LOS ANGELES -- At a typical party in Canada, you might pour a shot of rye and Coke, brag about how strong the dollar is and maybe, for old times, break out a game of Trivial Pursuit.
Here in Hollywood, partygoers with glasses of coastal white wine lament over the falling greenback, the 12% unemployment rate in the city -- then to cheer up, play everyone's favourite "casting game."
The casting game is a unique Hollywood oddity that's a little like charades.
It starts like this: "If another Godfather movie is made, who would play Michael's new wife?" The answers would be something like, "How 'bout Megan Fox? She's as short as Al Pacino and might cheer him up after his daughter got killed in the last one." Or, "How 'bout Monica Bellucci, a beautiful Italian wife that would allow him to live the rest of his life in peace?"
These days, the "casting game" is all about Gilligan's Island, the older generation's favourite after-school show about a group of oddball characters stranded on a deserted island.
Variety reports Warner Bros. gave the project the green light and it's slated for a 2011 theatrical release. Sherwood Schwartz, the show's original producer is on board and Brad Copeland is just now finishing the script.
Interestingly, virtually all the actors and actresses names being tossed around during real and fantasy casting game sessions for the seven core castaways that make up the show have been Canadian.
(This makes perfect sense since Canadians are simply funnier than anyone else).
First of all, most of us heard Brantford, Ont.'s, Michael Cera is the front runner for the Gilligan spot, the goof-ball first mate who always botched rescue attempts. Cera is a shoo-in, if he'll take it -- and Warner Bros. is, reportedly after him in a big way, because he looks just like the original actor, Bob Denver, but is even funnier. Before Cera, Warner Bros. was looking at Newmarket, Ont.'s, Jim Carrey.
For the gruff Skipper, there's been loads of votes for Montreal's William Shatner. Who knows better how to command a ship and get deadpan laughs?
Leslie Nielsen -- Regina, Sask.'s, comic son and star of Airplane! and Mr. Magoo -- would make a howl of a Mr. Howell. And his wife? Toronto's equally hilarious Catherine O'Hara (with a white wig and heavy wrinkle makeup, can't you see her yelling 'Thurston?')
There's a toss-up between two actors for the professor role. And, yes, they're both Canadian too. There's Ottawa's Dan Aykroyd and Brendan Fraser. Both terrific choices for the wise, bachelor dreamboat. While Fraser wasn't born in Canada, his father was, and Fraser made himself a dual citizen and often boasts in interviews of his Canadian status.
What about the single gals, Ginger and Mary Ann?
Apparently, Warner Bros. is wooing Beyonce for the Ginger role, but couldn't you also see London, Ont.'s glammed-up Rachel McAdams driving the professor crazy? Plus, she is, after all, "a mooo-vie starrr."
As for Mary Ann, Halifax's Ellen Page would round out the cast perfectly. She and Cera lit up the screen in Juno and reteaming them in Gilligan's Island would give the viewers what they always wanted and never got: A real romance between Gilligan and Mary Ann.
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