Thuringwethil

The idea that one of the Ainur/Maiar would take on an 'aged' form is intriguing, though. Thuringwethil is all about secrets and hidden knowledge...could she be some evil version of a Crone?
 
In speaking roles?

At best we'll be showing an aged version of a character we knew when they were young - you can do makeup tricks to age an actor with some success, but it's pretty hard to do in reverse. I'd imagine that we'll be forced to use, for our speaking roles, younger actors for most Men as well, as they tend to join the tale in their glory and then either leave while still glorious or age and fade from the story. There aren't very many speaking characters of any gender that come into the story already old enough to be played by an actor in their 60s or beyond.
 
I see your point. We will likely want to show an aged Haleth, but we'll want to see her as a young woman first, of course, and thus might be relying on makeup rather than recasting her.

We will definitely be showing young Andreth; I don't know if we intend to show her as an older woman.

Morwen will also be old at her death, but she will be introduced as the young wife of Húrin at the latest.

Beyond that, there will be some moms around, but how significant a role they play (a speaking part?) remains to be seen.
 
Yeah, that's why I don't want to cast aside this one, where the "cost" of choosing a more mature actress isn't all that great - it's one of the only real chances we have where the cost doesn't mount too high.

(We have ample opportunity to cast less traditionally attractive actors all over the place later on - these Men, of any gender, don't all have to be "movie star" pretty - but they do all have to be sort of in that 16-45 age range.)
 
Is this character an opportunity to cast a more mature actress, maybe one in her 60s? We don't have many such chances, and if there's no reason to avoid it I'd hate to miss this one.
While that's a good point, I think Thuringwethil needs to be young, considering how young Mairon is going to look. Having an older woman who works for him might set up a mother/nanny/mentor sort of visual dynamic, which isn't at all what we're going for.
 
Maybe. Depends on how well we set up in S1 that the Ainur choose their physical forms for many reasons and appearances can be misleading.
 
An actress in her 50s or 60s needn't look ancient, of course. I was invoking the Maiden/Mother/Crone dynamic of goddesses and fairy tales, not suggesting that Thuringwethil be a completely wizened old woman.

Ming-Na Wen (Melinda May on Agents of SHIELD) was born in 1963, making her currently 53 years old.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001840/?ref_=tt_cl_t2
This photo is from the Dr. Strange premiere (so, current):
ming-na-wen-doctor-strange-premiere-in-hollywood-1.jpg



Rene Russo (Frigga in the Thor films) was born in 1954 and will be 63 next month. (Photo below is from the 2015 Oscars)
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000623/?ref_=tt_cl_t14
rene-russo-87th-annual-oscars-01.jpg


Tilda Swinton is 56 years old. No idea what is going on in the photo below, but I think she would enjoy wearing Thuringwethil's costume, at any rate!
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0842770/?ref_=nv_sr_1
tilda1.jpg



Now, obviously, when reach that age I do, look as good I'll not. These are women who *are* older, but most certainly *look* younger. So, there would be some question of whether we're trying to cast an older actress, or whether we want the character to show some signs of age.

There are actresses who, while looking amazing for their age, don't pass as young/middle aged any more, and are only going to be cast for older roles. If we want to cast any of them in this project, we are going to have to give some thought as to when/where/how we'd fit them in.

Examples:

Helen Mirren (born 1945)
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000545/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Jessica Walter (born 1941) - She was Lucille Bluth in 'Arrested Development,' a mother of adult children and grandmother of teens.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0910055/?ref_=tt_cl_t9

Meryl Streep (born 1949) - Her Witch in 'Into the Woods' fits the Crone type, definitely.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000658/?ref_=nv_sr_1
 
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