Recasting 2025 (supporting): "Weapons"

When I completed my original recasting project in 2021, and then the supporting series a year later, both of the final entries were roles that won the original actress an Oscar. Perhaps it's fitting that I conclude this updated series with Weapons. The great Amy Madigan of course secured the supporting win for her thrilling performance as Aunt Gladys.

With the exception of my recasting addendum to include The Silence of the Lambs, I don't think I've selected a horror film for this series. Or really anything that's sort of supernatural in theme. But I just couldn't pass up this role. The premise of the movie is that all but one kid from an entire class disappears at the same time in the middle of the night, running from their homes with their arms spread wide. It turns out that Aunt Gladys, who is a witch, had been invited to the home of Alex (the lone child who did not run away) by his parents, only to bewitch them and to force Alex to collect items from his classmates for Aunt Gladys to then bewitch the kids, effectively feeding off their energy. There are a handful of side stories that all play out from different characters' points of view (Julia Garner as the class's teacher, Josh Brolin as the determined father of one of the missing children), with the story culminating in Aunt Glady's ritual being used against her and the kids all ripping her to pieces. 

One of the creepiest things is when someone you know or suspect is sinister acts almost excessively nicely. It's a manipulative and disarming tactic that so often works because other people have such a hard time being anything close to unkind to them, even if they're suspicious of said person's intentions. Madigan showcases this brilliantly in her interaction with the principal (Benedict Wong). One thing I'll mention is that we know Meryl isn't historically thrilled with portraying witches. Although she played the Witch in Into the Woods, she has stated that since it's a Sondheim musical it's a "complicated" witch, and therefore okay to play, versus the "oh I'm over 40 now, women are old and ugly after that age so these are the parts I'm going to get offered" kind of witch. Aunt Gladys is a little bit of the latter, but I'd argue that her character, particularly in the context of this story, has more layers to her beyond simply wanting to hurt people. I'm reminded of a Vanity Fair interview from writer/director Zach Cregger, where he stated that he gave Madigan the option of choosing between two options for Gladys's origin: 

...one where she was a regular person using witchcraft to prevent her dying from an incurable condition, and one where she was instead an immortal creature performing an approximate simulacrum of a human being, but that he did not ask her which one she chose.

I think Meryl could empathize with the former example; a human being trying to extend her life by whatever means she knows, even if it happens to hurt others. That could be an interesting complication to try to work out in a character. I of course don't know which version Madigan chose (I don't know if she's ever commented on it), but if I were to guess, I imagine it was the human example. 

Weapons did extremely well with critics (93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 on Metacritic). The box office receipts were rather staggering as well, grossing $270 million worldwide against a $38 million budget. Horror sort of feels like it's having an auteur resurgence in recent years, which makes the prospect of the news from about a year ago at this time about director JT Mollner having penned a horror script for Meryl. Given the right character, I would be thrilled to see Meryl cast in a true, smart horror film. 

Below you can see the full updated lists of both lead and supporting recasting selections, including the number of roles originated by specific actresses. Hopefully I'll update again in another five years!

Lead:

1976: Hester Street (Gitl) 

1977: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Jillian Guiler) 

1978: Julia (Julia) 

1979: The Rose (Mary Rose Foster) 

1980: American Gigolo (Michelle Stratton) 

1981: Reds (Louise Bryant) 

1982: Frances (Frances Farmer) 

1983: Romancing the Stone (Joan Wilder) 

1984: A Passage to India (Adela Quested) 

1985: Agnes of God (Dr. Martha Livingston) 

1986: Crimes of the Heart (Rebecca Magrath/Babe Botrell) 

1987: Anna (Anna) 

1988: Gorillas in the Mist (Dian Fossey) 

1989: Dangerous Liaisons (Marquise Isabelle de Merteuil) 

1990: The Grifters (Lilly Dillon) 

1991: Fried Green Tomatoes (Evelyn Couch) 

1992: Blue Sky (Carly Marshall) 

