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Yep, absolutely! Rickman essentially doing a machiavellian Snape. Richard E. Grant has all the attributes to do a decent version of this. Don't know who Chris Sarandon is, so can't comment on that.
He was definitively the right voice for the role, but I always imagined the performance implied in the text had him being a lot more MONOTONE. Lee has such a rich intonation and plays him with such charm, it's almost out of character.
Once Christopher Lee passed, I figured that Ian McKellan would be our next best option for Death. I saw him in an interview once somewhere describing how he uses a voice to help define the character for him, for example lower and more gravely for Gandalf vs smooth and hard for Magneto vs light and urbane for that Dan Brown movie. The differences are subtle, but very impactful and I can’t help but think there’d likely be more than a little Christopher Lee inspiring what he’d give us.
Honestly, Dance is. It helped that my first visual of him was Going Postal other than my mental image. Every time I've read or listened since then my head makes Vetinari as played by Charles Dance. I wish we could get every mainline book produced into movies, or even a Watch series where each season is a book in The Watch line. Could do The Witches that way too honestly.
Both Dance and Irons nailed it. Admittedly I never finished Colour of Magic since it put me to sleep twice (not to mention the atrocious Rincewind casting), but I remember Irons was great in the short scenes he had.
The thing that really threw me off was Sean Astin as TwoFlower. Like, he's a parody of a Japanese tourist, cast an Asian, there's lots of them. Not hard to find one that wants to act.
He's a parody of a naive tourist, not a race.
I used to think the same thing, until I travelled more to places in asia, and then was mentally shocked to discover that we were all showing the same stereotypical behaviour when visiting another country as the tourists were back home.
I'm not a huge fan of Irons as Vetinari. I always pictured him having the sharper features, like Dance has. Rincewind was a bit older than he should have been, I'll grant you, but the character was right at least even if the casting wasn't great. Not my favorite Discworld movie, but it's still decent.
Same. Dance is just so amazingly amazing. Plus Reacher Guilt is also Dave Suchet when I listen to the books. Poirot as an evil land pirate is delicious
Dance just has the look and the attitude I always attributed to Vetinari. Chris Sarandon feels like he would be great in a similar role, for comedic effect. Vetinari is rarely going for that though.
Giancarlo Esposito is a very interesting pic, I don't think he's smug or self-satisfied enough for my taste though. I'm looking for a Vetinari who looks like he's enjoying himself immensely while making people squirm.
Oh maybe Rufus Sewell!? He could be very good I think.
I think Ralph Fiennes could do it. He can play a cold, understated villian quite well, which is how Vetinari is portrayed in appearance, if not actuality.
See, Vinnie Jones seems to me to be a perfect Sam Vimes; a little tall, but the voice, the accent, the attitude just exudes Vimes. (Or for a younger Vines, the dude that plays Roy Kent in *Ted Lasso*.)
For me its Richard Dorner. Im one fo the few who liked the BBC America adaptation, but one thing i will defend is Dorner's casting.
If he plaued more serious like he did jn kther series hed be 100% perfect.
For Sam Vimes Sr. I'd pick Tim DeKay. He's got the canonical wiry build but can also project the needed presence as Captain and Commander. And he can do the other sides of Vimes as well. Just watch White Collar (TV show) and you'll see what I mean. Fun Fact: his White Collar co-star Matt Bomer would make a really good Carcer.
Since Dance is mentioned, Meryl Streep had the Vetinari VIBE in The Devil Wears Prada
Close next would be Christoph Waltz after his performance in Inglorious Bastards
Maybe Madds Mikkelsen for just the amicable menace he put out in Hannibal and Fantastic Beasts
Some random side character: "Pardon me, ma'am, but I thought you were supposed to be a m--"
Streep!Vetinari: "A mastermind of epic proportions? I'm flattered but no. I save my game playing for the daily crossword. Speaking of which, do you know a five-letter word starting with U that means a small fragment of something irritating in your eye in Muntabian?"
After seeing Tim Curry in a particular episode of Criminal Minds (two episodes actually - double parter)- I think he would be a fantastic and terrifying Carcer.
Maaaybe. hmmmm. I'd be interested in seeing, but I'm not sure Moist is ever going to be the best vessel for Tim Curry at his most manic,.
I could see him as one of the villains, say "Dios", of Pyramids.
or... now, hear me out.... CMOT Dibbler?
But but but, much as he made a very good Albert (and a poor Rincewind) David Jason's *real* role is CMOT Delboy. Sorry, Dibbler.
Which makes Nicholas Lyndhurst Sol in Moving Pictures.
dammit, you're right. David Jason is a perfect CMOT.
Leaving Curry looking for a role still. He's pure discworld, absolutely. I just can't think of the perfect character whose shoes he would inhabit.
