Casting Fire: Fancasting Peter MacNicol as Beetee
With Finding Finnick Odair now over, we’re back into fancasting for other characters such as Beetee. This week, we’re voicing our opinions on actor Peter MacNicol, who was most recently in the summer movie Battleship. He’s primarily a TV actor, having been on shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, 24, and Ally McBeal.
Find out what we think below the cut!
Ciara
I can’t see Peter MacNicholl being cast. Not that he’s a bad actor, but I always think of him as a bit of a caricature and I want Beetee to be little more human. I haven’t seen much of his previous work that’s been firmly grounded. His version of Beetee would feel just a tad over the top for my liking and I want a subtle, quiet version of the character.
Crystal
I know most people will know Peter MacNichol from Boston Legal and maybe even Ally McBeal, but I still remember him as being that creepy museum dude from Ghostbusters II way back in the 1980s. He’s good at playing quirky, but I don’t know that he’s the right kind of quirky for me. I want smart and quiet quirky while he seems more like he typically plays the twitchy quirky kind of guy. He also tends to play that yelling “bad” guy politician a lot. In fact, I just saw him in that type of role in Battleship. He’s a great actor, but not the Beetee I’d choose by a long shot.
Tash
Ahhh, good old Peter MacNicol, I loved him back in the Ally McBeal days and in his role as Larry in Numb3rs. He’s certainly got a lot of the right characteristics and mannerisms, and he can definitely play a smart, intelligent man, but I have to agree with Crystal that he is just that bit too eccentric. I wouldn’t be disappointed to see Peter in the role, but I don’t think he is quite the right fit for Beetee.
To me, this guy doesn’t seem like a Beetee because he doesn’t look nerdy enough. I mean, he’s a little nerdy, but not Beetee nerdy.
No, image is so not working for me. Anyone remember that really good fan trailer for Catching Fire that was posted a while back? The one with Garret Hedlund as Finnick? I forget who the name of the guy that was Beetee, but he was it for me. I’ve gotta go look it up…
Yeah… I can’t see him as Beetee.
I agree Crystal, I saw creepy guy from Ghostbusters!
i cant see him on the big screen but the looks do have a good chance. Beetee was young and not the best looking. But with a bit of makeup and a pair of glasses he could make it, he needs to really score the intelligent guy part to make the role.
he may be good
hmm, i guess he could work. i liked his character in numb3ers and based on that i think he could pull off a decent beetee… though i agree, he seems more the twitchy type. in every role i’ve seen him play, he seems very talkative, which doesn’t scream beetee to me, but i guess a good script could take care of that. he’s not my first choice, but i wouldn’t mind him taking the role.
I don’t feel him for the role. I have picture someone different like DJ Qualls or Alan Cumming. The latter looks very much like a bad guy but can play a mean nerd as well.
He’d be a great Beetee. He’s a wonderful actor!
No…I think Jim Parsons (Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory) would be an awesome Beetee. Sheldon always reminds me of a grown up Stewie from Family Guy, and we all know how evil he can be!
I don’t know…to me he seems more “professor” nerdy than “mad-scientist” nerdy, just a thought.
I’m with Crystal. I immediately thought of Janosz from Ghostbusters 2, and I don’t want him for Beetee. Sure, he’s a decent actor, but he’s not my Beetee. I mean, Beetee is a nervous, twitchy guy, and I’m pretty certain that MacNicol can manage twitchy. Yet, I’m still not sold on him. Beetee is one of my absolute favorites, and I demand he be done right. In my opinion, MacNicol is not right.
BEKAH12: I SO AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!
IMDB has listed Philip Seymour Hoffman as confirmed for Plutarch, although Jena is still rumored for Johanna. So if they confirmed correctly, that is one less that we have to worry about.
@ME!!! Thanks, I’m glad I’m not the only one!
Beetee (and all the other characters) HAVE TO BE PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Ellen – hopefully, but anyone with a pro account can edit IMDB, and we still don’t have an official announcement from Lionsgate that PSH has accepted the offer to play Plutarch. It looks like he will, but things may change. Fingers crossed we know soon!
Nope, not Beetee evn though he might be a good actor, hes not right for the role. And finding finnick is over? Who has favorited to be finnick?
I’m so not “with it”
Why is finding finick over?? Just wandering but anyway he doesn’t remind me of him
I’m still conducting my own search and found Andy Serkis. The guy is a great actor and I believe he has enough in him to pull out a great Beetee.
i c bettee as a fat black guy wit small glasses
This guy Beetee? I can see him as Plutarch (though Philip Seymour Hoffman has been offered the role and I think he is a great fit) but I can’t see him as Beetee.