With the announcement yesterday of the pilot being ordered by AMC for a "Preacher" series, I thought it is high time that I gave my casting choices for this fantastic series...which is easily one of my all-time favorites in all of comicdom.
For those who aren't familiar with the series, here is a synopsis from the piece I wrote yesterday: "'Preacher' tells the tale of Jesse Custer, a preacher in the small Texas town of Annville. Custer was accidentally possessed by the supernatural creature named Genesis in an incident which killed his entire congregation and flattened his church.
Genesis, the product of the unauthorized, unnatural coupling of an angel and a demon, is an infant with no sense of individual will. However, as it is composed of both pure goodness and pure evil...and it just might have enough power to rival that of God Himself. In other words, Jesse Custer, bonded to Genesis, may have become the most powerful being in the whole of living existence.
Custer, driven by a strong sense of right and wrong, goes on a journey across the United States attempting to (literally) find God, who abandoned Heaven the moment Genesis was born. He also begins to discover the truth about his new powers. They allow him, when he wills it, to command the obedience of those who hear and comprehend his words. He is joined by his old girlfriend Tulip O'Hare, who's an ace with a pistol, as well as a hard-drinking, Irish vampire named Cassidy.
During the course of their journeys, the trio encounter enemies and obstacles both sacred and profane, including: the Saint of Killers, an invincible, quick-drawing, perfect-aiming, come-lately Angel of Death answering only to "He who sits on the throne"; a disfigured suicide attempt survivor turned rock-star named Arseface; a serial-killer called the 'Reaver-Cleaver'; The Grail, a secret organization controlling the governments of the world and protecting the bloodline of Jesus; Herr Starr, ostensible Allfather of the Grail, a megalomaniac with a penchant for prostitutes, who wishes to use Custer for his own ends; several fallen angels; and Jesse's own redneck 'family,' particularly his wicked Cajun grandmother, her bad-ass bodyguard Jody, and the sexually depraved T.C."
So, without further ado, here are the actors and actresses that I think should be cast in the main roles for AMC's "Preacher":
Matthew McConaughey as Rev. Jesse Custer
Since I first picked up the "Preacher" books in 2000, I've always envisioned Oscar-winner McConaughey as the beleaguered, small-town Texas reverend who has a personal ax to grind with God. He obviously has the acting chops and looks, but he also has that down- home, Texas charm (he's from Uvalde, TX) that's hard to fake.
It would probably cost an arm and leg to get McConaughey to accept this part...on TV no less, but it would be worth it as it would give this series instant credibility and put it on the radar of all those who never heard of the comics.
Cameron Diaz as Tulip O'Hare
I know the lovely Ms. Diaz is getting a long in the tooth, but hear me out on this one. Tulip, as written in the comics, is supposed to be a few years older than Jesse, and again, since I first read these books about 15 years ago, I always imagined Diaz as Jesse's deadly marksman girlfriend, Tulip.
Andrew Scott as Proinsias Cassidy
Scott, who was just cast in the new "Bond" flick, but most know from his eerie turn as Moriarty on the BBC's "Sherlock," would be perfect as Jesse's, Irish vampire sidekick with seriously questionable morals. Beyond the fact that he's Irish himself (from Dublin), I think it would definitely be interesting to see what the quirky Scott would bring to this pivotal role.
Sam Elliott as The Saint of Killers
The obvious choice here is Clint Eastwood, but he's retired from acting and, realistically, is too old. The crotchety and tough-as-nails Elliott is a more than acceptable stand-in as the Patron Saint of Murderers and Assassination awoken by a pair of very nervous angles to relentlessly stalk (and ultimately kill) Custer and company throughout the series.
Patrick Stewart as Herr Starr
It's hard to imagine that the noble Sir Patrick would endure all of the terrible things that befall the twisted, one-eyed Allfather of the Grail (a secret society bent on world domination and the protection of Jesus Christ's true bloodline), but I just can't picture anyone else playing the part of this megalomaniacal German who will stop at nothing to kill Rev. Custer and achieve his goals of global supremacy.
Jay Baurchel as Arseface
Arseface is a teenage kid who blew his own face off with a shotgun trying to emulate his hero, Kurt Cobain. He also wants to kill Rev. Custer at the outset of the story (he blames Jesse for the death of his abusive father), but he ultimately forgives Custer and goes on to be a rock star and then a drifter.
Baurchel is a very good friend of director/producer Seth Rogen, so I don't see how this couldn't happen. It will take a ton of complicated make-up effects to pull this character off, but I think Baurchel's innately sweet geekiness would lend this funny, but pathetic, kid the realism he needs to be a grounded, believable character.
Hugh Laurie as God (Voice)
The God depicted is "Preacher" is a rather intriguing depiction of an all-powerful deity. He is still the ancient creator of the universe as well as the king of Heaven. But here, He creates man out of loneliness and a desire to be loved as He was all alone in the universe. God is prideful, demanding worship from the humans and cruelly punishing those who defy Him. He is also narcissistic, believing that His nature and ways should not have been known by man, and that He is beyond retribution or accountability for His actions. He leaves Heaven after Genesis fuses with Custer, for fear of their combined power.
I have a feeling that God will be a CGI creation in this series, but He will still need a voice...one that is authoritative, and yet will have some humor and vulnerability, which the gifted Laurie certainly has in spades. Just watch him in some of the old BBC show "Blackadder" if you don't believe me.