Casting couch is a feature where I will take a look at a coverted movie role for an upcoming project and run down the five leading contenders. (not the top 5 i think SHOULD have the role, but the top five who are MOST TALKED about).
This weeks movie is The Dark Knight and the role of D.A. Harvey Dent who of course becomes the villain Two-Face. We expect Dent to play a good guy and best friend to Bruce Wayne in the next movie and by the film’s conclusion transform into Two-Face where he will be the main villain in the third movie.
So we are looking for an actor who can make us really like Dent but can then become super evil and make us totally hate his guts as he becomes a villain. For more on the Two-Face character click here.
Liev Schrieber, 38
Resume for role – He is the real-life, living and breathing Harvey Dent.
He is without a doubt the fans favourite for the role. He has the look of the character (looks exactly like Dent in The Long Halloween). He has the acting chops for the role and has shown the ability to portray a good guy and a bad guy in the past, even back and forth in the same movie such as Scream 2. Plays a similar character in The Manchurian Candidate. Easily could buy him as being Christian Bale’s best friend.
Ryan Phillipe, 32
Resume for role - Crash.
Heavily rumoured to be in line for the Two-Face role in The Dark Knight. Has recently shown he has acting ability in Crash and was born the same year as Christian Bale which puts him at the perfect age. I could buy him as being Harvey Dent, but not sure about him as a super villain such as Two-Face, I couldn’t really see him as a match for Bale.
Josh Lucas, 35
Resume for role – American Psycho.
Long time supporting actor who has recently come into his own with starring roles in Poseidon and Stealth. Certainly has the acting ability, age and look of Dent but again i’m not sure if he has the menacing factor to play the Two-Face part of the character.
Guy Pearce, 39
Resume for role - L.A. Confidential.
Was at one time expected to cameo in Begins as Dent. Has played dark and shady characters perfectly in the past in his roles in Christopher Nolan’s own Memento and L.A. Confidential. In both movies, he constantly turned you from liking to disliking the character he was portraying. However he has said many times that he doesn’t wish to become a “franchise” actor in a big Hollywood movie which probably puts him out of the running.
Resume for role: The Phantom of the Opera
Probably the big underdog for the role on this list but he has shown he has good acting ability in the past and is set to star in the lead role in 300 next year. Plays a great villain and although he has never had a big hit movie, he has always come out of his roles with good acclaim.
So folks take a look at the contenders there and leave a comment in the post about which actor YOU think should be Harvey Dent/Two-Face in The Dark Knight. You do not just have to be restricted to that choice, you can add your own to the mix also.
My pick – Liev Schrieber (he is beyond perfect for the role).
The role eventually went to – Aaron Eckhart (a fine choice if I may say so myself. The Dark Knight is released in July 2008).
