Casting Gag: Difference between revisions

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This is simply when an actor's role in a film in some way mirrors or parodies their [[Real Life]] circumstances and/or career and other roles they're famous for. This forms a small joke or minor piece of merriment. Note that the gag is dependent on the casting and the role only rather than some later effected plot or dialogue. It should be fairly easy to describe the gag as "casting actor X (who is Y) in the role of character Z (who is Y)".

Sometimes it may overlap with [[Actor Allusion]] for another character where their respective actors have worked together before. However, the two must not be confused. A [[Casting Gag]] relies upon casting an actor in a role that reflects on their [[Real Life]] history. An [[Actor Allusion]] is any character, plot or situation that references ''a previous plot or role'' for the actor.

Sometimes it may overlap with [[Actor Allusion]] for another character where their respective actors have worked together before. However, the two must not be confused. A '''Casting Gag''' relies upon casting an actor in a role that reflects on their [[Real Life]] history. An [[Actor Allusion]] is any character, plot or situation that references ''a previous plot or role'' for the actor.

There is also [[Meta Casting]], which is when such a gag is used specifically to cause a resonance between the character and the audience.

An actor can use this self-consciously for themselves for [[Adam Westing]]. Compare with [[Playing Against Type]] where the casting may feel like a joke for the wrong reasons. Contrast with [[Stunt Casting]] where the big name actor is not being used for any in-joke but as a piece of marketing to draw in a wider crowd. When the [[Casting Gag]] is specifically that the person cast is an [[Actor Allusion]] for an already estabilished character, it's [[I Want You to Meet An Old Friend of Mine]]. If the [[Casting Gag]] is that the actor appeared in an earlier version of the same story, it's a [[Remake Cameo]]. Compare also to [[Cast the Expert]].

An actor can use this self-consciously for themselves for [[Adam Westing]]. Compare with [[Playing Against Type]] where the casting may feel like a joke for the wrong reasons. Contrast with [[Stunt Casting]] where the big name actor is not being used for any in-joke but as a piece of marketing to draw in a wider crowd. When the '''Casting Gag''' is specifically that the person cast is an [[Actor Allusion]] for an already estabilished character, it's [[I Want You to Meet An Old Friend of Mine]]. If the '''Casting Gag''' is that the actor appeared in an earlier version of the same story, it's a [[Remake Cameo]]. Compare also to [[Cast the Expert]].

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* In ''[[Dog Days]]'', both [[Minako Kotobuki]] and [[Kana Hanazawa]] well known for there roles as [[K-On!|Mugi]] and [[Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai|Kuroneko]] respectively voice [[Action Girl]] variants of those characters.

* In ''[[Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai]]'' [[Yuka Iguchi]] voices Maria who is basically [[To Aru Majutsu no Index|Index]] with lavender hair and a dark blue habit.

* ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]'': [[Aaron Dismuke]] did the voice of Alphonse in the English dub of the [[Fullmetal Alchemist (anime)|first anime]], but puberty made it impossible for him to reprise the role for ''Brotherhood''~~--so~~ he did the voice for Al's father, Hohenheim, as a young man.

* ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]'': [[Aaron Dismuke]] did the voice of Alphonse in the English dub of the [[Fullmetal Alchemist (anime)|first anime]], but puberty made it impossible for him to reprise the role for ''Brotherhood''—so he did the voice for Al's father, Hohenheim, as a young man.

** There also exists another gag: [[Luci Christian]], who played the first anime's incarnation of Wrath, provides the voice of the Truth in ''Brotherhood''. Both characters are strikingly similar in that {{spoiler|both meet Edward at the [[Gate of Truth]] and end up taking his arm and leg for themselves, keeping them until the end of the storylines they appear in (except Wrath loses both limbs while the Truth keeps Ed's leg)}}. Considering the Truth simply shares the same voice actor as the one it appears before in the original Japanese language, the fact that they had a single person to portray a character that had something in common with one of her earlier roles in the franchise couldn't be called anything less than a tribute.

* ''[[Ga-Rei Zero]]'': Funimation cast many of their ''most popular'' voice actors to play the five Agency squad members in Episode 01 only. {{spoiler|Why Episode 01 only? [[Decoy Protagonist|....because they all get killed off!]] Could be a bit of dark humor on Funimation's part.}}

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* Carrie Fisher has a cameo in ''[[Scream (film)|Scream]] 3'' as "Bianca" who is bitter over losing out for the role of Princess Leia to another actress. She goes as far to state that the actress 'must have slept with George Lucas'.

** Also Carrie Fisher, Billie Dee Williams and Ray Park have all appeared in ''Fanboys'' because of their roles in [[Star Wars]]. The fact that they played different characters added to the level of hilarious.

