My Dream Cast: The Chicagoland Vampires Series
"You're in thrall of the books," Ethan said, chuckling. "Had I known you'd be so easy to assuage, I'd have brought you to the library weeks ago."
— Friday Night Bites
We Wenches are huge fans of the fabulous Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampire series. Merit, Ethan, Luc, Lindsey, Catcher, Jonah, Mallory — we love them all. We are also eagerly awaiting the release of the next installment, House Rules, due out February 5, to see what happens next for some of our favorite vampires.
Part of our waiting includes in-depth discussions about celebrities we think look like our favorite characters. Since we don't have a TV or movie series to look forward to, this is purely fangirl speculation. But it sure is fun, so I've compiled my choices below! And let me tell you, there were some tough decisions that needed to be made!
As a native Chicagoan, this series has a special place in my heart, so I wanted to be sure to do it justice. Keep reading after the jump to find out who I chose for Merit, Ethan and the rest of the CLV cast.
Warning: Some minor spoilers and copious amounts of man candy below!
Supernatural Chicago
Vampires are the stars of the series, after all, so I'm going to start with the non-vampire characters.
First is Merit's Grandfather, Chuck Merit.
...he sat back in his recliner and scratched what little hair remained on the perimeter of his head. For all that his mind was impeccably sharp, he looked so much the grandpa — tucked in flannel shirt, twill trousers, comfortable thick-soled shoes, gleaming pate.
— Some Girls Bite
My choice for the Ombudsman, Chuck, is Gene Hackman.
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I think Gene Hackman, while being of the appropriate age, is spry enough to be the ever-working Ombud. He is also smart and savvy enough to fill the shoes of the diplomatic position he holds. He has the perfect combination of former cop toughness and grandfatherly kindness that Chuck needs to display. Most importantly, he looks good with a mustache, which is almost a requirement for a Chicago police officer.
Next, resident computer nerd, Jeff Christopher.
Jeff looked every bit the twenty-one-year-old computer prodigy. He was fresh-faced and cute, a tall, lanky guy with a mop of floppy brown hair. He wore trousers and a white dress shirt, unbuttoned at the top, the sleeves rolled half-way up his lean arms, long fingers poised over an expansive keyboard.
— Some Girls Bite
My choice for the secret ladies man shifter is Anton Yelchin.
Anton is nearly the textbook definition of what a computer nerd should look like. But, he's also got a charm about him that Jeff needs to flirt with Merit and to tame the river nymphs. He's not as tall as I would like Jeff to be, but that's a small sacrifice. I think he is perfect in every other way for Jeff.
Let's stay with the shifters and move on to the Apex of Central North America, Gabriel Keene.
Gabriel was tall, broad-shouldered, intensely masculine. Thick, sun-streaked blond-brown hair reached his shoulders. His confidence was obvious in the bearing of his shoulders, the swagger in his step. He wore snug jeans and biker boots and, even in the muggy spring night, a zipped-up leather driving jacket. He was handsome, almost fiercely so, amber eyes shining, almost drowsily powerful. This was a man who'd proven all he needed to prove...
— Friday Night Bites
My choice for the leader of the pack, Gabriel, is Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
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I struggled a little bit with this choice. I want Gabriel to be a little older than Merit. I don't know why, it's just a feeling I get from him. Even though the Apex is an inherited position, the vibe I get from Gabriel is older than Merit's late 20s. So, Nikolaj fits the bill. He is definitely handsome and he has a distinct leadership quality to him. I would follow his lead anywhere...and it has only a little to do with his ridiculous handsomeness.
Now, let's move on to our fallen angel, Seth Tate.
Tate was tall and surprisingly fit for a man who evaluated policy all day. He was also almost ridiculously handsome. He had the face of a rebellious angel--black hair, crystal blue eyes.
— Friday Night Bites
My choice for Mayor Seth Tate is Matt Bomer.