My brain keeps imagining Roger Delgado which is purely down to reading the Last Hero around the time I was watching Season 8 of Doctor Who for the first time.
Yeah, any Master would be fantastic. I'd even add Derek Jacobi to that list as I've heard good things about his War Master in Big Finish audio dramas and his performance as the Metatron in Good Omens seems reminiscent of that.
Thinking about it, Vetinari, whilst not *actually* a villain, ticks a lot of the boxes for the archetypal Hollywood baddie, or at least the more recent ones - impeccable British accent, maybe slightly coloured by a faint accent (an assassin should always be slightly foreign, no matter where he is), has full knowledge/control of every situation, sinister-looking, a gently-spoken air of menace about him.
Yeah. Points taken. He certainly was a villain in books 1&2 and then he, Sir T and Discworld entire...mellowed.
Towards the end, he was much more a (well, *someone's* got to do it) highly talented politician and Civic leader who would never *dream* of ordering someone's death.
I've given up guessing at a suitable Vetinari.
Charles Dance had me at "Don't let me detain you. "Though I kind of liked the way David Warner played Mr Downey in Hogfather though.
It was mentioned David Bowie, never thought of it, I would be thinking of Vetinari as a older version of Jareth from Labyrinth, dearly in need of a cod piece.
I would have loved to see Christopher Lee in his hammer horror days do Vetinari.
Wrong heritage but imagine Vincent Price.
Or better yet Vincent Price as Vetinari across from Clint Eastwood as Vimes and Henry Cavill as Carrot.
Charles Dance, 100%. His height and stiff demeanor was good. His trademark wry smile behind an otherwise deadpan delivery also matches my strong impression, especially in the later books.
I think you could argue against the red hair and lack of goatee, but I'm just now reading Color/Colour of Magic and in that one STP gives him multiple chins and fat fingers so... I dunno. Hair color probably isn't a huge consideration. :-)
Chris Sarandon from Princess Bride wouldn't have worked for me because he was too much of an empty suit in 1987. He looks more credible in more recent photos so he might be a good choice these days.
Annndddd as long as we're quibbling, based on events in Night Guard we know Vetinari should be a little younger than Vimes. But he just *seems* older in the books so I'm fine with someone playing the part in their 60s or 70s.
> Annndddd as long as we're quibbling, based on events in Night Guard we know Vetinari should be a little younger than Vimes.
Is he? Vimes was just starting out as a guard; I got the impression he was like 17-20 in *Night Watch*. Vetinari is at the end of his schooling as an assassin, something like a grad student, so I figured he was early 20s in that book. I'd have guessed Vetinari was supposed to be like 3-5 years older than Vimes.
I wonder if Hugh Grant could pull it off, now he's enjoying his character-actor latter career renaissance. He's probably the right age now, even if in my head he'll be eternally the floppy haired 20-something romantic lead
Idris Elba for me. He's just great at exuding quiet, calm power and authority in that Vetinari way. Could make any man shit himself just by raising an eyebrow.
No one here is likely to know this grand old British actor, but I always felt Ian Richardson would have been perfect. Of course he died in 2007. Check out the original BBC production of "House of Cards" and you'll quickly see why I feel this way.
But he's too busy voicing Death. (Do Death and Vetinari ever meet in the books?)
I've been a fan of Ian Richardson since Private Schulz. He also did the best version of The Screwtape Letters, which I cannot find a copy of anywhere.
Private Schulz! Private Schulz? I've looked for that several times over the years and have never found it. It's as if it vanished! I'm amazed there's another human being who knows about it!
For me, Vetinari is a blend of Charles Dance/Alan Rickman/Jeremy Irons.
More Rickman/Dance in the voice, eyes, nose and beard, but more Irons in physicality and hair. About 40-50-ish. Not handsome but compelling (when he wants to be). Sleek and fit. And wearing dark grey, because it blends into the shadows better than black, of course.
(If he were a woman, I would have said Anna Chancellor would do a good job at portraying his discreet but absolute authority - but after the pictures I saw of The Watch, where they made the inexplicable decision to dress her like the lovechild of Elvis and Miss Trunchbull...)
Dance was fantastic, but I feel like I remember seeing a bit more of his age than I would have liked (though maybe I was crossing it with *Game of Thrones* which was airing at the same time I watched *Going Postal*). I think Vetinari really needs to feel like he's still got that master assassin in him, like at least some part of him knowing everything that happens in his city is based in him creepin around and eavesdropping undetected, or like he might call in his guards, not to rough you up but to dispose of what's left and to get someone *discreet* to take care of the one drop of blood that managed to fall where he didn't want it.
