Cast This: Annie Wilkes

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

The casting of one of my favorite on-screen villains and performances isn’t’ going to be easy. I don’t believe this movie is even up for a remake at the moment, but you know how it goes, it’s going to happen eventually. I was watching MISERY the other night for the hundredth time and realized that Annie Wilkes still scares the shit out of me. I got to thinking of how we might never have such a performance again and what if they tried to capture this great one by Kathy Bates once more?

Annie Wilkes is a character in the 1987 novel Misery, by Stephen King about a psychotic fan who holds an author captive and forces him to write her stories. In the 1990 film adaptation Wilkes was portrayed by Kathy Bates, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal. The American Film Institute included Annie Wilkes in their "100 Heroes and Villains" list, ranking her as the 17th most iconic villain (and sixth most iconic villainess) in film history. 

The actress to take on the part would have to bring a lot of talent, energy, and be able to pull off being a believable psychopath – enter Laurie Metcalf.  The recognizable TV and Broadway star probably hasn’t’ gotten the recognition she deserves for being one of the most talented actors working today. From her early days on Roseanne to her 2015 turn as Wilkes on the Broadway version of MISERY, she certainly has the ability to make this character work again. If you ever watched HBO’s Getting On, you know she has a dark almost pathetic style to her character that would make for a great Annie.

My other choices would be Julianne Moore and Cate Blanchett because if you’ve ever seen any of them cry on screen, you know how well that would work for the role. Also, when it comes to Moore, she’s proven herself over the last decade to be one of the greatest we have alongside Blanchett. I would hope that if and when this movie is being remade and the casting is underway, we get someone who can own the screen like these actresses. 

What about you guys? Have a strong lead in mind for the role? 

RESULTS FROM CAST THIS: Lisa (WEIRD SCIENCE) – Kelly Brook, Alexandra Daddario, Margot Robbie