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Honestly, I actually picture Chicago's "real-life" mayor, Rahm Emanuel. But, he doesn't fit the description at all! So, when I started to think about a dark-haired, ridiculously handsome man who could play a suave, duplicitous, upstart politician, only one name came to mind, Matt Bomer. He is crazy handsome and the definition of suave. He's got just enough innocence in his face to be deceiving, like a rebellious angel. Plus, check out those baby blues. Those are perfect for Tate.
Let's move on to our two sorcerers. The master of snark Catcher Bell is first.
Catcher had a solidly ex-military look about him — a muscular body beneath a snug olive T-shirt that read "Public Enemy Number One" and jeans. His head was shaved, his eyes pale green, his lips full and sensuous. Had it not been for the annoyed look on his face, I'd have said he was incredibly sexy.
— Some Girls Bite
My choice for our fourth-grade sorcerer, Catcher, is Taylor Kinney.
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I know he has hair in these pictures, but after the Quinn character in Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire Mysteries, I can't picture anyone else with a shaved head. But I think he is perfect in every way for Catcher. He has a very tough, strong build. He's got the full lips described and he can pull off snarky and sarcastic just fine. He is also definitely incredibly sexy.
And finally, Ms. Blue Hair herself, Mallory Carmichael.
Her blue eyes swam with tears, a frown curving her cupid's bow mouth. She was extraordinarily, classically pretty, which was the reason she'd given for tinting her hair with packets of blue Kool-Aid.
— Some Girls Bite
My choice for Merit's former roommate and BFF, Mallory, is Rachel McAdams.
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Grey House, Navarre House and the Rouge
The secondary, but no less important vampires.
First up, the lone Rouge on this list, Noah Beck.
One of the Rouges — tall, broad-shouldered, muscled — stood point, facing Ethan. Where the rest of the vamps in the room, the House vamps, looked polished, he looked a little fierce. He was ruggedly handsome, a couple days' worth of stubble across his face and jaw. His brown hair was an inch or two past a hair-cut, and stood in kind of messy whorls.
— Some Girls Bite
My choice for the head Rouge and the head of the Red Guard, Noah, is Joe Manganiello.
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When I read this description, I immediately thought of these pictures. Except for his eyes, Joe fits this description perfectly. And, he has an air of leadership as well, making him a good head of the Rouges and the RG. Besides, you didn't think I could get through a photo post without putting Joe in there did you?
Next, head troublemaker, Celina Desaulniers.
A pinup-worthy, comic-book curvy vampire — slim build, long legs, tiny waist, voluptuous bosom. She had wavy black hair that set off bright blue eyes and porcelain skin.
— Some Girls Bite
My choice for the former Master of Navarre House, Celina, is Marion Cotillard.
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Marion Cotillard is gorgeous and fits Celina's description nearly perfectly. Plus she actually is French, like Celina. She also has the acting chops to take on all of the challenges playing Celina comes with. She can be the politician. She can play the fierce vampire Master. She can play the evil bitch.
Next, current Master of Navarre House, Morgan Greer.
His hair was cropped, vaguely wavy, and dark brown, framing cut cheekbones, a cleft chin, and a strong jaw dotted with a day's worth of stubble. But for all that he was handsome, it was the eyes that pulled me in, that focused the attention. That accelerated the pulse. His were dark, and set beneath long, dark eyebrows. He peered at me beneath long, black lashes, his gaze seductively masked. The lashes rose, fell, rose again. Sexy Eyes wore a fitted black leather jacket — trim lines, Mandarin collar, very alt-rock — over a black shirt that snugged his lean torso. Around one wrist was a watch with a wide leather wrap-band. Altogether, the look was urban, rebellious, dangerous, and damn effective on a vampire.
— Some Girls Bite
My choice for Merit's would-be flame, Morgan, is Colin O'Donoghue.
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Finally, the Captain of the Guard of Grey House, Jonah.
This vamp was tall and lean, with longish auburn hair that just reached his shoulders, blue eyes set beneath long brows, and a chiseled chin. He wore a short-sleeved shirt with a collar, the bottom tucked into his jeans. Tattoos ringed each bicep — a flying angel on one arm, a slinking devil on the other. I wondered what he was conflicted about.
