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old gods do new jobs

Well, Now You Have Our Attention: Christopher Walken to Play Zeus

by Susana Polo | 10:20 am, July 6th, 2011


We’d sort of vaguely heard of Gods Behaving Badly but not with enough context to actually form an opinion about it, but it turns out its a Fables/Fruits Basket sort of story with just a dash of American Gods‘ theme of washed up deities: The ancient Greek gods are alive and managing in a New York city brownstone, much to the surprise of their neighbors, a young couple who are probably going to be metaphors for Orpheus and Eurydice. Cute enough novel idea, sure, let them make it into a movie, whatever.

But then the actual casting of the thing was brought to our attention.

The gods are: Aphrodite — Sharon Stone,

Okay, sure.

Apollo — Oliver Platt,

Shlubby Apollo, that’s a new interpretation, I suppose,

Artemis — Edie Falco, Demeter — Phylicia Rashad,

Nurse Jackie as Artemis and Mrs. Huxtable as Demeter? Yes. Yes I will watch that –

Dionysus — Nelsan Ellis, Eros — Gideon Glick, Hades — John Turturro

Oh man, that’s a great role for hi–

Hermes — Henry Zebrowski, Persephone — Rosie Perez and Zeus — Christopher Walken.

Aaaand we’re done. Christopher Walken as the patriarch of an incestuous, petty brood played by some of the best character actors in the business? That’s worth paying attention to.

(Movieline via AfterElton.)

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  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LJQW7SMRZPVBBRWIASACKKISB4 Rebecca

    This is fantastic! I bought the book at an airport while my flight was delayed and simply devoured it. I don’t think they could have cast the parts any better. Kind of a waste with Walken, though – Zeus has a pretty brief, though important role. 

  • Anonymous

    Artemis should be young – I majorly disapprove of that direction. I’m guessing this is HBO recycling, which brought us Ye Olde Carcetti.

    I will still watch the fuck out of this because I love Neil Gaiman. Dunno about including Orpheus though…that steps on the toes of Sandman a little much.

    DROOL.

  • Sandy Barton

    They had me at Oliver Platt as Apollo

  • http://twitter.com/proptart27 Stephanie

    You do know this isn’t actually Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, right? That’s a separate series. Gods Behaving Badly is not at all like American Gods. Only the idea of old gods in the modern world is the same. This is more like a soap opera.

  • http://twitter.com/proptart27 Stephanie

    I wonder how close to the book this is actually going to be. Yes, I’m one of those people. In the book, Zeus was practically senile and locked in the attic. I guess Walken could do that. Also, who are the actresses playing Hera and Athena?

  • Anonymous

    My reading comprehension is low. Thanks for the correction.

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