1993. The Piano (Ada McGrath) 

1994: Dolores Claiborne (Dolores Claiborne) 

1995: Copycat (Helen Hudson) 

1996: Dead Man Walking (Sister Helen Prejean) 

1997: As Good as It Gets (Carol Connelly) 

1998: Primary Colors (Susan Stanton) 

1999: American Beauty (Carolyn Burnham) 

2000: Requiem for a Dream (Sara Goldfarb) 

2001: The Contender (Laine Billings Hanson) 

2002: In the Bedroom (Ruth Fowler) 

2003: Panic Room (Meg Altman) 

2004: Vera Drake (Vera Drake) 

2005: Elizabeth I (Queen Elizabeth I) 

2006: Notes on a Scandal (Barbara Covett) 

2007: Frozen River (Ray Eddy) 

2008: Grey Gardens (Edith Bouvier Beale) 

2009: The Last Station (Sophia Tolstaya) 

2010: The Kids Are All Right (Nicole Allgood) 

2011: The Debt (Rachel Singer) 

2012: Saving Mr. Banks (P.L. Travers) 

2013: The Hundred-Foot Journey (Madame Mallory) 

2014: Olive Kitteridge (Olive Kitteridge) 

2015: Hello, My Name is Doris (Doris Miller) 

2016: Julieta (Julieta) 

2017: Feud (Joan Crawford) 

2018: The Wife (Joan Castleman) 

2019: Catherine the Great (Catherine the Great) 

2020: Nomadland (Fern)

2021: Mass (Linda)

2022: Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (Ada Harris)

2023: Nyad (Diana Nyad)

2024: The Room Next Door (Martha)

2025: The Summer Book (Grandmother)

Roles by originating actress:

Helen Mirren (5)

Jessica Lange (4)

Kathy Bates (2)

Anette Bening (3)

Glenn Close (3)

Frances McDormand (2)

Sissy Spacek (2)

Emma Thompson (2)

Sigourney Weaver (2)

Joan Allen (1)

Ellen Burstyn (1)

Judy Davis (1)

Judi Dench (1)

Ann Dowd (1)

Melinda Dillon (1)

Sally Field (1)

Jane Fonda (1)

Jodie Foster (1)

Helen Hunt (1)

Holly Hunter (1)

Anjelica Huston (1)

Lauren Hutton (1)

Carole Kane (1)

Diane Keaton (1)

Sally Kirkland (1)

Melissa Leo (1)

Lesley Manville (1)

Bette Midler (1)

Vanessa Redgrave (1)

Susan Sarandon (1)

Imelda Staunton (1)

Emma Suárez (1)

Tilda Swinton (1)

Kathleen Turner (1)

Supporting:

1976: Marathon Man (Elsa Opel) 

1977: Jesus of Nazareth (Mary the mother of Jesus) 

1978: Coming Home (Vi Munson) 

1979: All that Jazz (Angelique, The Angel of Death) 

1980: Ragtime (Mother) 

1981: On Golden Pond (Chelsea Thayer Wayne) 

1982: Annie (Grace Farrell) 

1983: The Big Chill (Meg Jones) 

1984: Witness (Rachel Lapp)

1985: Clue (Miss Scarlet)

1986: The Clan of the Cave Bear (Iza) 

1987: Empire of the Sun (Mrs. Victor)

1988: Working Girl (Katharine Parker) 

1989: Parenthood (Helen Buckman)

1990: Goodfellas (Karen Hill) 

1991: The Prince of Tides (Lila Wingo Newbury) 

1992: Damage (Ingrid Thompson-Fleming)

1993: In the Name of the Father (Gareth Peirce)

1994: Bullets Over Broadway (Helen Sinclair) 

1995: Rob Roy (Mary MacGregor) 

1996: The Birdcage (Louise Keeley)

1997: The Ice Storm (Janey Carver)

1998: Pleasantville (Betty Parker) 

1999: Tea with Mussolini (Elsa Morganthal Strauss-Armistan)  

2000: Almost Famous (Elaine Miller) 