— Twice Bitten
My choice for Merit's Red Guard partner, Jonah, is Jamie Dornan.
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I'll admit it. I love Jonah. I love Jonah more than I love Ethan. Yes, you read that correctly. (I wrote a blog post about my love of secondary characters awhile back.) So, I wanted to choose the perfect person for him. I think Jamie is that person. He's tall and lean. He's got a reddish tint to his hair. And, as Merit describes him in later books, he looks like an Irish god (even though he's British). He's mostly a model, but I fell hard for Jamie when he was on the television show Once Upon a Time, no matter how brief his stint was. I think he could easily play Jonah. It's a somewhat similar role to Sheriff Graham.
Cadogan House
Our main vampires.
First up is Cadogan House's Second/Master, Malik Washington.
The door was opened by a tall, exquisitely handsome man with caramel-colored skin. His hair was short, his eyes a pale green. He wore a black suit that was perfectly fitted to his frame, and a crisp white dress shirt beneath.
— Some Girls Bite
My choice for Cadogan's most stalwart vampire, Malik is Oded Fehr.
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I've always pictured Malik as a little older than everyone else. He is so studious and serious, I just get a picture of someone a little older in my head. Oded Fehr is a pretty good facsimile for the person I see as Malik. He is smart, suave, and stylish. He can be a leader or a great backup. He's a tad older than I think Malik is, but in every other way, he is perfect.
Next, Cadogan's Captain of the Guards, Luc.
This one wore his slacks and dress shirt with discomfort, and from the strong set of his jaw, broad shoulders, and tousled sun-kissed hair, I guessed he'd be more comfortable in jeans and cowboy boots.
— Some Girls Bite
My choice for everyone's favorite cowboy, Luc, is Chris Evans.
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Chris Evans is an All-American kind of guy, perfect to be a one-time cowboy. He's tall, strong, and blond haired. But he also has a strong personality. As we saw in The Avengers, Chris can give back anything that a character can dish out. And he looks sort of uncomfortable in suits. I think it's his amazingly muscular arms. Either way, he fits the gorgeous cowboy description to a T.
Now, Merit's friend and co-worker, Lindsey.
Lindsey was blond, sassy, and thankfully, in my corner... She was decked out in her traditional blond ponytail, as well as a pair of designer jeans, stiletto heels, and over-sized sunglasses...
— Friday Night Bites
My choice for Luc's would-be-love, Lindsey, is Kaley Cuoco.
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Kaley is smoking hot and definitely very sassy. She would be the perfect Lindsey. She is a perfect best friend. And I can totally see her in her little room in the house, surrounded by all of her friends, watching crappy reality shows. I can also see her flirty with the cute new kid, while endlessly leading on poor Luc.
And now, Cadogan's Master, Ethan Sullivan.
He was tall, two or three inches over six feet, and lean like a swimmer — narrow waist, broad shoulders, long legs. His hair was straight, shoulder-length and golden-blond. His face was chiseled — knife-edge cheekbones and a firm jaw, his brow strong, his lips worth calling home about... Each step seemed to make him more handsome — his perfectly sculpted features coming into sharper relief.
— Some Girls Bite
My choice for Merit's love, Ethan is Alexander Skarsgard.
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This was a very tough decision. I very nearly chose Joseph Morgan, at head Wench Barb's suggestion. But in the end, the only person I associate with being as gorgeous as Ethan is described is Alex. Just when I think he couldn't possibly be any more attractive, he somehow manages it. And we know that he can play high-handed and condescending quite well. I think he is the perfect combination of Ethan's looks and personality. Although I doubt he'd play another vampire anytime soon. He likes to mix things up a little.
And finally, our heroine, Merit.
...tall and lean like me, with the same chestnut hair and blue eyes...
"You're tall, smart, pretty. You're like eighty percent legs."
At three inches short of six feet, I had no need for heels...Today, I'd already pulled my dark hair up into a high ponytail, leaving the fringe of straight-cut bangs across my forehead.