* Sigourney Weaver plays a ([[Dyeing for Your Art|blonde!]]) [[Bridge Bunny]] in ''[[Galaxy Quest]]'', a character significantly at odds to her best known role, Ellen Ripley of ''[[Alien]]''. In the same film, Tim Allen is very convincing as a washed up TV star, and [[Alan Rickman]] is excellent as a respected [[Shakespeare~~|Shakespearean~~]] actor playing [[Classically-Trained Extra|a role far below his ability.]]

* Sigourney Weaver plays a ([[Dyeing for Your Art|blonde!]]) [[Bridge Bunny]] in ''[[Galaxy Quest]]'', a character significantly at odds to her best known role, Ellen Ripley of ''[[Alien]]''. In the same film, Tim Allen is very convincing as a washed up TV star, and [[Alan Rickman]] is excellent as a respected [[Shakespeare]]an actor playing [[Classically-Trained Extra|a role far below his ability.]]

* In ''[[Avatar (film)|Avatar]]'' Sigourney Weaver fights to ''protect'' the aliens. And the film is by [[James Cameron|the same director]] of ''Aliens''.

* In ''[[Paul]]'', Sigourney Weaver plays the [[Big Bad]] that hunts {{spoiler|the titular [[Alien]].}}

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* In ''[[Iron Man (film)|Iron Man]]'', the [[The Stinger|after-credits]]-appearing character {{spoiler|Nick Fury is played by [[Samuel L. Jackson]] who serves (with his permission) as the model for the appearance and personality of the Ultimate Universe version of Fury. Within the comic ''The Ultimates'' itself, when the team was amusing themselves speculating on who would play them in the movie about their adventures, Fury said that he would of course be played by Samuel L. Jackson.}}

** A popular theory is that {{spoiler|Jackson agreed to provide his likeness for the Ultimate Universe Nick Fury, with the understanding that if ever there was a movie with Nick Fury, he would get to play the role.}}

** Ghostface ~~Killah -- who~~ uses "Tony Starks" as an alias, titled his 1996 solo debut album ''Ironman'' and opened his 2000 album ''Supreme Clientele'' with a clip of the theme to the old ''[[Iron Man]]'' ~~cartoon -- was~~ actually cast in a supporting role in the film as an industrial tycoon (his scene didn't make it to the final cut).

** Ghostface Killah—who uses "Tony Starks" as an alias, titled his 1996 solo debut album ''Ironman'' and opened his 2000 album ''Supreme Clientele'' with a clip of the theme to the old ''[[Iron Man]]'' cartoon—was actually cast in a supporting role in the film as an industrial tycoon (his scene didn't make it to the final cut).

** Additionally, guitarist Tom Morello appears as one of the terrorists who try to kill the first Iron Man suit. To get the gag you have to remember that he is most famous for playing with "[[Rage Against the Machine]]." (Morello later co-scored the sequel)

** And then there were the endless jokes about casting Robert Downey Jr. as [[The Alcoholic|Tony Stark.]] And now he will be playing [[Sherlock Holmes]], who had a bit of a thing for cocaine.

* From ''[[Maverick (film)|Maverick]]'':

** A [[Casting Gag]] played as [[Actor Allusion]], the title character (played by [[Mel Gibson]]) is in a bank as it is held up by an unnamed bank robber played by Danny Glover who starred alongside Gibson in the ''[[Lethal Weapon]]'' series of movies. Maverick acts as though he recognises the voice of the bank robber and pulls down his mask, leading the two of them to share a moment before shaking their heads and walking away.

** A Casting Gag played as [[Actor Allusion]], the title character (played by [[Mel Gibson]]) is in a bank as it is held up by an unnamed bank robber played by Danny Glover who starred alongside Gibson in the ''[[Lethal Weapon]]'' series of movies. Maverick acts as though he recognises the voice of the bank robber and pulls down his mask, leading the two of them to share a moment before shaking their heads and walking away.

** And the unnamed bank robber also mentions that he's "getting too old for this" as he makes his getaway.

** Further, The film features the often-referenced-in-the-series-but-never-seen father of Bret ~~Maverick -- who~~, just coincidentally, happens to be played by none other than [[James Garner]], who originated the role of Maverick on TV.

** Further, The film features the often-referenced-in-the-series-but-never-seen father of Bret Maverick—who, just coincidentally, happens to be played by none other than [[James Garner]], who originated the role of Maverick on TV.

* Very possibly the casting of [[Robin Williams]], TV's ''[[Mork and Mindy|Mork From Ork]]'' in [[The Seventies]], as ''[[Popeye]]'', searching for his long lost father, Poopdeck Pappy, played by Ray Walston, TV's loveable alien from [[The Sixties]] on ''[[My Favorite Martian (TV)]]''.

