Changing a Characters Sex for the Movie

[Hyena Dandy]

She read the script. She's playing the script, not the book.

[lordlundar]

She read the script. She's playing the script, not the book.

And that is what's wrong with hollywood. The actors treat the roles as a high school test where all they have to do is memorize the script. It's why actors like Will Smith have trouble doing a variety of roles. All they're doing is memorizing the script and then when people see it they're not seeing the character, they're seeing the actor playing the part.

If you want a believable character, you do the research into said character to understand the role. Otherwise all you're doing is reading a script and that's how it will come out as.

[TheHuckster]

And that is what's wrong with hollywood. The actors treat the roles as a high school test where all they have to do is memorize the script. It's why actors like Will Smith have trouble doing a variety of roles. All they're doing is memorizing the script and then when people see it they're not seeing the character, they're seeing the actor playing the part.

If you want a believable character, you do the research into said character to understand the role. Otherwise all you're doing is reading a script and that's how it will come out as.

She said the character in the book is not the same as the character in the movie. What good will it do to read the book to get a sense of who the character is if the director is going to portray that person in a completely different way?

[Gravekeeper]

I would think reading the book would be rather vital just so you actually know the origin of the story itself. The movie may be a "reboot" of sorts but going into it without knowing what you're rebooting is rather questionable. Especially when you're portraying a character people who have read the book are familiar with.

When adapting any book to film, obviously part of the goal is to get fans of the book to watch the film. Which answer is going to piss off those fans more?

"I read the book, but my portrayal of <character> is going to be different because blah blah blah"

or

"I didn't bother reading the book because this is nothing like the book"

[AdminAssistant]

I was watching Colbert's Hobbit interviews last week, and Martin Freeman said that he hadn't read any of Tolkein's books before being cast in "The Hobbit," but as soon as he was cast he read both "The Hobbit" and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Should he have also skipped on reading the books?

[lordlundar]

She said the character in the book is not the same as the character in the movie. What good will it do to read the book to get a sense of who the character is if the director is going to portray that person in a completely different way?

How is he going to know if she doesn't read the book apart from it being a flimsy excuse for refusing to do the research?

[TheHuckster]

How is he going to know if she doesn't read the book apart from it being a flimsy excuse for refusing to do the research?

I think she is avoiding getting a sense of the character in the book because it could detriment her ability to play a completely different personality in the movie. If Viola Davis wants to truly act a certain character without any inspiration from the book, I don't blame her from avoiding any influence from reading the portrayal in the book. Even if it's subconscious.

Davis is not only a good actress, but I think she is also a very smart actress. I think she knows what she is doing.