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You Recognize this Guy's Face? You Will

Ladies and Gents: The Next Chris Pine / Dustin Rowles

Trade News | May 18, 2009 | Comments (34)

The big casting news over the weekend involved Chris Hemsworth, a name you probably don’t know unless you’re Australian or a guy who paid very close attention to the Star Trek credits. In fact, when I saw the name, I drew a blank and briefly considered retiring from the movie blogging business. This guy is possibly being cast in two very high profile roles and I had no fucking clue who he was. Chris Hemsworth? Sounds like one of those doosheters on “The Hills” or “Heidi and Spencer Eat Each Other’s Genitalia for Cash.”

I assure you, he is not. In fact, if you enjoyed J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek, you were probably impressed with Chris Hemsworth’s performance, though he was only in the film for five minutes or so. But it was a very pivotal five minutes. Chris Hemsworth played Captain Kirk’s father, a good choice since he bears some resemblance to Chris Pine. It was Hemsworth’s first major American movie role, though he’s best known in Australia as a character in the show, “Home and Away.”

So why all the hubbub over Chris Hemsworth? Because after a months’ long casting search, Kenneth Branaugh has finally chosen him as his Norse God, Thor. The casting basically sets Hemsworth up for life — Thor inevitably will have sequels, and be involved with The Avengers and will get his pick of lays at all future Comic Cons. Huzzah.

But wait! There’s more. In addition to gaining the lead role in Thor, Hemsworth is also negotiating to take the lead role — once played by Patrick Swayze — in the remake of 1984’s Red Dawn. Long-time stunt coordinator, Dan Bradley, is directing Red Dawn. Both deals are contingent upon scheduling issues.

But, you’ll get another few chances to see Hemsworth before you see him in either Thor or Red Dawn. He’s already completed filming on Ca$h, alongside Sean Bean, and The Perfect Getaway, with Milla Jovovich, Timothy Olyphant, and Steven Zahn. Even better: He’s got a role in the Joss Whedon scripted, Drew Goddard directed Cabin in the Woods, coming out next year. So, you may even be sick of him by the time Thor is released.

He’s gonna be huge. This dude is going to be the next Chris Pine. But damnit: If all these young dirty blonde guys keep cropping up, there’s going to be nothing left for Ryan Gosling.


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Comments

I was very taken with daddy Kirk, oh yes. I thought he was excellent in the short time he was in the film.

Posted by: Carrie at May 18, 2009 10:09 AM

His pick of lays at comic conventions is going to be very slim unless he's into pudgy fanboys with bad nasal drainage and pimply backs.

Posted by: Tracer Bullet at May 18, 2009 10:16 AM

Do I recognize this guy's face? I wouldn't even recognize Chris Pine.

Posted by: Clee Shay at May 18, 2009 10:17 AM

thor's a homo.

Posted by: gp at May 18, 2009 10:17 AM

Remake?
Period piece?

""Ellsworth has said “The tone is going to be very intense, very much keeping in mind the post-9/11 world that we’re in,” says Ellsworth, who was 11 when the original was released. “As ‘Red Dawn’ scared the heck out of people in 1984, we feel that the world is kind of already filled with a lot of paranoia and unease, so why not scare the hell out of people again? It was later revealed by Latino Review that the villians will be The Chinese.”"

Well...have fun with that, Mr. Ellsworth.

Posted by: Jay at May 18, 2009 10:23 AM

Is it just that picture, or does this guy have a hell of a lot of face?

Posted by: Kolby at May 18, 2009 10:25 AM

His pick of lays at comic conventions is going to be very slim

You think? Boston isn't that big and the female nerd population is still maybe 25:1 or at the very worst 40:1 ugly-to-hot (and I'm firmly in the ugly side of that equation, so don't bitch at me about being cruel.)

So yeah, in any convention there are probably between 25-30 actually bangin babes, and that's not counting booth fodder or fellow con presenters.

It's a brave new world.

Posted by: twig at May 18, 2009 10:28 AM

Red Dawn "scared the heck" out of who, exactly? In what year was this yammering idiot Ellsworth born?

Everyone I know (including myself) watched it multiple times for the lulz. It's a Hot Mess. It's a Bad Movie We Love. It's cheese-coated deep-fried cheese, topped with cheese. Powers Boothe is in it, for Gods' sake.

