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Wednesday, July 12, 2006

recasting "grey's anatomy"


Grey's Anatomy is one of the hottest shows right now in the US. When it premiered last spring, no one expected it to become such a hit - mostly because it was yet another "doctor" series. Surprisingly, Anatomy was fresh and put a new spin to the medical genre. It was funny, quirky, poignant, and creative - proving that with a great script and cast, a genre done over and over again can have new life. TVB has done their share of medical dramas as well - most renowned is the Healing Hands trilogy (equivalent to America's ER - or so they claim).




TVB has yet to do a medical drama mixed with comedy. I have a feeling that it won't be long before Anatomy gets adapted by TVB for a Hong Kong version. Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives have both been "re-done" by TVB. The HK Sex was horrible, but the HK Housewives looks promising (however, when compared to the original, it is not on par). TVB loves following the "hottest" shows trying to create hits of their own, so I think Anatomy has a good shot at being remade by TVB. If they do decide to do an HK Grey's Anatomy, I would hope they would use the following as cast members.


Myolie Wu as Meredith Grey





As the title character, Meredith narrates all of the show's monologues and is the "main" focus. She's sarcastic, pessimistic, and is a realist. Despite her tough exterior, Meredith is actually quite soft and easily hurt. She's emotionally unstable, even though she pretends that she's okay regardless of whatever happens to her. Her mother used to be a great surgeon until she had Alzheimer's and started to deteriorate. Meredith had a one-night stand with Derek, thinking that she'd never see him again... but he turns out to be her superior at the hospital! Their relationship develops from passionate feelings into true love, but, there's one big thing preventing them from being together - his wife. Meredith can get pretty whiny and emotional at times, so this is partially why I picked Myolie. Myolie can definitely do the whole whiny, emotional, and vulnerable character.


Louis Koo as Derek Shepherd





If Louis wants to break back into the world of TVB, playing "McDreamy" would be his best bet. Derek is Meredith's "McDreamy" because of obvious reasons for her. He represents the idea guy for her physically and emotionally, thus being "dreamy." Derek is smart and suave, so that's why I picked Louis. Besides, I don't think any of the girls would mind him being TVB's "McDreamy" - isn't that right? Honestly, I don't like Derek much because he's so indecisive that it's frustrating.


Lau Dan as Richard Webber ("Chief")


Who else but the veteran Lau Dan to play the chief of the hospital? Richard is basically the "father" of the interns and everyone who works at the hospital. He's the one in charge and has the power. Lau Dan is so great in the fatherly roles and he is such an awesome actor in general. I can think of no one better to play the Chief. (I didn't include Lau Dan's picture because he doesn't have one that fits the "theme" of pictures that I'm going with this recast. However, I'm confident that everyone knows who he is. He's been around for two decades. If you don't, here's a clue - he was the emperor in Virtues of Harmony.)


Raymond Lam as George O'Malley





George is shy and sensitive, but very bright. He's not the "typical" guy because he's not crude, rude, promiscuous, or any of that. He lives with Meredith and Izzie and had a crush on Meredith since the first day. He likes her a lot, but is afraid to tell her his feelings because of her situation with Derek. Because of his rather "soft" nature, George is initially mistaken for being gay, but he's not. I think Raymond would be able to portray George quite well because Raymond looks like the sensitive guy to me.


Linda Chung as Cristina Yang





Cristina is very serious about her career as a surgeon. Her mindset is based on her job and she places everything else (relationships, love, etc.) beneath it. However, as the series progresses, she becomes softer, more "human," and shows her weak, vulnerable, and sensitive sides more. However, she's still one tough, cold, and serious cookie. Like Meredith, she's sarcastic, realistic, and pessimistic. She's also quite the tomboy. She and Meredith hate being the "typical" girl. Linda gives me the impression that she is very mature and intelligent, so I think she will fit Cristina's personality. Also, she has experience playing the "cold exterior" roles ("Ah Lam" from Virtues of Harmony II & "Sandra" from Always Ready), so I think she should do well. I'm not so sure if she can bring out the sarcastic, funny side of Cristina though. However, I would like to watch her as Cristina most.


Bernice Liu as Izzie Stevens





People are surprised when they discover that Izzie is a doctor because she seems too pretty (and thus, not "smart" enough). In fact, she used to be a model - she modeled to pay her way through medical school. Izzie is very pretty, sweet, and kind of reckless. She's also a bit klutzy at times, but she's very likable and is another capable surgeon. I think Bernice would be able to play Izzie's cute and bubbly personality well. Besides, I think she's the only TVB actress that would be able to pull off the "Look! Oh my god! Breasts!" scene that Izzie had when came into terms with her modeling days. That scene would be a sight to see.