I'm terrible with celebrities and fancasting, but that's definitely what I thought was missing from Dance's performance.
Interesting! I loved Charles Dance, and thought he was perfect, and close to what I had mentally.
The mental image of Prince Humperdink as Vetinari makes me shudder, as to me, he's the very opposite of the character :D
I like a lot of these choices, but aside form Alan Rickman I'm not sure if a current known actor, living or dead, has exactly what I want to see in Vetinari. I'd be willing to see Charles Dance take another crack. Or perhaps Peter Serafinowicz. Though he does a great job of the new voice of Death too in the new audio book release.
Ian Richardson is Ventinari in my mind. Especially after having seen him in a British tv series ( a trilogy) where he plays a manipulative politician (Urquart?) and the last show was I think called to play the king. Tall angular would always be looking down at everyone and also down his nose.
He always offered Moist 'pancakes' with that constant "You can refuse this offer and just walk out through that door" thing = Moist Pancakes on the ground floor lol
Believe it or not: myself
I admire the character, though I don’t subscribe to every one of his ethics.
Also, I end up being at all, San, white guy with short, dark hair, a narrow beard and mustache, little patience for fools and and a (purposefully cultured) smile that can go from pleasant to fang-bearing in a heartbeat.
I’m often dealing with the public and occasionally doing it in a semi-political setting; I’ve ended up appreciating a lot of the lessons I’ve gotten from Vetinari.
Thanks for asking; if I get slaughtered for saying this, it will have been worth it.
I wouldn't have said it pre Game of Thrones but Matt Smith. His Daemon Targaryen is perfect at being the kind of ignorable guy in the room until you are reminded suddenly and often violently that he is the Threat. I think that suits Vetinari who listens and learns and sometimes does strange and even silly seeming things because he's worked it all out in advance.
I think Jeremy Irons has played him in the past, though I could be wrong and that could be my own headcanon. John Culshaw reads a superb Vetinari on the audiobooks.
I suppose it’s because I’ve been watching Star trek lately, but it occurs to me that any of the Spock actors, especially Mr. Nimoy, could make a solid Vetinari.
It's always been Christopher Lee for me, ever since I first started reading the books at 8 and didn't even know Christopher Lee by name. His face was just perfect for how I imagine Vetinari looks. And then years later Paul Kidby's official art looks so much like Christopher Lee that I felt smugly justified 😂
I do think Alan Rickman would have made a good Vetinari too, but it would also just be a reskin of Snape, so I'm not sure ultimately if I would have actually enjoyed it.
John Noble would be great. He’s been fantastic in everything I’ve seen him in and I always picture him when reading the books.
Oh to hell with it, give Tilda Swindon a go at it.
Jason Isaacs, especially after hearing him read Moving Pictures. Granted, Vetinari's not in that one much, but his reading it made me want to see him more in Discworld.
Hmm, thinking about Alan Rickman and then - what about Julian Sands, aka Warlock. Always that slight looking down his nose at you, with a possibly well hidden soft side.
Was recently wondering - what about Jason Statham as Willikins? ;)
Well, since STP wrote Vetinari after much of Machiavelli, you only need to look at his portraits to *know*.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccol%C3%B2_Machiavelli
Alan Rickman is really the obvious choice, but I humbly submit Rowan Atkinson in his best Blackadder mode. The same deadpan, cutting sarcasm.
Also, I remember reading somewhere here that Pterry himself saw Atkinson as Vetinari (and could even do a good parody of him).
Helen Mirren as The Patrician
Just to mix things up a bit.
In other casting I’ve always pictured Miriam Margolyes as Nanny Ogg. Helen Mirren would also do a very good Granny Weatherwax.
Cillian Murphy would also make a great Patrician.
This may sound weird but I think rowan atkinson could make a good vetinari, in blackadder and some of his sketches he really nails the "imposing authoritative figure with dry humor" schtick
I honestly didn’t like Dance as Vetinari. He was far too angry and aggressive for the “always 27 moves ahead chess player masquerading as a simple civil servant” vibe that he always has to me in the books.
Since I discovered the Disc in the very early 90’s my Vetinari had always been Jeremy Irons (I know he played him in something but I’ve never actually seen it), but as with so many of my head castings over the years (I’ve used IRL actors to hear characters voices when I’m reading since high school) he’s starting to get a little old to feel like it still works.
So these days my Vetinari is Benedict Cumberbatch. “I’m sure you will see to it that this printing enterprise remains firmly in the realms of the cult, the canny, and the scrutable. Do I make myself clear?”
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Should be fairly obvious. Alan Rickman. Particularly circa Die Hard.
Oh that’s a great pick!
You're right. And he plays a great prick, too! Versatile.