Damn...now I'm jonesing for cheese...

Posted by: Jerce at May 18, 2009 10:35 AM

Kolby, you're right: I'm astounded by the sheer quantity of face the man has. He hardly fits in the picture.

Anyway, I don't think Ryan Gosling is particularly shitting himself right now at the thought of being usurped by Pine and face-man.

Posted by: Caspar at May 18, 2009 10:36 AM

To be fair, the photo does kind of make him look like Luke Skywalker with extra chin, but his Star Trek performance got tears from me. And the Branagh and Cabin In The Woods associations certainly don't hurt my expectations.

Are the Hollywood casting Powers That Be finally realizing that casting pretty people who can act is better than casting talentless pretty people? We shall see. It seems awfully logical for them...

Posted by: ShinyKate at May 18, 2009 10:37 AM

Thor?
I'm bored already.
So sleepy.

Posted by: Kballs at May 18, 2009 11:01 AM

For some reason Home and Away has become a major launching pad for actors into Hollywood:

Simon Baker- The Mentalist
Isla Fisher- Shopaholic
Martin Henderson- The Ring
Guy Pearce- Memento
Julian McMahon- Nip/Tuck
Naomi Watts- King Kong
Heath Ledger- The Dark Knight
Tammin Sursok- Nick's Spectacular
Ryan Kwantan- True Blood
Isabel Lucas- Transformers 2
Melissa George- Alias
Chris Egan- Kings

Fucking awful show, but obviously has a kick ass casting director

Posted by: returnofthesmith at May 18, 2009 11:19 AM

twig, I guess, but it's not like he'll be the only movie star at the big conventions and it's not like most fangirls care about Thor. More likely they'll want to fuck some twerpy Japanese dude who writes manga or Collen Coover.

Posted by: Tracer Bullet at May 18, 2009 11:22 AM

Why all the Thor hate? Sure, the original Thor was kind of a loser, but if they make a movie based on Ultimate Thor, it could kick all kinds of ass. That seems to be the direction they're taking with the movies, so I am very hopeful that we'll get a good flick out of this.

Posted by: Snath at May 18, 2009 11:26 AM

who is Chris Pine?

Posted by: lalala! at May 18, 2009 11:29 AM

Hey! I like the original Thor. Nobody was better at battlefield oaths or more colorful when telling opponents exactly how he was going to deliver a beatdown than the Odinson.

"Know, vile creature, that with the strength that is my birthright and the power of mighty Mjolnir, Thor shall send thee back to the stygian depths of Hades from which thee came. Have at thee, villain!"

Posted by: Tracer Bullet at May 18, 2009 12:00 PM

Wow. I just woke up from a nap induced by the above picture of this bland, bland boy. Please tell me he improves when he is mobile because the picture does not excite me.

Posted by: greer at May 18, 2009 12:07 PM

twig, my brother's biggest complaint about the Con he's been to (Otakon, here in Baltimore) is that there are ALWAYS hot girls there doing the cosplay thing, and they're ALWAYS there with their boyfriends.

Attractiveness wise, I'd put Pine above Hemsworth. That is a mighty mighty chin and while it's not unattractive, per se, it's a little much, you know? Still, I thought he did a good job with his brief role in Star Trek so I have hope for him being able to carry a film.

Posted by: Genny (also Rusty) at May 18, 2009 12:10 PM

that there are ALWAYS hot girls there doing the cosplay thing, and they're ALWAYS there with their boyfriends.

I could almost do a semi-scientific survey at the AnimeBoston this weekend.

"The derivations of solo hotness among female nerds: variables within japanese-themed animation conventions along the Eastern seaboard"

Posted by: twig at May 18, 2009 12:19 PM

I've been to Otakon! That is pretty much exactly spot on, Genny. Hot nerdy women with jealous boyfriends tagging along glaring at the lesser beings that would dare to look upon their ladies.

Posted by: Snath at May 18, 2009 12:21 PM

Because the industry-people surrounding the casting of Thor have their sights set on the indie world, right?

Ryan Gosling is gonna be juuuuuuuuuuuust fine.