2001: The Royal Tenenbaums (Etheline Tenenbaum) 

2002: White Oleander (Ingrid Magnussen)

2003: The Station Agent (Olivia Harris)

2004: Sideways (Maya)

2005: Alexander (Queen Olympias)

2006: Children of Men (Miriam)

2007: Hairspray (Velma Von Tussle)

2008: Rachel Getting Married (Abby Buchman)

2009: Animal Kingdom (Janine "Smurf" Cody) 

2010: The Fighter (Alice Ecklund-Ward)

2011: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Harriet Vanger)

2012: Mildred Pierce (Lucy Gessler) 

2013: Top of the Lake (GJ)

2014: Snowpiercer (Minister Mason) 

2015: Trumbo (Hedda Hopper) 

2016: The Wizard of Lies (Ruth Madoff)

2017: I, Tonya (LaVona Golden) 

2018: Sharp Objects (Adora Crellin)

2019: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (Marilyn Miglin) 

2020: Succession (Nan Pierce)

2021: Mare of Eastown (Helen Fahey)

2022: Everything Everywhere All at Once (Deirdre Beaubeirdre)

2023: Women Talking (Agata Friesen)

2024: Queer (Dr. Cotter)

2025: Weapons (Aunt Gladys)

Roles by originating actress:

Michelle Pfeiffer (3) 

Dianne Wiest (3) 

Patricia Clarkson (2) 

Jessica Lange (2) 

Melissa Leo (2) 

Miranda Richardson (2) 

Sigourney Weaver (2) 

Joan Allen (1) 

Lorraine Bracco (1) 

Cher (1) 

Jamie Lee Curtis (1) 

Pam Ferris (1) 

Jane Fonda (1) 

Holly Hunter (1) 

Olivia Hussey (1) 

Anjelica Huston (1) 

Judith Ivey (1)

Allison Janney (1) 

Angelina Jolie (1) 

Cherry Jones (1) 

Marthe Keller (1) 

Judith Light (1) 

Amy Madigan (1)

Virginia Madsen (1) 

Lesley Manville (1)

Frances McDormand (1) 

Kelly McGillis (1) 

Penelope Milford (1) 

Helen Mirren (1) 

Mary Kay Place (1) 

Pamela Reed (1) 

Ann Reinking (1) 

Joely Richardson (1) 

Jean Smart (1) 

Mary Steenburgen (1) 

Tilda Swinton (1) 

Emma Thompson (1) 

Lesley Ann Warren (1) 

Debra Winger (1) 

Jackie Weaver (1)

Recasting 2025: "The Summer Book"

After it was announced that Glenn Close was set to star in an adaptation of Tove Jannson's novel The Summer Book. I decided to get a copy from the library and read it. My interest was of course the fact that it was an adaptation with one of its central characters being of a certain age. It was a quick read, and I have to admit that I was a little curious as to how the hell they were going to adapt it to a movie. But they did!

The "story" (and I put that in quotes because there is very little plot to the story) surrounds a three-generation family: Sophia (Emily Matthews), her father (Anders Danielsen Lie), and her grandmother (Close), as they spend the summer together on an island in the Gulf of Finland in the aftermath of Sophia's mother's passing. They never really talk in specifics about how they're all coping or grieving. I think I read somewhere that it's more about the tone of the performances and cinematography than any drama in the screenplay. And wow is it a beautifully shot movie. The setting very much feels like it's own character in the story, which is sort of necessary with how little plot there is. Again, I could not find a clip of an actual scene from the movie, so I'm including one of the trailers here. 

One thing that makes me wonder about whether or not Meryl would've been interested in this role is how old it's played. Close is only two years older than Meryl, but if we compare this role with Miranda Priestly, the two actors are basically the same age when they did their filming. And yes, Grandmother is not a New York fashion executive, where everything is all polished and put together. Meryl certainly doesn't shy away from roles that are not glamourous. But she does often play roles where the character is at times ten to fifteen years younger than she is. Partly it's because she can. And partly, I imagine, it's because there just are just fewer roles for women who are truly meant to be pushing 80. The longer you can believably portray someone younger as a woman in Hollywood, the longer you're likely to do it, because it's probably more likely that directors/producers/casting directors can realistically envision you in the role. 

