Benedict Cumberbatch for New Trek film

[Mikey]

The OT didn't have any big-name actors?! Cushing, Sir Alec Guinness, James Earl Jones... nobodies, all of them.

(BTW, I think Liam Neeson had a small body of work before doing TPM. )

[Captain Seafort]

The OT didn't have any big-name actors?! Cushing, Sir Alec Guinness, James Earl Jones... nobodies, all of them.

I'm not sure if Jones did or not at the time - I was thinking more about Cushing and Guinness.

(BTW, I think Liam Neeson had a small body of work before doing TPM. )

As did Messrs Jackson and McGregor, IIRC.

[Mikey]

Yeah, them too. James Earl Jones did already have a body of work to his credit by '77, though not (for example) enough to be knighted. Yeah, I think when someone in the cast needs to be addressed as "sir," that counts as having a first-rank name actor.

[Captain Seafort]

James Earl Jones did already have a body of work to his credit by '77, though not (for example) enough to be knighted.

To nitpick, Jones will never and could never have a body of work sufficient to have him addressed as "sir".

Yeah, I think when someone in the cast needs to be addressed as "sir," that counts as having a first-rank name actor.

The shame is that only one knight of the realm has ever worked on a Star Wars film - there should have been three.

[Mikey]

To nitpick, Jones will never and could never have a body of work sufficient to have him addressed as "sir".

You know what I meant.

The shame is that only one knight of the realm has ever worked on a Star Wars film - there should have been three.

Knight and CBE. But what other knights of the realm were considered?

[Captain Seafort]

Knight and CBE. But what other knights of the realm were considered?

None - my point was that Cushing deserved a knighthood and never got one, and Lee deserved his a lot earlier than he got it.

[Mikey]

Ah, I understand you now. Well, so much of Cushing's career was spent with Hammer that his body of work may have been considered to be weighted towards the plebeian or "pulp" by the elite. Lee started out quite the same. I don't expect that there are many people addressed as "sir" or "dame" who won their fame playing in mummy or werewolf films.

[GrahamKennedy]

Have you ever had a chance to see him as the Doctor? I haven't seen the films, but I'd love to.

It's a curious take on it, actually. As a character, he's very much the eccentric scientist type... very mild mannered, smart but a bit ditzy. Although he does occasionally use pretty blatant manipulation to get what he wants.

It's odd mostly because the films he's in are something of a reinvention. Some fairly important aspects of the backstory are changed completely.

[alexmann]

Oooo, interesting. I've been watching the new Sherlock series and he's extremely good in that.

I love that series! Next episode on sunday at 8.

[colmquinn]

I love that series! Next episode on sunday at 8.

I've got my Sky+ set for it in case I miss it, next one is "the hounds of the Baskerville", I've being looking forward to this one

[alexmann]

I'm recording it on HD but I'm gonna watch it when its on anyway. I can watch it more than once now.