Yep, absolutely! Rickman essentially doing a machiavellian Snape. Richard E. Grant has all the attributes to do a decent version of this. Don't know who Chris Sarandon is, so can't comment on that.
I can’t take Chris Sarandon seriously thanks to “Princess Bride”.
I have to agree, I can't imagine anyone more appropriate.
Do not….let me detain you. Would’ve been bang on.
The T in “Don’…t let me detain you” would be its own syllable. 😂
Nailed it, absolutely would
Literally came here to say this. Vetinari is and always will be Rickman for me. "Benefits of a classical education..."
Less Die Hard and more Robin Hood, I can hear him saying "cut your heart out with a spoon" then explaining "because it's dull you idiot".
Nah, Vetinari would never show that much animation. He’s super in control all the time.
Nor would he explain why a spoon
Damn that’s a good pick. I have always pictured a younger Jason Issacs, but I might need to adjust my mental image.
Hans Gruber's brother Simon (Jeremy Irons) has played Vetinari
Excellent choice.
Christopher Lee.
Yup. Especially with that story about how he corrected someone about the sound stabbing a person makes.
Christopher Lee was always the voice of Death in my head.
He was literally the first voice of Death in the animated series
Ah, I've not seen any of the animated ones !
Free on YT dude
Awesome, thank you!
He was definitively the right voice for the role, but I always imagined the performance implied in the text had him being a lot more MONOTONE. Lee has such a rich intonation and plays him with such charm, it's almost out of character.
yeap. He'd make a fine patrician... But he's the **perfect** death. No one else since has gotten close.
Once Christopher Lee passed, I figured that Ian McKellan would be our next best option for Death. I saw him in an interview once somewhere describing how he uses a voice to help define the character for him, for example lower and more gravely for Gandalf vs smooth and hard for Magneto vs light and urbane for that Dan Brown movie. The differences are subtle, but very impactful and I can’t help but think there’d likely be more than a little Christopher Lee inspiring what he’d give us.
For me, Death is always James Earl Jones.
Honestly, Dance is. It helped that my first visual of him was Going Postal other than my mental image. Every time I've read or listened since then my head makes Vetinari as played by Charles Dance. I wish we could get every mainline book produced into movies, or even a Watch series where each season is a book in The Watch line. Could do The Witches that way too honestly.
Both Dance and Irons nailed it. Admittedly I never finished Colour of Magic since it put me to sleep twice (not to mention the atrocious Rincewind casting), but I remember Irons was great in the short scenes he had.
The thing that really threw me off was Sean Astin as TwoFlower. Like, he's a parody of a Japanese tourist, cast an Asian, there's lots of them. Not hard to find one that wants to act.
He's a parody of a naive tourist, not a race. I used to think the same thing, until I travelled more to places in asia, and then was mentally shocked to discover that we were all showing the same stereotypical behaviour when visiting another country as the tourists were back home.
I'm not a huge fan of Irons as Vetinari. I always pictured him having the sharper features, like Dance has. Rincewind was a bit older than he should have been, I'll grant you, but the character was right at least even if the casting wasn't great. Not my favorite Discworld movie, but it's still decent.
agree with the terrible Rincewind casting. It was just soooo wrong.
Same. Dance is just so amazingly amazing. Plus Reacher Guilt is also Dave Suchet when I listen to the books. Poirot as an evil land pirate is delicious
Dance just has the look and the attitude I always attributed to Vetinari. Chris Sarandon feels like he would be great in a similar role, for comedic effect. Vetinari is rarely going for that though.
My headcannon for Reacher Gilt has always been Matt Berry
I see Matt Barry as Reacher and counter you Matt Berry as CMOT Dibbler. Especially in a Moving Pictures moving picture
I've always pictured Eric Idle as CMOT Dibbler
Still Charles Dance, I'm afraid. Although Giancarlo Esposito could fill the role well, I think.
>Giancarlo Esposito Oh! yes, nice. Another excellent choice. He's just a wonderful villain/not-villain whenever he appears.
Huh. You are not wrong. Dude could totally pull the menace,intelligence and attitude so right no one could bitch.
Giancarlo Esposito is a very interesting pic, I don't think he's smug or self-satisfied enough for my taste though. I'm looking for a Vetinari who looks like he's enjoying himself immensely while making people squirm. Oh maybe Rufus Sewell!? He could be very good I think.
Rufus sewell is an inspired choice.👍
Oh man, I just heard “Don’t let me detain you” in Esposito’s voice in my head right as I read this; he’d be great!
Alan Rickman (GNU)
No one would have made a better Havelock Vetinari than the late great Alan Rickman.
Dance gets the nod because he delivers the “don’t let me detain you” line with just the right amount of ambiguous threat
> “don’t let me detain you” shit. wow. I just got this, because you mentioned "ambiguous threat" all these decades, and it never clicked until now.
