Captain Jack = Captain America?
In Torchwood, actor John Barrowman plays Captain Jack Harkness, a man, who among other things, fought in World War II and mysteriously disappeared afterwards. Sound like someone else you know?
Yesterday at a San Diego Comic Con panel a fan asked if he would consider playing the part of Captain America in the upcoming feature film. ComingSoon.net reported on his answer almost immediately after:
“He smiled and gave the stock answer that he’d love to play the character and that Captain America has always been his favorite comic book superhero. Clearly, though, the notion did not take him by surprise and he ended up admitting there had been discussions with his agents and meetings on that very issue.”
Could this actually happen? Moderator of the Torchwood panel and writer for the LA Times, Geoff Boucher reported that Barrowman, “was emphatic he would like to do just that if Marvel studio calls.”
I hadn’t bothered to put much thought into who should play Captain America but I could really get behind this idea. It may just be idle chatter that goes nowhere but in my eyes he is a damn good fit. The next season of Torchwood is only going to be a five-episode mini-series so his schedule would be open for something like this. What do you think?
(P.S. Keep in mind I haven’t watched Doctor Who Season 4 yet, just in case you were going to mention something in the comments. Thanks!)
You know, I’ve never gotten to hear his Scottish accent. I’m sure it would make him even more hot to me. :)
John is completly Scottish. I love his Scottish accent when with his family.
I think it would be great seeing him in this role.
“I don’t think him being gay factors into anything except how certain narrow-minded people will react to such a casting. Which is a shame.”
Totally agree. Aren’t we past that already?
Well Barrowman was born in the UK but he was raised in the US. He doesn’t normally have an accent but can put it on when he’s with his family from what I’ve heard. And I actually think he looks very All-American.
I don’t think him being gay factors into anything except how certain narrow-minded people will react to such a casting. Which is a shame.
Great examples, Earth-2 Randy! And let’s not forget the king of all performances this summer — Aussie Heath Ledger’s Joker, who sounded as American as they come.
Yikes, come to think of it, were there ANY American in Dark Knight? Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman … if not for Maggie Gyllenhaal and Aaron Eckhart, it would almost be a shut-out!
Supes, I kind of get what you’re saying, but these days, I just don’t think people care all that much, as long as the image and the accent and the acting is right.
The current Batman is British. Does that bother you too? Mel Gibson in his career has played a California Riggs (and American ‘cop’ and Brett Maverick (an American ‘cowboy’) and he’s Australian.
If an actor is good enough, his country of origin or his sexual preference shouldn’t be a factor.
Like Geekboy, I’m not trying to pick a fight, but a good actor can hide his accent. Bale does it, Gibson does it. Tons of others do it.
As for sexual preference…Neil Patrick Harris plays a womanizing lothario on How I Met Your Mother on CBS. This is a character that would make Night Court’s Dan Fielding very happy. Harris is gay.
Again, if an actor is good, then he can immerse himself in a role.
And the companies that put out all these movies and shows don’t seem so bothered by ‘credibility.’ The fans don’t either.
It’s not his perference. It’s the stigma that goes along with it. The ridicule both he and the character will get would never end.
It would also hurt it’s creditability to be taken seriously and Marvel ability to sell as a movie.
Un-American meant the character should be played by an American actor. He’s an legendary American icon just like James Bond who’s a British icon. Can you imagine Bond played by an American or non UK actor? It comes down to simple American pride IMHO.
Hm. I could get behind this casting. Not sure if him being openly gay figures into it at all. I mean, he’s not really a character for whom sexual preference is part of how he’s identified. I’d see this being more of an issue with a character like Tony Stark, who is generally portrayed as a womanizer. But Captain America, while he sometimes has a girlfriend, is usually more invested in his job than anything else. So I don’t think the actor being gay would really create that much of a disconnect with viewers.
And I don’t even understand what “looks un-American” means in this case. What’s so un-American looking about him? He’s played the role of an American WW2 soldier in Torchwood a few times now, and it looked pretty believable to me.
Sorry, not trying to pick a fight. Just don’t understand either of those objections.
My only objection would be whether or not he’s “buff” enough for the role. The super serum makes him the peak physical specimen, and I feel like Barrowman might not have quite enough muscle mass to make that convincing for me.
Well he is Irish and is gay.
He looks completely un-American too.
Nothing against anybody if that’s their thing…cuz that’s ooookay. I like him as person and actor, but an openly gay actor as Captain America….thanks, but no thanks.
I betting it’s another agent trying to get press for his man….
Either that is Marvel is really trying to blow smoke to cover for who they already have.