* Larry Hagman in Oliver Stone's ''Nixon'', playing a Texas billionaire.

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* ''[[Rocky Horror Picture Show]]'' creator Richard O'Brien was probably best-known in the UK during the 90s for hosting ''[[The Crystal Maze]]'', a game show in which contestants had to win crystals (and ultimately prizes) by solving puzzles on a large, labyrinthine set. He was later cast in the ''[[Dungeons and Dragons]]'' film as the master of a large maze from which the heroes have to retrieve a gem.

* In Kenneth Branagh's film [[Henry V]], the actor Michael Williams, Judi Dench's husband, was cast as the character Michael Williams after she signed on to the film.

* At the beginning of ''[[Love Actually]]'', Liam Neeson's character is giving a eulogy for his wife, and he jokingly mentions that they had a lot of time to discuss things when she was ill, and one of her suggestions was that he bring Claudia Schiffer as his date to the funeral. This gets a callback later when he tells his stepson that he plans on never finding love ~~again -- unless~~ he should run into Claudia Schiffer. At the end, he's at the stepson's school, trying to help him resolve his own unrequited love for a classmate... and he bumps into another parent he's never met before, who introduces herself as <s> Carol</s> Karen (he stammers a bit and calls her Carol, though). She's is played by Claudia Schiffer.

* At the beginning of ''[[Love Actually]]'', Liam Neeson's character is giving a eulogy for his wife, and he jokingly mentions that they had a lot of time to discuss things when she was ill, and one of her suggestions was that he bring Claudia Schiffer as his date to the funeral. This gets a callback later when he tells his stepson that he plans on never finding love again—unless he should run into Claudia Schiffer. At the end, he's at the stepson's school, trying to help him resolve his own unrequited love for a classmate... and he bumps into another parent he's never met before, who introduces herself as <s> Carol</s> Karen (he stammers a bit and calls her Carol, though). She's is played by Claudia Schiffer.

* Thoroughly unintentional example (they initially refused to even let her audition): Paris Hilton in ''[[Repo! The Genetic Opera]]'' playing... a rich, slutty, fashion-obsessed heiress cultivating a singing career using her name and infamy rather than talent. Better than it sounds, not least because {{spoiler|her face falls off}}.

* In [[Bridget Jones]]' Diary, Colin Firth was cast to play Mark Darcy, a character inspired by Fitzwilliam Darcy (from [[Pride and Prejudice]]) which he played in a series of made for TV films. On top of that, in the original novel, Bridget and her friends are stated to lust after the actor and his famous [[Shirtless Scene|wet shirt scene]].

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* [[Derek Jacobi]], famous for ''[[I, Claudius]]'', as a Roman senator in ''[[Gladiator]]'' and as King ''Claudius'' in Brannagh's ''[[Hamlet]]''.

** Jacobi's character in ''[[Dead Again]]'' {{spoiler|stutters}}, just like Claudius.

** Jacobi plays the Archbishop of Canterbury in ''The King's Speech'', which is all about another monarch getting over a [[Speech Impediment]], and arguably, the clergyman role could be a [[Cadfael (TV series)|Cadfael]]-based [[Casting Gag]].

** Jacobi plays the Archbishop of Canterbury in ''The King's Speech'', which is all about another monarch getting over a [[Speech Impediment]], and arguably, the clergyman role could be a [[Cadfael (TV series)|Cadfael]]-based Casting Gag.

* In David Mamet's adaptation of the play ''[[The Winslow Boy]]'', Neil North plays the First Lord of the Admiralty. In the 1948 film of the same play, North had played the title character (a supporting role).

* The same year Mark Williams was cast as the technology-loving wizard Arthur Weasley in the ''[[Harry Potter (film)|Harry Potter]]'' movie series, he was also an enthusiastic presenter in ''Industrial Revelations'', a documentary series about the history of technology.

** In [[Half Blood Prince]], after Bill was attacked, he was said to bear a distinct resemblance to Mad-Eye Moody. In [[Deathly Hallows]], Bill was played by Domhnall Gleeson whose father, Brendan Gleeson, played Moody.

** In the epilogue, Draco Malfoy's wife was played by [[Tom Felton]]'s real life girlfriend.

* Miranda Richardson has been in so many roles that involve [[Off with His Head|beheading]] ~~-- Queen~~ Elizabeth in ''[[Blackadder]] II'', the Queen of Hearts in 1999's ''[[Alice in Wonderland]]'' TV miniseries, Lady Van Tassel in ''[[Sleepy Hollow]]'' ~~-- that~~ it's hard to imagine her role as the chicken-killing Mrs. Tweedy in ''[[Chicken Run]]'' being anything other than an allusion to her past head-removing roles.