Posted by: Sweetie Dahling at May 18, 2009 12:43 PM

I thought he was great in his short Star Trek appearance, and he brings the man pretty.

I'd like to see his mighty Mjolnir.

Posted by: Drake at May 18, 2009 12:44 PM

It took me a minute, but now I realize - that picture totally looks like Zack from the original Saved By The Bell. Oy. I need to go squeegee out my brain.

Posted by: Anne (in Reno) at May 18, 2009 12:46 PM

Oh wow, he's that douche from Home and Away! I didn't recognize him in Star Trek. (And btw, Thor is an AWESOME comic.)

Posted by: Thijs at May 18, 2009 1:28 PM

BOO. I don't care about it being Thor, but I was holding out for Alexander Skarsgard to be cast here.

Posted by: LizEG at May 18, 2009 1:46 PM

Seriously? I just had a conversation with my sister that went a little something like this:

"I thought Chris Pine was a surprisingly good Shatner look-alike. I mean, especially playing Kirk's father, with the coif."
"Wait... he played both parts?"
"Yes, of course. Jeez, you vacant bimbo, you were fooled by a can of pomade, don't you notice anything, why don't you pull your head out of your ass, etc."

I suppose I ought to apologize to her now.

Anyway. I thought we was great in the opening scene, which is bad for me because the header pick is rather douche-tastic and I suppose i'll have to get over my general hatred of blond pretty-boys and begrudgingly admit my admiration for him.

Posted by: Ling at May 18, 2009 2:52 PM

As long as this guy can sell a good joke - the last few incarnations of Thor I've seen had me laughing so hard I nearly had mishaps - and that was the animated versions. I'd be delighted to see the oh-so earnest, Greenpeace-y, pain-in-the-ass, drunken hair band Thor done right.

Posted by: replica at May 18, 2009 3:45 PM

Fabio's got a movie coming out? Well shit!

Serioulsy, the only thing Thor has going for him, besides the over the top lingo, is the fact that he's more tolerable than Aquaman.

Posted by: Four Eyes at May 18, 2009 4:39 PM

Aw, now I can't lie to myself that Kevin McKidd might actually get the lead in a big-budget franchise series. Oh well.

Haven't seen Star Trek, so I can't comment on him as Kirk's father, but he looks kind of bland to me. *shrug*

Posted by: Mimi at May 18, 2009 5:49 PM

Speaking of Star Trek cameos, can anyone tell me what the hell Tyler Perry and Winona Ryder were doing in that movie? I couldn't watch any of those scenes without being distracted.

Were they the only semi-celebrities that wanted to be in Star Trek? Tyler Perry basically had the Samuel L. Jackson role from Star Wars and he didn't really do a bad job but it was bizarre as hell.

Posted by: Borg at May 18, 2009 7:35 PM

ehh... As an Australian who sometimes watches Home and Away for its sheer laugh factor... I can catagorically say that Chris Hemsworth is a twatwaffle and played a twatwaffle on that show.

No excuse me while I go castrate myself for admitting that I have indeed watched Home and Away

Posted by: caity at May 18, 2009 10:54 PM

I'm Australian, and the best I could do was 'Hey, that that generic looking guy from either Home and Away or Neighbours'...

That said, many of my friends who are idiots are probably drooling at the very thought of him on the big screen. Sadly for them they are the very same idiots who won't see Star Trek because there's no romance involving small fluffy dogs.

Posted by: rach at May 18, 2009 11:58 PM

You think his face looks big there? Try watching it on a (real) IMAX screen, like I did last night! As soon as he came on, I thought, 'Hmmm, maybe I shoulda sat further back....'

He was good, though. Twatwaffledom and megachin don't matter if the guy can act.

Posted by: Tarn at May 19, 2009 4:37 AM

caity, everyone on Home and Away is a twat who wants shooting, or at least bashing with a length of pipe. Home and Away and Neighbours are inflicted on us because God hates smart Australians and wants our brains to melt and trickle out of our nostrils. Then we can all go and live happily ever after on Ramsay Street with our dirty-blonde-big-chinned spouses and have dirty-blonde-big-chinned babies and spend all day surfing and playing beach cricket and drinking Passiona.

Posted by: freddie at May 19, 2009 7:05 PM