The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) – Casting Lisbeth Salander

Daniel Craig has been confirmed as Mikael Bromkvist in the Hollywood version of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and now the attention will be turning to who will play the part of Lisabeth Salander! And this is exactly what this blog post is going to have a look into, who has already been linked with the part and who would be the best choice. All of the actresses who have been linked with the role are young and have quite a lot of critical acclaim towards them. However, for each actress that I will be looking at for the role none of them have ever played a character anything like Salander. I’m not saying that Salander is common by no means, she is a very complex character tough, rather kick ass and has an attitude. When you see the actresses considered for the role you will understand that they have not done that type of role which makes this all so much more difficult to try and imagine them being a very strong woman. Who has to endure a lot but then gets to have her revenge as well. It is going to be a very difficult and challenging role for whoever is lucky enough to get the part!

Noomi Rapace who took on the task of Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish version’s of the triology has ruled herself out of this film stating that she is quite simply done with the character. Understandable really as she won’t have enough ‘star power’ for a mainstream film which will attract the audiences.

Carey Mulligan

Proppelled to fame with an Oscar nominated role in “An Education” in which her character is very naive (and young). The role of Salander would be a complete opposite to what we have seen from Mulligan before, which if she could pull it off would open up her career. So personally I would love to see her in the role, being more kick ass and dominating men. The image change would be very extreme but also so brilliant at the same time. I have no idea why but I would just love to see Mulligan get this role to add something totally different to her flourishing career, I really don’t want to see her typecast as a nice naive British girl in the same type of films.

Ellen Page

Best known as Juno the teenage girl who was pregnant and more recently alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception. Her role in Hard Candy is also very memorable with me as she really delivered a brilliant performance with a very taboo subject matter in a film. Part of that character would have to be brought back if Page is to have any chance at the role of Salander. Can we see her more roughed up and tough? Maybe, but in all honesty I am struggling to see her in the role at this moment in time.

Kristen Stewart

Thats right Bella from the Twilight Saga has been linked to this role, but I have also heard that Breaking Dawn will hinder her chances with filming schedules clashing. That would not really be a bad thing as in all honesty I am not convinced with Stewart’s acting yet (I am looking forward to The Runaways). I still hold hope that the way she is in Twilight is how she is acting for the character, but it is difficult to tell right now.

Natalie Portman

Portman is no stranger to taking on very different and demanding roles, she seems to put a lot into each role. I can actually see Portman taking on the role of Salander and doing it to a very high standard.

Keira Knightley

I have never been a big fan of Knightley and don’t think I ever will be in all honesty. I just don’t think that she is as talented as she is made out to be, if she does manage to prove me wrong I won’t hesitate to admit that I have changed my mind. Maybe, just maybe if she is given the chance to play Salander and nails it I would be converted to appreciating her as an actress.

Anne Hathaway

I don’t want to sound like I am repeating myself but Hathaway is another actress who if she ends up in the role it will be well out of her comfort zone in terms of the roles she usually takes on. More playing it safe than stepping out of that comfort zone and taking on a different type of role.

Mia Wasikowska

Alice . . . who the **** is Alice. If anyone even gets that joke . . . Moving on Wasikowska was chosen by Tim Burton and his team to be Alice in this years revisiting of Alice in Wonderland. I had never heard of her before that film and it is difficult to say whether I think she is a good actress from seeing her in just that one film. Would be a very risky choice in terms of box office appeal and whether she could even pull off the Salander look, let alone put the performance in as well.

Olivia Thirlby

I am not going to lie and say I knew straight away who Thrilby was when I saw her name on the list of possible Salander’s until I checked IMDb. Of course she was Juno’s best friend and possible up against Juno aka Ellen Page herself for this role. Again she would be quite an unknown quantity, but I can really see her in the role! I cannot really comment on her acting ability.

Emily Browning

Yes another actress who I had to check IMDb to see if I had actually seen her in any films and it turns out I would have seen her in Lemony Snicket and Ned Kelly. Both of which I cannot really remember her from. So she would pretty much be an unknown in the role, which could be a good option. I think she could pull off the Salander look, but someone else will have to give some input on her acting ability?

Eva Green

I am actually quite a big fan of Green, I find her to be very engaging in which ever role you watch her in. But can she really be in a third film with Daniel Craig? In my opinion yes of course, but will be thinking Bond and Vesper until we get to grips with their characters in this film? Possibly! I really think she could very easily pull off the look to get in character and deliver the total kick ass attitude which would be very much required for the role.

Scarlett Johansson

Probably the most well known name and face on the list. Johansson has appeared in a lot of different types of films and I think the role of Salander would definitely be  a role of interest that would add something else to an already growing career. I think it would give her the perfect opportunity to show a different side of her acting ability.

So what are everyone’s opinions on this?