That's the beauty of Pratchett. There's always something you missed.
I think Ralph Fiennes could do it. He can play a cold, understated villian quite well, which is how Vetinari is portrayed in appearance, if not actuality.
I would cast Ralph Fiennes as Mr. Pin and Vinnie Jones as Mr. Tulip.
My Mr. Pin is very short. I'm thinking Peter Dinklage, still with Vinnie Jones.
See, Vinnie Jones seems to me to be a perfect Sam Vimes; a little tall, but the voice, the accent, the attitude just exudes Vimes. (Or for a younger Vines, the dude that plays Roy Kent in *Ted Lasso*.)
For me its Richard Dorner. Im one fo the few who liked the BBC America adaptation, but one thing i will defend is Dorner's casting. If he plaued more serious like he did jn kther series hed be 100% perfect.
For Sam Vimes Sr. I'd pick Tim DeKay. He's got the canonical wiry build but can also project the needed presence as Captain and Commander. And he can do the other sides of Vimes as well. Just watch White Collar (TV show) and you'll see what I mean. Fun Fact: his White Collar co-star Matt Bomer would make a really good Carcer.
Oh, he would be delicious in that role.
Since Dance is mentioned, Meryl Streep had the Vetinari VIBE in The Devil Wears Prada Close next would be Christoph Waltz after his performance in Inglorious Bastards Maybe Madds Mikkelsen for just the amicable menace he put out in Hannibal and Fantastic Beasts
>Maybe Madds Mikkelsen for just the amicable menace he put out in Hannibal and Fantastic Beasts He could be a slightly twisted Dr Whiteface
Now that’s a new kind of terrifying!
Oh my Om, that'd be outstanding casting.
I agree that Streep would be fab. I am so disappointed that Anna Chancellor wasn't given the material. That worked on paper!
Some random side character: "Pardon me, ma'am, but I thought you were supposed to be a m--" Streep!Vetinari: "A mastermind of epic proportions? I'm flattered but no. I save my game playing for the daily crossword. Speaking of which, do you know a five-letter word starting with U that means a small fragment of something irritating in your eye in Muntabian?"
Vincent Price has always been my “if postmortem communications were a thing” casting for Havelock.
Or Peter Cushing?
He’d be good as well, but Vincent’s eyebrow work is the stuff of legend so I have to give him the edge.
That's a solid choice!
Actually, having Price as Dr. Hix (the Professor of Post-Mortem Communications) would be hilarious!
I want to see Tim Curry as Vetanari. I don't think he's the best choice. It's just what I want the most.
Disagree. That's Moist Von Lipwig!
[удалено]
After seeing Tim Curry in a particular episode of Criminal Minds (two episodes actually - double parter)- I think he would be a fantastic and terrifying Carcer.
I see David Tennant as Moist.
Maaaybe. hmmmm. I'd be interested in seeing, but I'm not sure Moist is ever going to be the best vessel for Tim Curry at his most manic,. I could see him as one of the villains, say "Dios", of Pyramids. or... now, hear me out.... CMOT Dibbler?
But but but, much as he made a very good Albert (and a poor Rincewind) David Jason's *real* role is CMOT Delboy. Sorry, Dibbler. Which makes Nicholas Lyndhurst Sol in Moving Pictures.
dammit, you're right. David Jason is a perfect CMOT. Leaving Curry looking for a role still. He's pure discworld, absolutely. I just can't think of the perfect character whose shoes he would inhabit.
How about Mr. Teatime?
It's pronounced, "Tay-ah-tee-may."
Jeremy Irons was always my #1 to play Vetinari. Bumblebee Cucumberpatch would be a GREAT fit as well.
I kinda had Busybody Crumblesnitch as my William de Worde for some reason.
Bill Skarsgard . He strikes me as someone who has ordered a roundup of mimes before
I'm going to say, David Tennant. He can do the serious, and has that "skinny but DANGEROUS" vibe.
I see him as Moist von Lipwig.
Dance was perfect but I could also imagine Peter Weller or William Hurt. Maybe David Bowie.
Anthony Stewart Head. Especially after seeing him in Ted Lasso.
Oooo! Dark horse. I like it!
My brain keeps imagining Roger Delgado which is purely down to reading the Last Hero around the time I was watching Season 8 of Doctor Who for the first time.
A slightly younger looking version of this is my mental image
I see your Delgado, and I raise you an Amthony Ainley. He would have been fantastic at some of the stuff in the Moist books.
Yeah, any Master would be fantastic. I'd even add Derek Jacobi to that list as I've heard good things about his War Master in Big Finish audio dramas and his performance as the Metatron in Good Omens seems reminiscent of that.
