Character Mugshots
While I was avoiding getting work done the other day, I started playing with some of my research photos. Whenever I write, I find I have a much easier time describing a city or a building or a river if I have a photo to use as a point of inspiration. Now, when it comes to my characters I have a very specific picture in my head for each and always have. I found several actors a couple years ago who are pretty darn close to the pictures in my head. They aren't perfect, but they share foundational features and especially fit the overall feel.
Daughter of Ron Howard and stupendous actress, Bryce Dallas Howard looks like Faela before she had her nose broken. Faela has more of a pronounced break. Her coloring, her hair, her costuming, even her expression is spot on in this picture. Just imagine the silver eyes.
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Faela Durante (Bryce Dallas Howard in "As You Like It") |
I remember the first time I saw BBC's "Being Human," I knew immediately that the drool worthy Irish actor, Aidan Turner, IS my Kade. I mean c'mon, LOOK at that picture. The montage picture below though is the one that just rendered me speechless because of how much he looks like my image of Kade.
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Kade Hawthorn (Aidan Turner in "Being Human") |
Jared Padalecki just reminds me of Jair so much, especially a Jared who's skinnier than he is these days on "Supernatural." He's the right mix of gigantic lanky and adorable puppy. When I saw this picture of Jurnee Smollett (from CBS's "The Defenders"), I knew she was my Mireya. Her beauty, her sweetness, and especially her hair are on the money in this picture.
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Clockwise: Faela, Kade, Jair, and Mireya. |
I altered the photos in the montage to mimic how their eyes would appear using specific color magic. It is far from ideal, but I really liked how Kade and Faela's turned out and decided to SHARE. What I would love is to find someone who's pro at using Photoshop to create a smoky effect to mimic the colors of magic flowing from their eyes. I know exactly how it looks in my head, but lack the skills to translate it to a visual medium.
I have other pictures of other characters, but these are the ones that are, as they say, picture perfect. What do you think, my loverly readers? Do these actors line up with your mental pictures or did you imagine these four COMPLETELY differently?
I had pictured Kade a little....bigger. Like 6'4" bigger, mind you have no idea how tall Aidan Turner is, but I also mean bulky...with pure muscle. But Bryce Dallas Howard could not be more perfect for Faela. And Jair and Mireya are pretty close to what I had imagined as well. Nice choices!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I haven't really found anyone else who's as close to my mental images for the other characters. If I find anyone else, I'll post some more! Though, I do think that Morena Baccarin looks strikingly like Talise, especially when her hair is long enough to show its curl. Her hair on V right now is all wrong.
ReplyDeleteKade isn't skinny, but he is pretty lean in his build and very toned. His fighting style tends to build more long, lean muscle instead of bulky muscle. Kade's around 6'1". Jair's actually 6'4" and is my tallest character.
Elizabeth, first of all, I loved this book. Thank you for accomplishing what many books and movies fail to do.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I was hesitant to look at the pictures because I didn't want them to ruin my image of them but I must say they are very good. The only exception is Kade (I fully agree with Jessica). I pictured him much tougher looking. Hard to describe it but maybe a squarer jaw? I consider myself a person that can protect the ones I care about and I think of Kade as someone I wouldn't want to mess with. This Aidan guy looks like an easy challenge.
Regardless, I'll take whatever you give me because the story is fantastic! I can't wait for the second book - the best of luck with it!
@insite: Aw, thank you so much! I can see how Aidan doesn't fit some people's pictures. For me, I think a lot of what makes Kade intimidating has everything to do with how he carries himself, but the physical features that Aidan has fit my image.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the encouragement! I appreciate it. I'm diving back in to drafting to finish up draft zero for "Render," since I've escaped from grading research papers. :)
This is definitely Jair!
ReplyDeletemy friend and I are reading/read Shatter and we both wondered what you thought of Ryan Ryenolds as Caleb? just a thought, and we both LOVE your choice of Jair!! :-) can't wait for the next book.
ReplyDeleteI can totally see Ryan Reynolds as Caleb. He can pull off the swaggering snark well.
ReplyDeleteOld blog post, I know. However, I see the sisters from one of the Biggest Loser seasons as the Twins.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NueSdZbyCfU (Olivia [short hair] better closely resembles my mental image for Eve than Hannah [blonde] resembles Sheridan- but she was originally brunette!)
ReplyDeleteHee! I totally can see how they evoke Eve and Dani. Tragically, they're a bit too white. Eve and Dani's mother is Isfari, and the twins facial features are very south seas islands, think Polynesian. But their coloring is all Bergan from their father, so they're paler and brunettes instead of golden skinned with black hair. But I can definitely see why they fit Eve and Dani. :D
ReplyDeleteFaela is prettier than I thought she would be... That sounds weird, but I imagined her to be kind of average looking. :P That Kade doesn't look anything like I imagined! That guy has some funky-looking eyebrows! Jair is perfect!!!!! Captured the boyishness just right. I imagined Mireya to look more delicate looking overall, but like you said, that hair is just right.
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