You can’t cast anyone as any classic character nowadays without someone’s pantaloons getting in a bunch. “They’re not blonde enough.” “They’re not tall enough.” “They’re not sexually androgynous enough.” For some there’s always a reason to crap on someone talented getting to play an iconic role, but luckily all those reasons usually come from people who don’t matter—like internet bloggers.
But there are some people whose opinions do matter, and in the case of the CAPTAIN MARVEL casting, that woman is the writer of the modern iteration of the comic book character, Kelly Sue DeConnick. In an interview with Vanity Fair, the acclaimed author of the series—in which she famously changed the costume, giving the heroine a jumpsuit (a.k.a. pants)—addressed what she thinks about the role going to Oscar-winner Brie Larson:
My dream casting—or the actor who is the voice in my head—is Kathleen Turner from about 1983. She could be both sexy and awkward and powerful. She could do all of those things at once. From what I can tell, Brie Larson can do those things too. She has a gravitas and she has a power to her. But you can see she also has a sense of humor and playfulness there. I’m psyched.
But of course there are dissenters who are angry (aformentioned sad internet bloggers) about Larson’s casting, complaining about her smaller size, perferring someone they felt would be better for the role physically, like a Ronda Rousey or Katee Sackhoff. DeConnick discussed that too, saying she did want someone with a tad more height (Larson stands at about five-foot-eight):
The only physical thing I wanted for Carol—I was hoping for Carol to have some height. In the books she’s five-foot-eleven. There’s a little bit of an intimidation factor that comes with her being so tall.
However size, ultimately, doesn’t matter:
I’m five-feet tall and I can be intimidating.
On a broader scale, DeConnick spoke to casting women in blockbusters in general, addressing the issues some people have surrounding women leading big action films:
We spend so much time telling women, you’re not this enough and you’re not that.
When we cast women as leads in an action film we saddle them with a responsibility of representing the possible success or failure of all women-led films for the next five years. When a man leads a film that fails, that film fails. We don’t say, ‘Well, clearly men can’t carry a genre feature'.
And if those infuriated by Larson’s casting still can't get the knot out of their undies, DeConnick has one last piece of wisdom for them that is incredibly hard to deny:
Marvel has done an incredible job managing their C.U. and their casting. I so love Robert Downey Jr. and I don’t think I would have thought of him as Iron Man. Of course, it’s the most perfect thing in the world.
Well said, madam
Of course Larson is going to crush it. You know how I know? She crushes everything, that’s how. She can do hard drama (see ROOM) and can steal the show in comedies like SCOTT PILGRIM and TRAINWRECK. Playing Captain Marvel will be another walk in the park for Larson. She probably crushes actual walking in the park too. Her step distribution is on point.
CAPTAIN MARVEL starring the perfectly cast Brie Larson is set for March 8, 2019.