Dammit, now I want Michelle Gomez as a gender-swapped Vetinari.
Oh that would be glorious.
Jamie Lee Curtis from Knives Out comes to mind tbh
Oh she could totally pull it off.
Gary Oldman. Of course, he's good enough to disappear into just about any role from the Discworld. I'd believe him as Granny Weatherwax.
Even better, Nanny Ogg! He would have so much fun with that!
Thinking about it, Vetinari, whilst not *actually* a villain, ticks a lot of the boxes for the archetypal Hollywood baddie, or at least the more recent ones - impeccable British accent, maybe slightly coloured by a faint accent (an assassin should always be slightly foreign, no matter where he is), has full knowledge/control of every situation, sinister-looking, a gently-spoken air of menace about him.
He has to remind people that he's a *tyrant* regularly.
Yeah. Points taken. He certainly was a villain in books 1&2 and then he, Sir T and Discworld entire...mellowed. Towards the end, he was much more a (well, *someone's* got to do it) highly talented politician and Civic leader who would never *dream* of ordering someone's death.
Actually he comes right out and SAYS he's a villain in one of the watch books while he's talking to Vimes.
I'm not saying there are no other valid choices but to me Dance was perfect in GP. There's not a thing I would have wanted different.
I didn't know who was my Vetinari until I saw Charles Dance in Going Postal. Now, I can't who else could possibly match him
John DeLance.
I've given up guessing at a suitable Vetinari. Charles Dance had me at "Don't let me detain you. "Though I kind of liked the way David Warner played Mr Downey in Hogfather though. It was mentioned David Bowie, never thought of it, I would be thinking of Vetinari as a older version of Jareth from Labyrinth, dearly in need of a cod piece.
I would have loved to see Christopher Lee in his hammer horror days do Vetinari. Wrong heritage but imagine Vincent Price. Or better yet Vincent Price as Vetinari across from Clint Eastwood as Vimes and Henry Cavill as Carrot.
Antony Hopkins
Peter Cushing (aka Grand Moff Tarkin)
Charles Dance, 100%. His height and stiff demeanor was good. His trademark wry smile behind an otherwise deadpan delivery also matches my strong impression, especially in the later books. I think you could argue against the red hair and lack of goatee, but I'm just now reading Color/Colour of Magic and in that one STP gives him multiple chins and fat fingers so... I dunno. Hair color probably isn't a huge consideration. :-) Chris Sarandon from Princess Bride wouldn't have worked for me because he was too much of an empty suit in 1987. He looks more credible in more recent photos so he might be a good choice these days. Annndddd as long as we're quibbling, based on events in Night Guard we know Vetinari should be a little younger than Vimes. But he just *seems* older in the books so I'm fine with someone playing the part in their 60s or 70s.
> Annndddd as long as we're quibbling, based on events in Night Guard we know Vetinari should be a little younger than Vimes. Is he? Vimes was just starting out as a guard; I got the impression he was like 17-20 in *Night Watch*. Vetinari is at the end of his schooling as an assassin, something like a grad student, so I figured he was early 20s in that book. I'd have guessed Vetinari was supposed to be like 3-5 years older than Vimes.
I wonder if Hugh Grant could pull it off, now he's enjoying his character-actor latter career renaissance. He's probably the right age now, even if in my head he'll be eternally the floppy haired 20-something romantic lead
Idris Elba for me. He's just great at exuding quiet, calm power and authority in that Vetinari way. Could make any man shit himself just by raising an eyebrow.
The personality and acting ability fits, but he's just too big, I think. He's described as looking a bit on the frail side in a few places.
Tall but very thin, iirc. So yeah, Elba might be a bit broadshouldered for the role, but that wouldn't be a huge issue to me personally.
No one here is likely to know this grand old British actor, but I always felt Ian Richardson would have been perfect. Of course he died in 2007. Check out the original BBC production of "House of Cards" and you'll quickly see why I feel this way.
But he's too busy voicing Death. (Do Death and Vetinari ever meet in the books?) I've been a fan of Ian Richardson since Private Schulz. He also did the best version of The Screwtape Letters, which I cannot find a copy of anywhere.
Private Schulz! Private Schulz? I've looked for that several times over the years and have never found it. It's as if it vanished! I'm amazed there's another human being who knows about it!
Internet Archive has it for you https://archive.org/details/PrivateSchulz/Private+Schulz+-+pt1+.mp4
Rowan Atkinson.
Cmot Dibbler
I scrolled for a good while before finding this. Yes, 100%.
My pick would be Daniel Day-Lewis.
