Casting your series

[J.Ramirez]

Someone -- not sure who -- had posted how they used actors to "cast" (for visual reference) their PCs and NPCs. I've incorporated this notion into my own series and it works quite well.

What I'd like to know is if anyone else is doing it as well, and if so, who have your casting choices been and how have they worked out?

Thanks in advance.


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"Now then, pendejo, let's see what kind of swordsman you've become." -- Juan Sanchez Villalobos Ramirez

[Fred]

Originally posted by J.Ramirez:


What I'd like to know is if anyone else is doing it as well, and if so, who have your casting choices been and how have they worked out?

When we started our TNG campaign, many stardates ago, we also wanted a civilian bartender at the Ten-Forward Lounge, so I stated that ours lokked like Michelle Pfeiffer (actually, a slightly felinoid race Michelle Pfeiffer). When I used that hook for an adventure where they find out the bartender is actually the heir to the throne of a planet, we kind of joked that all the npcs from that race looked like famous actors. The capatain from the Haklaxy (that's the race's name) was Sean Connery, his exec Mel Gibson, the villain Charlton Heston, and the bartender's sister Uma Thurman.
It was fun and I found out that it helped get a clear vision of the npc.


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"As long as you can laugh, you are not
defeated."

–- Jack Vance

[qerlin]

We've always used the idea of 'casting'; players seem to identify with their and others' characters easier with a visual. Sometimes, a starting visual gives the person an idea for the personality.

In the current campaign running, we're using:
USS Constitution --
Captain William Drake: Rupert Everett (big and brooding)
CDR Mulcahy, the XO: Montel Williams
Science Officer Felia Ersha: Andorian, based on Victoria Zdrok. (Did some nice photo manips)
Dr. Arianna Drake, CO's wife: Rachel Ruben, Indian Actress.

On the USS Akira (Drake's former command):
CPT Marina Tsindikidou: Greek model of the same name.
MAJ Kargh: the Neitchean dude from Andromeda in Klingon makeup.


Recurring extra: Devinari Grissom, Orion SI officer (Julia Garvey...love those photo manips!)

[qerlin]

Oh...I forgot the security officer on Constitution, Shaka Ersha: Dolph Lundgren as an Andorian. (I must break you!)

[Commander Phil]

I cast mine, made pictures much like Anomaly.
Here's the overview:
Captain Arla Roxyll, Trill, Commanding Officer = Jamie Luner (Savahnah, Profiler)
Commander James Rolland, Human, Executive Officer = Chris O'Donnell (The Bachelor, Batman & Robin)
Lieutenant Adrianna O'Hara, Human, Chief Operations Officer = Laura Prepon (That 70s Show)
Lieutenant Bressar Kytin, Betelgeusan, Chief Flight Control Officer = Noah Wyle (ER) (Man, did this one take a while to figure out and make!)
Lieutenant Torll Corbin, Centauran, Chief of Security/ Cheif Tactical Officer = Mathhew Perry (Friends)
Lieutenant Commander Richard Boltyl, Human, Chief Science Officer = Ben Affleck (Forces of Nature, i don't know of any other movies, my girlfriend suggested him, and he looked the part)
Lieutenant Rean Harlness, Betazoid, Ship's Counsellor = Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek, Disturbing Behavior)
Lieutenant Commander Iyona Gatal, Ktarian, Chief Medical Officer = Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride)
Lieutenant Commander Parnais, Romulan, Chief Engineering Officer = Keanau Reeves
Cadet Corina Polfesse, Trill, Cadet Squad XO = Beverly Mitchell (7th Heaven)


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I fight fires 'cause the voices tell me to...

[Anomaly]

Check out my homepage and click on the 'CAST' link.



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Anomaly

Anomaly TrekMUX: http://anomaly.mybis.com

[Julius]

For my current game, I have the following 'cast'

Captain Julius Delacour, Human - ... forgot his name an actor on the show pretender.

Lt. Gillian Kale, Trill - Natalie Portman, with spots added in paintshop.

Envoy Ilora Zel, Joined Trill - Lara Flynn Boyle, with spots added.

Lt. Korven Neltra'ani, Centauran - Wesley Snipes.

and so on.

I find that having images of some sort for the PC's and NPC's both center in the GM and players mind's eye, what they look like, but add new dimentions to the character as well, just from the feel the actor/actress/model gives off, much like an actor makes a part their own. I personaly like it so much, that I make it a personal rule to do so for most games I GM. For those intrested in doing so, the best places is the Actor's/Actress' archive, and any fan websites (and there are alot of em) that you can find. Though I recomend, much like Star Trek casts, unless you want to accept the baggage carried by a very famous actor, try to cast with relative unknowns.

[AslanC]

All my players have done this as well. They have chosen characters they think would best represent who they want their characters to resemble.