* Miranda Richardson has been in so many roles that involve [[Off with His Head|beheading]]—Queen Elizabeth in ''[[Blackadder]] II'', the Queen of Hearts in 1999's ''[[Alice in Wonderland]]'' TV miniseries, Lady Van Tassel in ''[[Sleepy Hollow]]''—that it's hard to imagine her role as the chicken-killing Mrs. Tweedy in ''[[Chicken Run]]'' being anything other than an allusion to her past head-removing roles.

* [[Sean Connery]] was cast as [[Indiana Jones]]' father in ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade|The Last Crusade]]'' because Spielberg and Lucas considered that the only man who could play Indy's father was [[James Bond (film)|James Bond]], and because in a meta sense, James Bond ''was'' the father of Indiana Jones. ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'' came about when [[Steven Spielberg]] told George Lucas that he wanted to make a Bond movie; Lucas pitched his "Indiana Smith" character as a rights-free alternative, and the rest is history.

** And to really push the joke home, four other actors had been in Bond films (Julian Glover was Bond villain Kristatos in ''[[For Your Eyes Only (film)|For Your Eyes Only]]'', Alison Doody was [[Girl of the Week|Bond girl Jenny Flex]] in ''[[A View to a Kill]]'', John Rhys-Davies was Bond ally Pushkin in ''[[The Living Daylights]]'', and the Brunwald castle butler was nightclub owner Max Kalba in ''[[The Spy Who Loved Me]]''.

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* In ''[[Mission Impossible]]'', Barney Collier's son Grant is played by Greg Morris's son Phil.

* In the new ''[[Battlestar Galactica Reimagined|Battlestar Galactica]]'', casting Richard Hatch (who played Captain Apollo in the original series) being cast as terrorist-cum-politician-cum-dictator Tom Zarek. In the episode he first appears on, both Zarek and Apollo turn their heads when someone calls out "Hey, Apollo!"

** For bonus points, he spends most of his first episode giving [[Hannibal Lecture~~|Hannibal Lectures~~]] to Lee "Apollo" Adama.

** For bonus points, he spends most of his first episode giving [[Hannibal Lecture]]s to Lee "Apollo" Adama.

*** For bonus-bonus points, the armour-piercing lecture was about what it meant to be the Great Captain Adamas son.

** This also works well with the setup that the events of BSG happen over and over again with everyone being reincarnated into a different role every time.

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* And Dirk Benedict, Starbuck in the original series, does a great double-take as Faceman in ''The A Team'', when a cylon centurion passes him at the Universal Studios. The moment is preserved in the credit sequence, of course.

* In the ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'' episode 200, Vala Mal Doran (played by Claudia Black), when challenged to come up with a more obscure property to rip-off for her movie pitch, launches into a full-blown parody of ''Farscape'' which basically consists of the SG-1 cast as the Farscape crew repeating every single one of Farscape's alien curse words in the shortest span possible.

** There's also a slight subversion in that Ben Browder doesn't play Crichton in the ~~parody--Michael~~ Shanks does. Browder plays Stark.

** There's also a slight subversion in that Ben Browder doesn't play Crichton in the parody—Michael Shanks does. Browder plays Stark.

*** When Vala and Mitchell first meet, Mitchell asks her if they've met before.

* A rare non-comic example: ''[[Degrassi Junior High]]'' and ''[[Degrassi High]]'' would often pick which plots happened to who based on the actors' real lives. For instance, 13-year-old-Joey takes a car out for a joyride... after Pat Mastroiani, who played him, really did take the set crew's van out for a joyride. When the writers wanted to do a storyline about a kid losing his parents, they made it happen to Wheels... whose actor, Neil Hope, had lost his father years before. Kathleen was beaten by her abusive boyfriend... and the actress who played her had been date-raped at age 14. (The writers have not said whether they knew that last bit at the time they wrote the abuse story.)

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== Theater ==

* Cate Blanchett is currently playing the title character in an Australian production of ''Richard II''. Richard and Queen Elizabeth I have famously been ~~compared--Elizabeth~~ herself allegedly even said "I am Richard II; know ye not that?"

* Cate Blanchett is currently playing the title character in an Australian production of ''Richard II''. Richard and Queen Elizabeth I have famously been compared—Elizabeth herself allegedly even said "I am Richard II; know ye not that?"

* Anne Hathaway's just-announced role as the lead in the Shakespeare in the Park production of ''[[Twelfth Night]]'' might also qualify, though it's more of a casting pun.

** They should make a movie about Shakespeare's life just so they can cast Anne Hathaway as Anne Hathaway.