8 Fantastic Movie Casting Choices That Were Greatly Appreciated By Fans

When it comes to bringing beloved characters from the pages of a book or a comic to life on the big screen, casting choices can make or break a movie. It's a daunting task for filmmakers to find the right actor to represent the essence of a character, while also appealing to the fans' imagination. However, sometimes, casting directors get it to spot on, and the fans greatly appreciate the choices made.
From Heath Ledger's Joker to Emma Watson's Belle, certain casting decisions have gone on to become iconic, defining even. These actors managed to embody their roles so perfectly that it became difficult to separate the character from the person playing it. And in some cases, such as Halle Bailey's casting as Little Mermaid, it even opened doors for more diversity and representation on the big screen. In this article, we'll take a look at some of the casting choices that won over the hearts of fans and became a vital part of the Movies and TV shows they starred in.

#1 Billy Porter as the Fairy Godmother (Fab G) in Cinderella (2021)

Source: © Cinderella / Allison Shearmur Productions and co-producers, © Cinderella / Columbia Pictures and co-producers

When asked about his role in the reworked version of Cinderella, he described it as magical. “Finally, to be the human being I’ve set up in my real life, it’s a magical mash-up, a confluence, to have been called for this role in this particular adaptation. It’s some change-the-world stuff! And I’m proud to be a part of it.” He was happy that his persona was expressed in a beautiful way. “My queerness, that was my liability for so many decades, and all of a sudden, it was not.”

#2 Halle Bailey as Ariel in The Little Mermaid (2023)

Source: © The Little Mermaid / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers, © The Little Mermaid / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers

You may have inferred from our earlier report that Halle has been cast to play Ariel. She spoke candidly about playing Ariel and stressed the importance of presenting your true self. Tinker Bell and Princess Ariel. Some fans also support the movie, saying: “Tinker Bell and Princess Ariel. Yara Shahidi and Halle Bailey are doing it for Black girls.”

#3 Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One in Doctor Strange (2016)

Source: © Dr. Strange / Universal Television, © Doctor Strange / Marvel Studios and co-producers

Michael Ansara provided the voice of Yao, the first Ancient One, in the 1978 television film Dr. Strange. Tilda Swinton, playing the Ancient One as a woman, entered the 2016 version of this film. She would make a wonderful rendition of this character, the director even stated.
“I remember, at the time, having a question mark in my own mind, and being attendant to the public response to the idea that a Scottish woman will be playing this character, and being aware that there was no resistance at all — there was widespread welcome — which shifted at a certain point, for very good reasons with which I had an enormous amount of sympathy.”

#4 Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight (2008)

Source: © Batman / Warner Bros. and co-producers, © The Dark Knight / Legendary Entertainment and co-producers

When Heath Ledger would be portraying the Joker in The Dark Knight, people were first everything but excited. They believed Heath was a terrible choice for this position. Fans, however, had a full paradigm shift as a result of Heath's outstanding portrayal of the Joker. He worked so hard that he was exhausted both physically and psychologically. Even yet, Heath took home the prize for Best Supporting Actor.

#5 Yara Shahidi as Tinker Bell in Peter Pan and Wendy (2023)

Source: © Peter Pan / Universal Pictures and co-producers, © Peter Pan and Wendy / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers

The first black actor to play Tinker Bell is Yara Shahidi. "I want to thank you for your affection. It really does mean a lot to me. I'm eager to go on the next journey.
David Lowery, the film's director, stated: "We wanted to energize our retelling with emotional truthfulness, an open heart, and a strong thirst for adventure in Peter Pan & Wendy. This movie was created over many years by hundreds of amazing artists. I'm eager for viewers to experience this journey, witness their work, and rediscover an old story from a fresh angle.

#6 Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in Alien (1979)

Source: Chris Pizzello/Invision/East News, © Alien / Brandywine Productions

Prior to Sigourney Weaver's portrayal of Ellen Ripley, who was initially intended to be a male character, sci-fi was a mostly masculine genre. She was chosen for Avatar and appeared in four Alien films.
“Everything began for me with Ripley. When people talk about her, a lot of them say, ’It must be odd for you to have done so much work and have people always talk to you about Ripley.’ But she made it possible for me to do all of these other genres, and yet I always got to come home to her. So, no, I never get tired of her.”

#7 Angelina Jolie as Evelyn Salt in Salt (2010)

Source: © BAKOUNINE / Shutterstock.com, face to face/Reporter/East News

The original version of Salt featured a male lead and was an action film. Tom Cruise was slated to play Edwin Salt, as you've surely read. Yet, there were far too many similarities between this character and Cruise's portrayal of Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible. The cast thus determined that Angelina would be the ideal choice to portray Evelyn Salt, a female spy and the movie's star.

#8 H.E.R. as Belle in Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration (2022)

Source: © Beauty and the Beast / Mandeville Films and co-producers, © Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration / Electric Somewhere Co. and co-producers

This Beauty and the Beast special made H.E.R. feel like she could embrace her femininity. “There are so many things that Belle has changed about me in the best ways — and just embracing what femininity is to me. It was nice to discover something within myself I didn’t know that I had, and that’s the Disney princess.”
Originally, Belle was played by Emma Watson, who said: “When I was auditioning to play Hermione, I had this fearlessness, I just knew I loved that girl, and I loved that role, and I loved that world, and I went for it. But now I have this other thing to overcome like in Beauty and the Beast, I sang for the first time, and journalists would ask me, ’Do you think you’re going to be able to pull it off?’ There’s an incredible awareness that I have to push through.”