— Some Girls Bite
My choice for Cadogan's Sentinel, Merit is Olivia Wilde.
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I struggled with this choice so, so much. I finished my other choices nearly a week before finally deciding on a Merit. Olivia Wilde isn't quite tall enough to be Merit, but few actresses are. She does, however fit all of the rest of Merit's descriptors. She is smart, sassy, and has a different sort of sexuality about her. She's pretty, but not quite the classic beauty. She's thin enough to be a former ballerina, but as evidenced in several episodes of House M.D., she can eat. That show is where we also learned that she can hold her own against domineering men. She can also be a bad ass, as we learned in Tron:Legacy. She looks great dressed up, but she pulls off casual well also. I think she'd be a great Merit.
Sound off below and enjoy House Rules!
Love the post!! Most of your choices would be mine. Except Merit, I don't like this actress for some reason, so that could be it. :D LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks! I know you wanted Natalie Portman, but I just wanted feeling her.
DeleteI never thought about Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, but he is the perfect fit for Gabriel. Bravo to you for making that connection. For me, Ethan will always be David Garrett, the German violinist. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Skarsgard (boy, do I love me some Skarsgard), but David Garrett just seems to scream Ethan with that long hair and sensitive yet sexy face. Yum. (by the way, big Jonah fan here, too)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I don't know David, I'll have to do some searching for him.
DeleteDavid Garett is HAWT. And super talented. That is an interesting choice Robin!
DeleteI love many of your choices and dislike some of them. My favorites:
ReplyDelete1. Alex... He is the perfect Ethan. I doubt he wants to play other vamp, BUT he is perfect. Can you imagine ASkars in an Armani suit?!
2. Oded Fehr as Malik... Oh my heart! Love him!
3. Marion Cotillard as Celina... She is flawless. I adore her.
4. Chris & Kaley as Luc & Lindsey... LOVE!
Seth Tate... Matt Bomer is gorgeous, but maybe too much of a pretty boy to be Seth Tate. For me, Tate is Julian McMahon.
Merit... I like Olivia, but... I feel something is missing. She is a good choice, but I'm not in awe.
In general, the casting is very good. Thank you Anne. :)
Thank you!
DeleteI am sorry but gabriel is hot and so is merits choice.I couldn't stop staring at the pictures and celina is perfect as a bad girl.did I miss something?Ethan seemed more believable as the actor who played gabriel,I can see this because Ethan is smoldering and sexy and has swedish model looks.this guy looks like he belongs in queer eye for the straight guy.im sorry I was bored.
DeleteI agree gabriel Aubrey does fit the bill.
DeleteI love all your choises!! Olivia is my perfect Merit, I have a crush on her since house, in Meritverse and tumblr I posted pictures of her as Merit,not only physical but her personality is a little like Merit. The only thing I would change is Ethan, I love Alex, he is so yummy but my Ethan is Gabriel Aubry.♥
ReplyDeleteWORD on Gabriel Aubry Elizabeth. ITA. He just has that otherworldly confidence and is so darn suave! And since Ethan is one smooth mofo, Gabriel Aubry would be PERFECT.
DeleteI tend to see Gabriel Aubry, too. And for me, I just can't shake Alex as Eric. Which is funny, because he was not at all who I pictured as book Eric. But no matter what I think of the show nowadays, he is True Blood Eric to me.
DeleteI saw Malik's character in the mummy and on charmed and he does fit the bill.I feel he can pull it off.
DeleteI love Chuck Merit! And Celina!!! I can totally get behind Jonah and Morgan too. Malik... as much as I love Oded Fehr... he's the wrong ethnicity... so I can't picture him as Malik at all. And Gabriel (who is my absolute favorite), I adore Nikolaj, but Gabe is beefier, earthier, warmer attractive... Nikolaj is a different,cooler, smoother hot. He'd be a better vamp than shifter. I've always loved that paragraph where Merit realizes the difference between Vamps and shifters, how they are so connected to the earth and all... anyway.