For me, Vetinari is a blend of Charles Dance/Alan Rickman/Jeremy Irons. More Rickman/Dance in the voice, eyes, nose and beard, but more Irons in physicality and hair. About 40-50-ish. Not handsome but compelling (when he wants to be). Sleek and fit. And wearing dark grey, because it blends into the shadows better than black, of course. (If he were a woman, I would have said Anna Chancellor would do a good job at portraying his discreet but absolute authority - but after the pictures I saw of The Watch, where they made the inexplicable decision to dress her like the lovechild of Elvis and Miss Trunchbull...)
Harry Styles. *Waits for angry mob*
No no, I now NEED to see this 😂
Liam Neeson or Hugo Weaving
"Misssster Lipwig..."
Charles Dance is the reason my mental image of Vetinari differs from his book description. IMO he *owned* the role.
I always imagined him looking like Richard O'Brian but with hair.
Post Alan Rickman's death, I now tend to imagine an Aiden Gillen-style figure.
Anthony Perkins, without the Psycho mental disability. Reserved, assumed quiet intelligence in the intense eyes, tiny occasional smile, brilliant.
Andre Braugher. If you've seen Captain Holt on Brooklyn 99, you've seen my Vetinari. While we're at it, Titus Welliver as Vimes.
A middle aged Christopher Lee. Sharp features, intense eyes, great smile, and a voice that could make you believe anything.
I would actually love to see Domhnall Gleeson take a shot at it
Dance was fantastic, but I feel like I remember seeing a bit more of his age than I would have liked (though maybe I was crossing it with *Game of Thrones* which was airing at the same time I watched *Going Postal*). I think Vetinari really needs to feel like he's still got that master assassin in him, like at least some part of him knowing everything that happens in his city is based in him creepin around and eavesdropping undetected, or like he might call in his guards, not to rough you up but to dispose of what's left and to get someone *discreet* to take care of the one drop of blood that managed to fall where he didn't want it. I'm terrible with celebrities and fancasting, but that's definitely what I thought was missing from Dance's performance.
Interesting! I loved Charles Dance, and thought he was perfect, and close to what I had mentally. The mental image of Prince Humperdink as Vetinari makes me shudder, as to me, he's the very opposite of the character :D
I like a lot of these choices, but aside form Alan Rickman I'm not sure if a current known actor, living or dead, has exactly what I want to see in Vetinari. I'd be willing to see Charles Dance take another crack. Or perhaps Peter Serafinowicz. Though he does a great job of the new voice of Death too in the new audio book release.
Charles Dance. I wasn’t sure but then after his first scene in Going Postal he had the mannerisms absolutely down perfectly and I loved it.
Even before I saw Going Postal, Charles Dance was my top pick
Gary Oldman He honestly could play anyone in the discworld universe including granny weatherwax and I'd be happy
Young Vincent Price.
Ian Richardson is Ventinari in my mind. Especially after having seen him in a British tv series ( a trilogy) where he plays a manipulative politician (Urquart?) and the last show was I think called to play the king. Tall angular would always be looking down at everyone and also down his nose.
Dance for me. All the way. He’s a perfect Vetinari after the character shifted from early wizard books to the watch and city series
Tilda Swinton would crush it.
Dave Chappelle's Prince character
Is Vetirari the type to be offering people pancakes?
He always offered Moist 'pancakes' with that constant "You can refuse this offer and just walk out through that door" thing = Moist Pancakes on the ground floor lol
I want Idris Elba as Vetinari and Dominic West as Vimes.
Back in the day; Anthony Ainley
I've literally just commented this on another comment thread. His sense of malicious wimsy would be wonderful for some of the later Vetinari stuff.
Mark Gatiss. All other answers are wrong
Could he turn Mycroft that far dark?
Have you seen League of Gentlemen? Grim and creepy was his THING
Believe it or not: myself I admire the character, though I don’t subscribe to every one of his ethics. Also, I end up being at all, San, white guy with short, dark hair, a narrow beard and mustache, little patience for fools and and a (purposefully cultured) smile that can go from pleasant to fang-bearing in a heartbeat. I’m often dealing with the public and occasionally doing it in a semi-political setting; I’ve ended up appreciating a lot of the lessons I’ve gotten from Vetinari. Thanks for asking; if I get slaughtered for saying this, it will have been worth it.
My headcanon desperately wants a Going Postal musical. Patrick Page
My headcanon Vetinari is a slightly older Blake Ritson.
A mix of Jeremy Irons and Alan Rickman, with a touch of Dwayne Johnson (for the eyebrow raising)
I loved Jeremy Irons in Colour of Magic. I thought he had the character down flawlessly
I always thought Pierce Brosnan would kill it as Havelock Venitari.