Sheren Tang as Miranda Bailey





Sheren proved that she could be hardcore in War and Beauty. Bailey is very sarcastic and has a tough mouth and attitude. She won't take any crap from anyone. As the leader of the interns, she makes sure they get their jobs done right. I think Sheren would be awesome as Bailey. I love Bailey for her remarks and attitude. She is too hilarious and very lovable.


Steven Ma as Preston Burke





Burke can be serious about his work, but he's very kind and much more "emotional" than his girlfriend, Cristina. He's a very amiable surgeon who gives his all to his work. Steven is an excellent actor and would totally be able to do the role justice. He has the intelligent and professional look required to play Burke in the hospital, but he also looks down-to-earth enough to bring the softer side of his character when he's with Cristina or off-the-job. Besides, I think it would be cute to see Steven and Linda as a couple again.


Ron Ng as Alex Karev





Alex is like the jerk that you're friends with, but you don't know why. He's cocky, arrogant, and is quite ignorant and immature at times. He's also a player. However, these traits are just his front. In fact, Alex is not that bad of a guy. He has to be "hard" because of his background (where he grew up, etc.). I don't mean to be typecasting Ron, but he just looks like the tough, cocky guy. Izzie and Alex had a fling at several points in the series (and I'm still hoping they will get together again), so I would love to see Ron and Bernice act as a couple.


Jessica Hsuan as Addison Shepherd





Everyone was upset when Addison appeared at the end of season 1 and introduced herself to Meredith as Derek's wife. The perfect romance between Derek and Meredith was thus shattered. Addison could easily have been the bitch and earn the audience's hatred because a lot of people pretty much hate her at the start. However, the series develops her quite nicely. She's not bitchy or evil - she's just a desperate wife who wants her husband back because she made a grave mistake. Addison is very smart and is quite nice; basically you want to hate her, but can't find a reason to. She tries very hard to make her marriage work. I picked Jessica because I think she would be able to win the audience over with her portrayal of the role. You want to hate Addison, but you end up liking her as a character. Also, LJ fans would love to see Louis and Jessica reunite as husband and wife, right?

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32 Comments:

Blogger x3LKJH said...

YES! i do want to see them [LJ] as husband n wife!

13.7.06

 
Blogger Jen said...

WAH! I'm usually ALL CRAZY in agreement with your re-casting of shows, but this time...I just can't seem to agree! EEK! Okay, here goes...

Myolie Wu as Meredith Grey: I don't know why, but I cannot see Myolie as Meredith Grey! I think Myolie is a very versatile actress and she can totally display the complexities of Meredith's character, but I just cannot look at her and be like, "oh look, she's Meredith Grey!" At the moment, I don't have a potential Meredith yet, but I'll get back to you when I do. Plus, I don't really see her with Louis. HAHA!

Louis Koo as Derek Shepherd: What can I say, Louis Koo is indeed the most beautiful man in the world. And he can definitely be MY "Dr. McDreamy," but I just don't see him as a doctor. HAHA! He looks so tough and rugged. But then again, I cannot seem to think of any other actor with the charisma, looks, and allure of McDreamy, other than Louis.

Lau Dan as Chief: I think Lau Dan would be a great chief. No comment here. Actually, I would really enjoy Bobby Au-yeung as the chief also! HAHA!

Raymond Lam as George O'Malley: At first, I thought that Ray would be a horrible George! In the real tv series, George is portrayed as a really dorky, sensitive, not exceedingly handsome character. Raymond is well...he's so cool looking. HAHA! But then, I reconsidered and feel that Ray would be fine as George because I think he can pull off the dorky, sensitive guy with lots of talent.

Linda Chung as Cristina Yang: All I can say is NO. No offense to Linda or anything, but I just CANNOT picture her as Cristina. As far as her acting goes, I'm not THAT familiar with it so I can't really say whether she can pull it off or not, but based on her looks, she just doesn't fit the Cristina profile. Seriously, Cristina scares me, but she's my favorite character, probably because she is so witty and intelligent, and there are so many different sides to her. I would pick a more veteran actress to portray Cristina. Since I can't really think of anyone at the moment, I would probably cast Myolie as Cristina, but I'm not sure how she'll look with Steven Ma. HAHA! =)

Bernice Liu as Izzie Stevens: This is the casting that I cannot agree with more. I'm not much of a Bernice fan, but she definitely looks like the perfect Izzie.