Close does a beautiful job in the role, pairing with Matthews as they explore the natural terrain around the island. They get dirty, grow things, make things, celebrate midsommar, navigate some dangers. It's a tender juxtaposition of age and youth, and as mentioned above, it is so beautifully shot with so many of the scenes taking place out doors. Meryl isn't in a lot of movies that feel sort of meditative and quiet. This would have been an interesting and fun opportunity. And she would've gotten to do a Finnish accent!

The film did fairly well with critics, sitting at 81% on Rotten Tomatoes and a respectable 62 on Metacritic. Glenn close garnered the most favorable notices of all. But my guess is that the movie was so quiet (box office of $2 million) that it just didn't gain any traction with awards bodies. Still a lovely watch, regardless. 

Recasting 2024 (supporting): "Queer"

I would love nothing more than for Meryl to be in a Luca Guadagnino movie. I doubt we'll ever get to see it, but part of the fun of this recasting project is getting to imagine her in roles with directors or other actors that she's never worked with. I was unaware of Guadagnino prior to 2017's Call Me by Your Name. I had really enjoyed the book, so I was excited that the movie was excellent as well. Anytime I see a queer storyline with a great screenplay and top-notch actors, it's a delight. 

So, too, was his 2024 movie Queer. The movie is an adaptation of William S. Burroughs's 1985 novella, which follows an American expatriate named William Lee (Daniel Craig) in Mexico City in the 1950s. He becomes infatuated with a younger man named Eugene Allerton (Craig Starkey). Lee is addicted to opioids, and he invites Eugene to join him on a trip to South America in search of a plant called yagé, which is said to provide telepathic abilities. Lee hears about a medical doctor in the Ecuacor who might be able to help him find the yagé, which is where we are introduced to the very eccentric Dr. Cotter, portrayed by the great Leslie Manville. I unfortunately couldn't find a single clip of Manville in the role online, but there's a little bit of it in the second half of the original trailer:

It's a very quirky character, but Manville shines pretty brightly in the scenes we get of her. Dr. Cotter comes off at first as a possible lunatic, but we learn that she's actually a brilliant researcher who has cultivated a close relationship with the native people in the jungle. She has tons of yagé and she brews some for the guys, which causes them to hallucinate in a very graphic and mesmerizing scene. 

Lee doesn't hear from Eugene after they leave South America, and the movie ends with Lee and old man, yearning for and remembering his time with Eugene. So not exactly an uplifting ending. 

I admit that a lot of the appeal for me choosing this role is the fact that it's a Guadagnino movie, not just the character itself. The role actually reminds me (on paper) of Dr. Swenson from the Ann Patchett's novel State of Wonder. But the real similarities between Dr. Cotter and Dr. Swenson sort of end at the fact that they're doctors and that they do research in a South American jungle. But Dr. Cotter is the kind of small character-actress part that we've seen Meryl do. She's taken glorified cameos in The Homesman, Suffragette and The Giver and Little Women. Had she been offered, I wonder if she would've accepted. 

Queer is the kind of film that is easy for me to revisit. Unsurprisingly, it's visually stunning. And I love the setting and styling of that period in Mexico City. The movie did fairly well with critics, earing a 77% o Rotten Tomatoes and a 72 on Metacritic. Manville managed to snag a supporting actress nod from the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards (so prestigious!), and Craig was nominated for everything except the Academy Award. 

Recasting 2024: "The Room Next Door"

Not unlike with my last post on Women Talking, when it was first announced in late 2023 that Pedro Almodóvar was going to direct his English feature-length debut with The Room Next Door, I wondered if there might be a role for Meryl. Based on the novel entitled What Are You Going Through by Sigrid Nunez, my understanding was that it was about two women friends over fifty who share some kind of secret. We knew that Almodóvar and Meryl had previously planned to work together on Julieta many years before, so it didn't seem out of this world to wonder if maybe they'd finally get to connect. Well, that didn't last long, as shortly after, Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore were cast as the two friends. 