ReplyDeleteAlex, love him. Not my Ethan. Will forever be Eric to me though lol. And Olivia Wilde, adore her. I guess she wouldn't be a bad Merit. GREAT, fun post Anne :)
These are some great choices, Anne! Some are different than I would have chosen, and there are several I've never heard of but think are perfect. I tend to agree with Zee about a couple of characters. And I'm not sure I can picture Nikolaj as anyone other than Jaime Lannister--maybe I should go watch him in a few other things to help dilute my tpyecasting. Olivia Wilde is a great choice for Merit--I love her but would never have thought of her. Thanks for such a fun post!
ReplyDeleteGreat cast, as usual, Anne. The only choice I can't agree with is Malik. He should be African-American with green eyes, and I can't let that go in my head. Nikolaj, I can see where you're coming from, but the Gabriel in my head is brawnier, less pretty. I love Kaley as Lindsey, and since I never could get a match for Merit, I really like your choice. Bravo, Wench!
ReplyDeleteThanks Head Wench!
DeleteThe reason I went with Malik as Middle-Eastern, is, even though we don't know his age, I think he's been a vampire a long time, a hundred years at least. So, with that name, he'd more likely be Middle-Eastern.
So, I had to go look up the origin of Malik, and you're absolutely right, it's Arabic. When I saw the name I immediately pictured Malik Yoba, and the few men I've known named Malik are definitely African American. Plus our Malik is named Malik Washington, so I thought black man. Very hot, green-eyed black man. But, you're absolutely correct he could be Middle-Eastern. I love how everybody sees books differently!
DeleteJust wanted to add, Middle Eastern people from more than a hundred or so years ago are black, and very close genetically to african people. Most middle eastern people now (especially arabs from the Gulf who have lived their for centuries) are darker. Browner people came along later and are now called Mediterranean arabs (syrian,lebanese,etc). Share genetics with Romans and Greek people. Anyway, living in the region and all, that's why I always pictured him black. That, and one of his descriptions from the book that sticks with me is Malik being described as "Cocoa skinned". Anyway, it is interesting, like Barb said, how we all see books and characters differently :)
DeleteI did not know that. Thanks Zee!
DeleteAwesome picks Anne!!! Your Merit and Ethan picks are right one the money!!! I Do think Krysten Ritter as Mallory. :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome, Anne, love your pics, especially Marion Cotillard as Celina,Gene Heckman as Chuck Merit and Colin O'Donoghue as Morgan. I could never make up my mind about Ethan.
ReplyDeleteGabriel's pick was good but I changed my mind about ethan.I think Rob Lowe would be excellent as Ethan with that whole dominatrix lawyer thing going on.the show 911 right now portrays this and he sizzles on the screen.enough said.
DeleteLove your cast! Especially Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Gabriel and Rachel McAdams as Mallory. I also love Luc, Lindsay and Chuck. My choice for Ethan would be Chris Hemsworth, that's how I'd picture our green-eyed vampire. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I actually almost picked Chris Hemsworth for Gabriel, but decided he was too young.
DeleteI picture Ethan as leaner than Chris, but otherwise, I think he'd be a great choice!
Anne, I found your post a lot of fun. Really enjoyed read it :).
ReplyDeleteThanks Ang!!
DeleteI love most of your choices. Especially, Celina and Lindsay. My choice for Luc would be Jensen Ackles. I just love him and can definitely see him in jeans and cowboy boots. While I usually picture Malik as black, I love Oded Fehr. Could so see him in that role.
ReplyDeleteAlex will always be my Eric, although he would be perfect as Ethan. My pick for Merit, based on looks, would actually be Jamie Alexander. She played Sif in Thor and been in a lot of TV shows. She's 5'9 slender with dark hair.
I totally love your cast, this looks great. Especially Kaley Cuoco. I never really thought about her as Lindsey, but now I can't imagine Linds any other way. But I've missed Scott Grey. Who would be your choice for him? :)
ReplyDelete