Captain Murreal Lindsay - Heather Graham
Dr. Clavin Lansing - Pierce Brosnan
Chief Engineer Sam Mitchell - William Hurt
Cadet Alanha Sagan-Mitchell - Julia Styles
Lt Thomas Lowell - Sean Patrick Flanery

The rest are still choosing and huming and hahing about it

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Aslan Collas
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Visit Earth Alpha Online;
http://members.xoom.com/Aslan_Collas/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ferengi Rule Of Acquisition #76: Every once in a while, declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies.

[Joe Dizzy]

I can think of only two characters in my current campaign, who had some sort of visual reference.

One of them is the CO of the group: Lt. Commader Vince Chandler (I took that pic from trekrpg.net where you see a drawn, blonde, starfleet officer; I don't think he has been given a name)

The other is Q, who has been portrayed throughout the series by Clint Eastwood.

I wonder if any of my players have any similiar ideas about their character.

[qerlin]

Some of our bad guys from the campaigns: Orik Scion, Orion Syndicate bad guy --Keifer Sutherland
General Kovas, KDF -- Jack Palance
Centurion V'Kar -- Sigal Shachamon (Israeli model/actress)
DaiMon Mok Zago -- the same guy that plays Neelix (Trek loves to recycle actors)
We've had Gilbet Gottfried as a Ferengi (worked GREAT!); also Mike Kyers as a Ferengi.
Vinnie Jones as Goon #1 working for the Orion Syndicate. Violence on a leash.
Chariman Dhumar of the Cardassian Freedom League -- Michael York (also a younger version plays CDR. Matthrew Jericho of USS Akira)
Jagul Inthat -- Gary Oldman under a ton of Cardie makeup
President Moraz of the UFP -- Chris Walken in Andorian makeup. OOoooooh, scary!

[Sarge]

Is there a computer artist here who could do up these actors as the characters? A picture of Walken as an Andorian would be way cool.

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<<<<

LUGTrek isn't really dead. Not as long as we remember it.

[Shadow]

The U.S.S. Sabercat Crew

Captain Morgan Quaid (CO.Human)
Michael Ironside (SEAQUEST 2036)
Lt. Michelle Pike (Conn.Human raised on Klingon Homeworld)
Juliette Landau (Druscilla on BUFFY)
Lt. Alex Gordon (CEO.Human)
David Faustino (MARRIED...WITH CHILDREN)
Lt. Anneke Falknner (Ops. Human)
Franke Potannte (Movie RUN LOLA RUN)
Lcmdr. Dev Rammaden (Sci. Betazoid).
Thomas Callabro (MELROSE PLACE)
Lt. DurokNol (Tac. Automokron (I'll explain later))
Dennis Haysbert (NOW AND AGAIN).

These are the NPC's of my campaign and I cast the characters as if I had a budget to contend with.

[qerlin]

actually, sarge, done a few manips, but not that one yet. i've got some 'blue' pics of the andorian pc from the series, as well as the orion.

[CaptainGonzalez]

For my campaign we actually try to use ourselves as the models. When we use famous people it is either just for the image or just for the attitude. Never both. Here is how it breaks down.

Star Trek Pathways (TOS era campaign)which started out under FASA rules

Capt. Roberto Gonzalez, CO human male (myself made much older much like Bogart in the Caine Mutiny)

Lt. Cmdr. Ajel Ono, XO centauran female (inspired by Majel Barrett in The Cage but looking more like Angie Harmon from Law&Order)

Lt.jg. Maurice Verand, nav human male (Keanu Reeves, the Matrix with lots of french attitude from our player)

Lt. Xana, comm vulcan female (looks like Ming-Na from ER but very typical vulcan)

Lt. Cmdr. Sudel Me'Jak sci andorian male (looks like Michael Douglas from various movies)

Lt. Cmdr. Baneen Po'el helm zoen pod (personality inspired by John Malkovich from old movie Making Mr. Right; zoen are plant people created in my campaign to be "alien" race like vulcans were on TOS)

Cmdr. Melinda Katarrass doc human female (looks like an older Jodie Foster from Silence of the Lambs)

Ens. Candace Sullivan, young engineering officer human female (looks like Jennie Garth from 90210)

P.O. W.B. "Billy" Colt, yoeman human female (Shannon Doherty from 90210)

Ens. Hiroya Watanabe, nurse human male (Jet Li from many Hong Kong movies when we started playing and since then he's been in Lethal Weapon IV and Black Mask)


I'll send the characters from other campaigns after I check with the players about their inspiration.

[Cmdr Corellis]

USS San Diego (Niagara
Captain David Vintral CO (Sean Connery)
Cmdr Jesus Vasques XO (Antonio Banderas)
Cmdr Eric Calkoon Security (Christopher Lambert, Highlander)
LtCmd Jenna Davis Flight Control (Tracy Lords, First Wave)
Cmdr S'hinat Eng, (Geena Davis as Vulcan)

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A Vulcan is quite capable of killing-for a logical reason, Spock "Journey to Babel"