I would recast Meryl in the role of Swinton's character, Martha, who's battling terminal cancer and doesn't want to endure the gradual pain and decline of the illness. She reconnects with an old author friend (Moore), Ingrid, with whom she used to work at a magazine. Martha asks Ingrid to stay with her at a rented house, and to be there when she takes a euthanasia pill. Ingrid hesitatingly agrees. The two get reacquainted, and Martha shares the background of her relationship with her estranged daughter, Michelle, whose father was a Vietnam war vet with PTSD who later remarried but died trying to save non-existent people from a house fire. Ingrid eventually finds Martha dead on the patio, and she has to defend herself against a religious policeman who suspects Ingrid knew/participated in Martha's taking of her own life, which is illegal. John Turturro plays a writer friend of Ingrid's (who happened to be a former lover to both Ingird and Martha), and he helps her with finding a lawyer who can help deal with the aftermath of Martha's death. Ingrid calls Michelle, and the two stay at the house together. The end. 

Almodóvar definitely has a distinct style in his directing and choice of cinematography. The movie is very colorful, the dialogue is a bit melodramatic (but it works), and the characters and scenes always feel like they might be in a dream. This is not unlike my experience in watching Julieta, and if Meryl had originally been interested in doing that film, and had been familiar with Almodóvar's work, I imagine she would've expected it. It's also a great character to unpack. Yes, we've seen her suffer with cancer in One True Thing, and a bit in August: Osage County. And there's a bit of that in this movie. But this character is sort of taking the bully by the horns in controlling the exact moment of when it all ends. I've mentioned a couple of times I think in this latest bout of recasting posts how Meryl is drawn to difficult things. Tackling a situation where a character has decided to euthanize herself, and the tricky scenario it would create when considering asking someone to be there with you, and seeing that play out...it's good stuff.

   

I couldn't find a great clip of Swinton, but that was gives you a sense of the movie's tone. Almodóvar has the movie set in New York City and upstate New York, but to me, the film looks very European. Not surprising that some of the scenes were shot in Madrid. I remember seeing an interview with Moore and Swinton where one of them said that the film is Pedro's vision of what upstate New York looks and/or feels like. 

The question comes to mind of whether or not Meryl would be too old for this movie. I argue no. Swinton and Moore are both about ten years younger than her, but we also know that Meryl can easily play someone even today who's believable to be in her early to mid 60s. Just look at The Devil Wears Prada 2. She looks incredible and youthful in how she moves. I don't think she'd have any issue portraying Martha here. I do, however, think that pairing her with someone closer to her own age would be better, as the pair are meant to be contemporaries as far as I can tell, and they're known to have shared the same lover in Turturro's character. Just feels more like they should be similar ages. I wonder if Michelle Pfeiffer would've been a good option for Ingrid. Still has that kind of sophisticated polish with which Moore imbues Ingrid, but Pfeiffer just feels a bit more of Meryl's generation to me, and it would be amazing if they worked together!

The Room Next Door received relatively strong reviews, and won the Golden Lion Award at the Venice International Film Festival. It holds a score of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 70 on Metacritic. Swinton was often singled out as best in show, and she earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Drama. 

Recasting 2023 (supporting): "Women Talking"

When it was announced that there was going to be a feature film adaptation of Miriam Toews's novel, Women Talking, I got a little excited in anticipation of a possible role for Meryl. I hadn't actually read the book yet, but I was and am a huge fan of Toews's novel, All My Puny Sorrows, so I quickly got my hands on a copy of Women Talking. Alas, Meryl was not involved in the picture, which was brilliantly directed (and written) by Sarah Polley (Away from Her). But I nonetheless clocked it as a great option for my supporting recasting project. 

