Casting Finnick Odair

This is not going to be one of those blogs where I spend most of my time posting bad YouTube mashups of actors that I want to play a particular role. I swear. I tend to get very cringe-y when I see someone suggesting some awful 5'8" teenybopper to play Jamie Fraser, or raging against the casting of Kristen Stewart. I like a good book-to-movie adaptation as much as the next gal, but I'm not one to spend my time making up lists of who looks the most like my personal image of a character (that said, I need to do another post praising the Harry Potter casting directors to the sky).

However, what with the upcoming release of the first Hunger Games movie--which looks very awesome, by the way--I did start thinking about the adaptation of Catching Fire. Specifically, how they are going to portray my favorite character, District 4 victor Finnick Odair, who at first seems like a pompous jerk, but turns out to be helpful and kind, despite his horrible life experiences. He's one of the few characters in the series who's consistently funny, as well as a stalwart friend for Katniss when both Peeta and Gale were acting like asshats. Finnick dies tragically in Mockingjay (leaving behind his pregnant wife, who he sacrificed everything for), because Suzanne Collins is apparently evil. He's a great character, and he could be a really great part of the movie series as well.

And there's only one actor who can play him.

Justin Hartley.








Um, what was I writing? Oh yeah. He's perfect. He's tall, blonde, ridiculously athletic, not bad-looking by most standards (like the standards of this planet, or the pantheon of Greek gods). He played Oliver Queen on Smallville, one of my favorite shows, and he has great range: he's terrific with a quip, but he's got the angst/brooding down, too. He played Aquaman in a failed pilot, so he must be comfortable in the water, as some self-respecting District 4 resident would be. I will grant you, he's like ten years older than Finnick, but it's not like the age is that important. Having someone quite a bit older than Katniss and Peeta makes sense for the story, anyway. Overall, I think he is the perfect choice for the part, and I'm sure that Lionsgate executives will concur.

I will leave you with one more picture.




You're welcome.