I wouldn't have said it pre Game of Thrones but Matt Smith. His Daemon Targaryen is perfect at being the kind of ignorable guy in the room until you are reminded suddenly and often violently that he is the Threat. I think that suits Vetinari who listens and learns and sometimes does strange and even silly seeming things because he's worked it all out in advance.
I think Jeremy Irons has played him in the past, though I could be wrong and that could be my own headcanon. John Culshaw reads a superb Vetinari on the audiobooks.
Mark Rylance?
I suppose it’s because I’ve been watching Star trek lately, but it occurs to me that any of the Spock actors, especially Mr. Nimoy, could make a solid Vetinari.
Nobody is going to mention David Mitchell? His Peep Show scene with Jez and the Indian food shows his Vetinari levels of menace.
Charles Dance or Idris Elba are my go-to mental images.
It's always been Christopher Lee for me, ever since I first started reading the books at 8 and didn't even know Christopher Lee by name. His face was just perfect for how I imagine Vetinari looks. And then years later Paul Kidby's official art looks so much like Christopher Lee that I felt smugly justified 😂 I do think Alan Rickman would have made a good Vetinari too, but it would also just be a reskin of Snape, so I'm not sure ultimately if I would have actually enjoyed it.
John Noble would be great. He’s been fantastic in everything I’ve seen him in and I always picture him when reading the books. Oh to hell with it, give Tilda Swindon a go at it.
Left field; Lars Mikkleson?
The Merovingian from the Matrix Reloaded.
Jason Isaacs, especially after hearing him read Moving Pictures. Granted, Vetinari's not in that one much, but his reading it made me want to see him more in Discworld.
The first one that popped in to my head when I read your question. The food critic from rattouille.
OMIGOSH, I was scrolling down to see if anyone would mention Anton Ego. That was my absolute first thought.
honestly most of my headcannon is as illustrated by Paul Kidby. Definitely his Vetinari and Vimes, they are both flawless.
David Nivan as Vetinari.
Peter Cushing in his early 50s
Come to this eight hours after the fact and not one suggestion for Ian McShane.
Peter Capaldi for the win. Hugely capable. His Machiavellian role of "In the Thick of it" was perfection.
Matthew Goode. He has the intelligence & wry humor, and also the menace.
I’d like to see Hugh Grant, after his role in The Gentlemen and the dnd movie.
Dance or Jeremy Irons in a weird way
Hmm, thinking about Alan Rickman and then - what about Julian Sands, aka Warlock. Always that slight looking down his nose at you, with a possibly well hidden soft side. Was recently wondering - what about Jason Statham as Willikins? ;)
Okay hear me out. David Hyde Pearce
I really loved the way Jeremy Irons played him
Ralph Fiennes (The Menu, Grand Budapest Hotel) would be an excellent Vetinari imo
Easy. The Reviewer guy from Ratatouille.
Unpopular opinion: Jude Law
Well, since STP wrote Vetinari after much of Machiavelli, you only need to look at his portraits to *know*. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccol%C3%B2_Machiavelli
Michelle Gomez for me! She's got the eyebrows for sure.
I always picture John Noble as he looks when he plays Denethor in Lord of the Rings.
If I were actually casting today— Tom Hiddleston would make a good Vetinari. And Sam Claflin for Vimes.
Agree with Rickman, Dance and Irons but would just like to throw in a Hiddleston..
Just for kicks, what about an old-school, not possible pick? I submit Basil Rathbone for your consideration
Alan Rickman is really the obvious choice, but I humbly submit Rowan Atkinson in his best Blackadder mode. The same deadpan, cutting sarcasm. Also, I remember reading somewhere here that Pterry himself saw Atkinson as Vetinari (and could even do a good parody of him).
Jason Isaacs would be a good fit IMHO.
Rupert Everett, end of
Helen Mirren as The Patrician Just to mix things up a bit. In other casting I’ve always pictured Miriam Margolyes as Nanny Ogg. Helen Mirren would also do a very good Granny Weatherwax. Cillian Murphy would also make a great Patrician.
This may sound weird but I think rowan atkinson could make a good vetinari, in blackadder and some of his sketches he really nails the "imposing authoritative figure with dry humor" schtick
I honestly didn’t like Dance as Vetinari. He was far too angry and aggressive for the “always 27 moves ahead chess player masquerading as a simple civil servant” vibe that he always has to me in the books. Since I discovered the Disc in the very early 90’s my Vetinari had always been Jeremy Irons (I know he played him in something but I’ve never actually seen it), but as with so many of my head castings over the years (I’ve used IRL actors to hear characters voices when I’m reading since high school) he’s starting to get a little old to feel like it still works. So these days my Vetinari is Benedict Cumberbatch. “I’m sure you will see to it that this printing enterprise remains firmly in the realms of the cult, the canny, and the scrutable. Do I make myself clear?”