DEMON DAYS “OFFICIAL” FAN CASTING
So when I start a story, as I make up characters and begin figuring out who they are as people, I usually cast them with an actor. I do that because when I write, I generally watch the movie in my head while I do. I’m sure this is pretty common with many writers. Who doesn’t want to see their story up on the big screen, even if that screen is just in your head?
Anyway, these were my final selections for each major character. There are several characters I haven’t cast that are minor or it just hasn’t come to me yet. It probably will eventually. But I would advise you NOT to read these if you haven’t finished the story, as…
THERE WILL BE SPOILERS HERE. DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU CARE ABOUT SPOILERS. I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH.
Sam Church – Sam Claflin
I’ve had several actors run through my head as being Sam, but for whatever reason, it nearly always comes back to Sam Claflin. The guy just oozes charisma with a touch of goofiness and that, to me, IS my Sam.
Sariel – Margot Robbie
Sariel needed to be the kind of drop dead gorgeous that could look equal parts mischievous and totally innocent. She was the only choice I really considered.
Quinn – Eddie Izzard
When I built Quinn ( and I don’t want to give much away here ), I pictured a guy who was basically only playable by Eddie Izzard. From the voice to the mannerisms, he’s got the role in my head at all times, and in everything I’ve written that he’s appeared in. …. though I think I’ve said too much there.
Vika Noxx – Vika Noxx
No, that isn’t a typo. In this case, Vika Noxx is a real person. She happens to be a friend, who, when I concepted the character, just came to mind and I decided to just keep everything about her. She may or not ACTUALLY be a fae assassin. I’ll never tell.
Luthor Ray Campbell – Samuel L. Jackson
Luthor was basically written to be Sam Jackson. No ifs, ands or buts. He’s one of my favorite actors and when I concepted the character, I basically just wrote it as if he was already playing it. No apologies.
Father Desmond O’Connell – David Tennant
David Tennant is such a diverse actor that when I picked him for this part it was largely because he seems to be able to play anything. O’Connell will show up again in the series(hell, most characters will), and I wanted someone that could convey that odd righteous madness that embodies the character. He was the perfect fit.
Lucifer – Luke Evans
Lucifer started out as Tom Hiddleston, at first. But I realized I kept thinking of Hiddleston in place of Remiel once David Bowie passed away. So, I needed a new Lucifer and somewhere I saw *this* picture of Luke and it was an instant fit. He’s a great actor, and a perfect choice.
Cassandra Church – Julia Styles
Cassandra went over several revisions, as I wasn’t sure how I wanted to portray her. Once I settled on to her current form in the narrative, I needed someone to watch in my head who could convey strength, almost to a point of coldness while seeming vulnerable and still maintaining intelligence with no “damsel in distress” bullshit. Julia Styles was a natural fit.
Alison McKenna – Rose Byrne
Alison didn’t originally start off where she ends in the first book. She started off as what I thought would be a long time character. I hadn’t planned for her to be evil. But somewhere in the narrative, she told me she was and it made good sense for how the end panned out. Rose Byrne was a natural fit to me as an irish girl with a quick temper after her stint on Game of Thrones and I pictured her almost immediately.
Mark Noble – Brandon Routh
This one was basically a no-brainer to me. I’ve seen Routh play a government agent in CHUCK and he can come off as an awkward mess a bit, like he did playing Ray Palmer on ARROW. To make Noble’s character I kinda combined those characters and made him a G-Man. I really like this character and can’t wait to teach you more about him.
Remiel – Tom Hiddleston
Originally, Remiel in my head was played exclusively by David Bowie. But… then David Bowie passed away in January of 2016. And while it may seem sappy, it killed me. It really did. So I had to recast him in my head because I couldn’t keep “watching” it with him in it. Tom Hiddleston stepped in to the role and I was pretty pleased with how it ended up.
Malcolm/Melchom – Jon Hamm
Is there anyone that plays quiet cool like Jon Hamm? That conveys that sense of just… being totally in control, but a split hair away from being out of control? Like he could kill you and then go get a scotch and take a nap? Jon Hamm. Do I really need to explain this one?
Dante Leonn/Dantalion – Viggo Mortensen
Viggo Mortensen played the devil himself in THE PROPHECY and was phenomenal at it. I almost cast him in my head there too but, there’s just something about him as being the bad guy that I love. He was really a great fit in my head. I don’t really know how else to describe it. He has more range than 90% of actors in Hollywood.