The CLC Casting Couch

With the "Chick Lit Goes to the Movies" theme for International Chick Lit Month, how could we resist casting our favorite novels?!? Here are some casting choices from Cindy, Gail and the Melissas.

Cindy:

I'm highlighting "lesser known" chick-lit novels!

IN NEED OF THERAPY by Tracie Banister
Pilar Alvarez is a psychologist with a big heart who is just beginning her career and she has a rocky road ahead of her. I'd cast Lily Collins as Pilar Alvarez and Ben Affleck as Ford.

FROM NOTTING HILL WITH LOVE...ACTUALLY by Ali McNamara
Scarlett O'Brien gets the opportunity of her life to live in Notting Hill for one month. Little does she know her know her relatively ho-hum life will be transformed! I'd cast Emily Blunt and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

WORTH LYING FOR by Lisa Cheney and Lisa Craig
Things change BIG TIME when Mary Minke pulls off the perfect crime and lets her BFF, Caryn in on it! I'd cast Kate Winslet and Halle Berry. (Two kick-ass Thelma & Louise-ish chicks)

HAOLE WOOD by Dee De Tarsio
Jaswinder leaves the Mainland for a little R&R in Maui and ends up smack in the middle of a murder investigation and a hunky doctor's. arms! I'd cast Emmy Rossum (as Jaswinder Park) and Channing Tatum.

LEGALLY WED by Ciara O'Neill
Ciara O'Neill's wonderful debut novel, LEGALLY WED! A clever romantic comedy American boy and British girl in London with complicated immigration issues! I'd cast Emma Stone as Mia and Timothy Olyphant as Max.


Gail:

My favorite chick lit novel of all time is Riders by Jilly Cooper. It’s a sweeping epic of a novel, set in Rutshire, England in nearly current day (early 80s). If you can get past the cover (saucy!) this book will suck you in and not let go for over 900 pages. I’ve read it more than five times. Seriously. It’s my go-to holiday read. It’s the first Jilly Cooper book I ever read, and Riders is completely responsible for my deep and abiding love of Brit Lit. It's also the first novel in Jilly's Rutshire Chronicles series. Yes, I've read (and loved) them all. If I had to cast some of the characters for Riders, I think they would be as follows:

Rupert Campbell-Black: a blonde-haired, blue-eyed casanova. He’s an accomplished show jumper, and an even more accomplished womanizer. Played by Josh Holloway (yep, Sawyer from Lost). If he can rock a cut-glass British accent, his brooding appeal and adorable scruff would make him the perfect Rupert. 

Jake Lovell: a poor gypsy, whose dark eyes are the windows to his haunted soul. His intense hatred for Rupert Campbell-Black fuels many of his actions, but his character is softened by his incredible rapport with every animal he goes near. Played by Mark Consuelos. His dark complexion and sexy stubble would be perfect in this role. Plus, he's only 5'9", and Jake is noted to be shorter than Rupert throughout the novel.

Helen Macaulay/Campbell-Black: A thin, nervous (but stunningly beautiful) American activist who meets Rupert while trying to impede a foxhunt because of its cruelty to the foxes. Played by Bryce Dallas Howard. Her stunning natural red hair and flawless complexion were what first attracted Rupert.

Billy Lloyd-Foxe: Rupert’s best friend and fellow rabble-rouser, Billy tends to follow slightly in Rupert’s shadow. He is also a competitive show-jumper, but he lacks Rupert’s drive and ambition, and is content to stay on the edges of the limelight. Played by Michael Trevino. He’s still quite good-looking, but in a sweeter, more unassuming way than Rupert.

Fenella Maxwell: A rich, horse-obsessed girl who eventually learns to ride well enough to fulfill all her dreams. Fenella doesn’t believe that she’s beautiful, but blossoms throughout the novel. Played by Jennifer Lawrence. She has the depth of expression to work a character that needs to age both physically (only slightly, by a few years) and emotionally.

Melissa A:

I've read a lot of great books already and the year isn't even halfway over yet. I've decided to revisit casting for The Girls' Guide to Love and Supper Clubs by Dana Bate. I adored this novel and would enjoy seeing it on the big screen.

Hannah: Lyndon Smith. She played Michaela on 90210 this past year and as soon as I saw her, I thought "Hannah!!!" She may not be "buxom," but she has the right look and energy for the role otherwise. (Weirdly enough, I just had a dream where I met her in person and was asking her about her career now that 90210 is done.)

Rachel: Nina Dobrev. Just because I like casting actresses from the CW. Seriously, she has that girl next door look that I imagined for Hannah's best friend and "partner in crime."

Blake: Ed Helms. He's adorable and also has a goofy side. Yet, I've seen him play a serious role too. I can totally picture him as Hannah's landlord who has no idea she's hosting supper club meals in his home.

Mark: Peter Gallagher. He played a snooty professor on How I Met Your Mother recently and it totally made me picture him as Hannah's boss.

Millie (Hannah's rival): Cobie Smulders. While we're on the subject of HIMYM, I can totally see her playing this role. She has a commanding screen presence and whenever she yells at Patrice on the show, it makes me think of how Millie reacts when Hannah insults her cooking.

Melissa P:

My favorite book is Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella.

Lara: Either Natalie Portman or Alexis Bledel. The reason being they are both straight edge girls who can also do humor really well!

Sadie: Mila Kunis or Amy Adams. They are both spunky and cute enough to pull off such an outrageous character. 

The ex-boyfriend: This is hard because we don't know much about him. Even still, I'd imagine someone kind of dry but cute like Penn Badgley a.k.a. Dan Humphrey from Gossip Girl

Lara's best friend who ditches her: 

This would have to be an actress who could pull off flighty like Blake Lively or Isla Fisher. Beautiful but unreliable. 

Lara's father: 

I imagine Colin Firth as the father. Kind and sweet and just wanting his daughter to be happy and healthy and sane!