber of adult acting talent they already have in place in The Hunger Games, Brian Cox would fit in nicely.
Crystal
Brian Cox is immortalized in my mind as Uncle Argyle from Braveheart, so I have to admit I have a hard time disassociating him from that one role from almost 20 years ago. Silly, I know, but it gets in the way of me being able to see him as Plutarch! Acting wise there’s no question he could pull it off, but he’s also a little too old for the role in my opinion. Most importantly though, Plutarch Heavensbee was born and raised in the Capitol and Cox just has this haggard, been-through-hell look about him that makes him look more like he’s from the Districts. He just simply doesn’t look the part of a man who’s lived in luxury his whole life.
Erin
Brian Cox does not fit my idea of Plutarch at all. The only part I’ve seen him play is the bad guy in ‘X-Men 2′, so I know he could nail the arrogance and self-confidence that Plutarch has, but I don’t think he has the elegance that Plutarch needs. I also think that a Head Gamemaker will be a very attractive and likeable person (like Seneca) because of all the TV exposure he’ll have in the Capitol, and Cox doesn’t seem to fit into what I think a Head Gamemaker should be.
Gina
Since Plutarch had little physical description, this role could be taken anywhere. I think it’s important to choose an actor who is physically distinct from Wes Bentley (and his Seneca Crane beard), which suits Brian Cox well. But other than the physical distinction, I’m not crazy about him for a choice. I pictured this character a little smoother, hipper, and glossier – and I guess younger. There was a certain amount of creep-factor in the dance scene where Plutarch hints to Katniss about his watch, and I’d rather see it pulled off by a younger character who carries a little more vain capitol vapidity.
Sarah
I think that Brian certainly looks the part… if they’re going for the Seneca Crane-style approach to what a Head Gamemaker should look like. His acting is good in what little I’ve seen of him, but Plutarch is a really huge part of Mockingjay and I’m not sure whether Cox could show that much of a depth to this character. However, he does have some great things he could bring to this character so I think that I’m pretty neutral on this one, I pictured him slightly differently; yet I would have never picked Wes Bentley as Seneca yet he did a better job than anyone I could have imagined. I think as long as he is able to show the kind of detachment from the situations and the complete aura that comes with a Head Gamemaker then he could be my Plutarch.
Tash
I have loved Brian Cox’s action-orientated roles (think X-Men, Bourne flicks & Red) and really think he could bring some great qualities to Plutarch. He has the sophistication and arrogance down pat, and he was rather sauve in Red, so I think he could portray that weasle like charm Plutarch displays. My only concern is that I think he is perhaps a little too old for Plutarch, as I imagined Plutarch to be in about the mid-40′s, and I have to agree with Erin that he doesn’t quite have the “look” of a head game maker.
After someone on LJ suggested Michael C Hall for Plutarch, I can’t think of anyone else.
Don’t see it happening
Mixed feelings about this. I don’t know the actor’s work, so I can’t really say, but I imagined it a little bit different.
ewwwwwww No!No!No!No!
He is NOT Plutarch!
He’d make a good Beetee… maybe.
I always imagined Plutarch being a quirky, almost ditzy man of the Capitol in his late 50s-early 60s. I don’t think Cox can pull that off with that hardened look about him. I am fine if they cast someone much younger than 50s-60s. Just don’t make him younger than Bentley.
Agree with Crystal 100% on Cox looking too haggard for the role of a Capitol higher-up. Plutarch needs to be much smoother, more polished (or even Botoxed!) Gina’s got a point on the creep factor, too. Also despite his role in the revolution, I get the feeling by the end of Mockingjay that Plutarch is really something of an ass. I wouldn’t want to see him played with too much gravitas.
Brian Cox – no. He doesn’t have the joviality I always pictured for Plutarch. Guess who does?
Stephen Fry.
Ever since I heard his name for this role I can’t get it out of my head.
He is haggard looking yes, so maybe he won’t fit into the Capitol (even though movie magic does wonders). But his acting chops are stellar. Most of you only know him from X Men as the villain but he DOES have a warmth to him that he brings in his other lesser known roles. This video shows a different side of him that I think is needed for Plutarch.