First off, I've bumped this movie from 2022 to 2023 in order to have included Everything Everywhere All at Once for my official 2022 pick. I'm not sure if all the same actors would've been available to shoot it a year later, but I'm not letting that get in the way. 

The premise of the story is based on a real-life event where Mennonite women in a remote colony in Bolivia were being gassed and raped by the men in the community. The book/movie bring this to North America. And although I don't recall if we get an actual location named in either, the setting could be anywhere in the Midwest, Northeast U.S., or southern Canada, as far as I can tell. Most of the movie depicts the women (elders of the colony, their children, and their children's children), discussing and debating what to do about the rapes. It may seem like an obvious answer about what to do (get the f out), but the beauty of the story is that in this community, such questions come with a host of complications. They ultimately decide to take a vote, with one of three options to select: stay and fight, leave, and do nothing. After the vote is a tie between staying/fighting and leaving, the debate ensues. The following clip showcases the recasted role of Agata Friesen, exquisitely portrayed by the great Judith Ivey. 

I just feel that this is the kind of material that Meryl would eat up. Being that the culture, while contemporary, is so far removed from what most movie-goers have ever lived, it's hard for us to not immediately jump to a conclusion that simply remove the women from the space of the men. While that ultimately is the decision the women in this story make, they battle with reaching such a decision. There are questions of their Christian faith, loyalty, fear out of leaving the only home they've ever known and venturing into a big wide world so unlike their existence that might as well be Timbuktu. And all this not mentioning the emotional, physical and spiritual trauma most of them are experiencing in the aftermath of being violated by rape, and in some cases, incestuous instances of it. 

It's a powerhouse cast, with Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Rooney Mara, Frances McDormand, and Ben Whishaw (pretty much the only man in the cast with much screen time, portraying the sensitive August, invited to join the meetings to take written account of them).  While not an exhilarating film, it's beautifully shot and exceptionally acted, and, like I suspect Meryl would've liked, it's a thinker. Those/these types of movies get me excited to watch and discuss them. It made no money of course, but I can't imagine it was the type of movie that producers thought people would flock to. Regardless, I'm glad it got made. 

The film did very well with critics, with a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes and 77 on Metacritic. It made it into the cut for a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars, and Polley won for her adapted screenplay. Well done, as it's a very wordy film, the kind that seems more like it had been based off of a play instead of a novel. The cast earned several ensemble nominations from critics groups (including SAG). And while Jessie Buckely received the most supporting actress notices, I think Judith Ivey's performance was excellent, and did earn her a nomination for an AARP Movies for Grownups Award and a win from the Vancouver Film Critics Circle for Best Supporting Actress in a Canadian Film.

Happy 77th, Meryl!

Meryl turns 77 today. It's interesting to me that I started this blog following a string of major successes in her late 50s, carrying into her Oscar-winning performance of The Iron Lady, which she filmed when she was 61. For the most part, she's carried on with wonderful performances and roles. And despite a bit of a dry spell the last few years, we Streepers have been lucky to see the astonishing global reach of the The Devil Wears Prada 2, and a handful of (hopefully) fun and interesting projects in the pipeline. 

Here's hoping she's having a great day and that she remains happy and healthy. Salut! 

"The Devil Wears Prada" surpasses $1 billion as a franchise

In its seventh week in theaters, The Devil Wears Prada 2 has now racked up $676 million worldwide. This total, combined with the original form 2006, brings the franchise's global box office above $1 billion. Not too shabby for two movies released twenty years apart and whose audience is primarily made up of women. 

Prada 2 will continue to make money. I'm thrilled it's doing well in theaters. It can only bolster any possibility of Meryl's projects getting greenlit and distributed. She's a bankable star well into her 70s. I'm not sure we've seen a woman in the history of cinema do this well for this long, particularly when we consider both Meryl's critics' adulation and box-office clout, the latter of which she didn't really have a ton of until Prada 1. Her movies were often received well by critics (and her performances especially), but they rarely made a lot of money. 

Now let's hope we can continue to get projects that combine both great strories/characters with an audience interested in seeing them!