Jeremy Davies for Plutarch! You guys have it all mixed up if Brian Cox should be anyone it should be Beetee!
wow, he was stryker in X2? i never would’ve guessed it from that picture alone, he looks completely different! :O
i appreciate this suggestion because i know brian cox can ACT, which (IMO) is something many people don’t take into account when fancasting for the younger roles. however, i’m having a bit of trouble disassociating him from his previous roles (stryker and agamemnon in particular, though i only just realized he was also the voice of the ood elder in doctor who! awesome!).
while plutarch is definitely cunning and arrogant, i’ve also always imagined him as a bit fluttery in the typical capitol shallowness sense, and i haven’t seen brian cox do anything remotely like that yet, so it’s hard for me to picture it. of course, i’m sure he’s talented enough to pull it off, so hey, it could work…
@SPM– oh god YES, stephen fry! i hadn’t even thought about it before but he could totally do it! (would he WANT to, is what i’m more concerned about).
In my mind, when I read about Plutarch, I immediately pictured Stellan Skarsgard. Yes, I realize he’s Swedish, but I don’t think the accent would be an issue since people from the Capitol are described as having different accents.
No. I pictured him younger than that =/
I am not familar with Cox’s work so i cannot pass judgement but when I looked at the picture, im reminded of a guy who played a role on this not so old soap opera called Passions. He played a guy named Julian Crane. His real nam is Ben Masters… He can be very serious at some points but when hes thrilled, hes funny to watch. I can imagine him as Plutarch…hope anyone has watched that soap opera before?
Please no. I pictured Plutarch, basically, as Professor Plum from the board game Clue, but more happy and Capitol-smooth. In fact, I might have wanted Wes Bentley to play Plutarch if he hadn’t played Seneca:( But I really don’t think Brian cox is right for this role
Yes! I see Pluratch as an older man. Was he in a wheelchair in the books or did my imagination just get the better of me?
For whatever reason, I pictured Plutarch black…..
um i didnt really pictured plutarch like this……
I always imagined Plutarch as Smithers from the Alex Rider books, if you’ve read them. They are both technologically savvy, they can both be very jovial, and are both fat. I know that not all characters that are cast will match the description from the book, but it seems like everyone is forgetting that Plutarch is supposed to be a large man.
NO!!! I pictured him kinda like that guy on Princess Diaries.
I personally don’t know why everyone is so negative about all the fancasting characters. I mean, admit it, before the first movie Jennifer Lawrence didn’t look exactly like she did in the movie. Chill.
@Kiara-I completely agree with you. And yes, I’ve read the AR books, they are AMAZING! Although they got bumped to second on my list after The Hunger Games. xD
I pictured Liam Neeson as Plutarch, but this guy isn’t a bad choice
Not how I imagined him…..
I pictured him a little younger, for some reason. But he’s not bad.
oh no no no
i pictured plutarch a bit…dapper shall i say?
not ..him..
definitely not how I imagined Plutarch… I imagined him as a guy with too-blonde hair standing on end and like an inch shorter than Katniss with the Head Gamemaker robe on…but hey, it could happen
I could see this, I guess. I’ve never heard of the guy so I can’t really judge. Just on eyesight he seems a little old, but I could handle it. @Fred oh my god you just put my vision of Plutarch Heavensbee into words! Totally, 100% professor plum. You just read my mind haha
I’ve never seen any of his work, I must admit, but by reading this he seems promising. I could see him as Plutarch even though he isn’t the person I would choose. Also, there must be something wrong with me since I imagined Plutarch very young, somewhere between 25-30 maybe
I always imagined someone in their 40s. Kiefer Sutherland is almost an identical match to my Plutarch. And hey,then it could be a father-son team! (Donald Sutherland and Kiefer Sutherland).
Hm. Not how I imagined him, but I won’t be mad if they pick him. Although, I would like someone who is a little bit younger.
@Savanah I like Keifer Sutherland too. He’s got the Plutarch look to him.
@SPM YES! I would love Stephen as Plutarch!
I was about to say I pictured Kiefer Sutherland more as President Snow’s son, if the movie were to show us Snow’s family.
Then I was like, oh wait…
My Plutarch is older (late 50s-early 60s), glossy, greased hair, fat, jovial. Like Santa Claus, but egotistical! I agree with this guy looking too “well-worn,” but I like the age and acting.
Stephen Fry would be the perfect Plutarch Heavensbee! He has the affected accent, the right look, and an amazing range from drama to comedy. I can see no one else in the role.
Definitely not how i imagined Plutarch. I imagined him younger. He shouldn’t be so old. I pictured him with dark hair like Senaca Crane in the first movie. Plutarch needs to be in his thirties. He should be kind of tall and normal sized not fat.
I always pictured Plutarch to be black. I always seemed to picture him to look like a slightly younger Morgan Freeman. I have no idea why thats just the way he seemed to me. I guess since Morgan Freeman always seems so wise… and in Batman, he plays Lucius Fox, and it shows him being quite technologically advanced in that.
when i pictured plutach i always pictured him to be black