Sheren Tang as Miranda Bailey: No complaints here...

Steven Ma as Preston Burke: I LOVE IT! Burke is actually my favorite male character and Steven Ma is also one of my fave actors! HAHA! I think Steven Ma would make a wonderful Burke!

Ron Ng as Alex Karev: I actually really like your choice for Alex. Ron seriously just looks like an asshole. No offense or anything. HAHA! And that's the image that Alex has. HAHA! I absolutely LOVE Ron and think he's hot enough to be Alex. =) I'd love it if Ron was paired with Tavia and I would def like to see the love/hate relationship, but too bad Bernice would be a better Izzie. HAHA!

Jessica Hsuan as Addison Shepherd: this is something that I would NOT ever want to see. HAHA! I just don't EVER want to imagine Jess being the third wheel in a Louis/someone relationship. In the tv series, Addison and Derek are married, but I just don't really see the chemistry between the two and I really CANNOT imagine a lack of chemistry between LJ, esp since I'm such a BIG LJ fan! HAHA! Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind Jessica being Meredith. So much chemistry! HAHA! =) I'd like to see Joyce Tang as Addison. I love Joyce and I can totally picture her being a "desperate wife wo wants her husband back."

Just some thoughts. =)

13.7.06

 
Blogger toomanysidesofme said...

Jen I am is complete agreement with you on everything

Complete miss is Myolie Wu as Meredith Grey. Myolie won't have chemistry with Louis which is key! I can see Jess being in that role more.

Love Love Love these!
Bernice Liu as Izzie Stevens
Louis Koo as Derek Shepherd
Ron Ng as Alex Karev

13.7.06

 
Blogger MetalAZNWarrior said...

Thanks for the thorough comment jen! :) Appreciate it! I don't disagree with you actually. There's no young TVB actress that can play Meredith & Cristina. Everyone's too girly, emotional, and cute for their sarcastic, tomboyish, anti-girl characters. :P

So, I went with my favorites for their roles. Other than Meredith & Cristina, I think everyone else is perfect for their roles... (Well, maybe not Addison.)

RIta - You most agree about Jessica not being a third wheel right? Haha.

13.7.06

 
Blogger aodinia said...

Actually I think Bosco would make a better George than Raymond. Remember his role in Aqua Heroes? Probably not but he liked Leila regardless of how much she treated him or how evil she was. As for Cristina and Meredith, I'm having strange ponders about that...let me think for awhile!

13.7.06

 
Blogger Jen said...

To: Aodinia
OMG! I don't know why I didn't think of Bosco before! Bosco would be a PERFECT choice for George! And if Jessica is cast as Meredith, that would be perfect since they already have their chemistry from "Life Made Simple!" WHOO! Way to go, Aodinia! =D

14.7.06

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Err yea this might be (it is, actually) kind of off-topic but I just finished When Rules Turn Loose, Metal! Haha... My eyes still hurt because I was crying when Ha Yu died, even though I was expecting it. I really wasn't intending on watching Rules until I read your spotlight, and I really liked the series. ;D Now, onwards to The Charm Beneath!

14.7.06

 
Blogger MetalAZNWarrior said...

I'm so glad to hear that anonymous. :) You can't go wrong if you listen to me - I have great taste. ;) LOL. Just kidding. Haha. Hope to hear glowing words for The Charm Beneath as well!

14.7.06

 
Blogger aodinia said...

This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

14.7.06

 
Blogger aodinia said...

lol Jen! I hope Metal doesnt mind us clogging his comment board! I'm still having ponders about Meredith though. I mean apart from the LJ factor its still quite difficult to picture anyone has Meredith but I agree with you on Joyce Tang being Addison. I skimmed read your post and didnt notice it till now. Yup Joyce would be a great Addison. I'm still keeping tabs on Maggie Cheung as Cristina at the mo. She's the only best bet so far hehe

14.7.06

 
Blogger MetalAZNWarrior said...

I don't mind. I love comments. :D

14.7.06

 
Anonymous firthette said...

wow..sorry, just stumbled across your site, and see you like not only maggie cheung but also grey's anatomy...two of my fav obsessions >.<

i think raymond lam would be great as george and sheren tang as bailey is also a great choice. i'd like to see maggie as cristina (but if jess is addison, i don't mind seeing maggie as meredith, but then again... i think cristina suits maggie more)

20.7.06

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hmm I love the idea behind this website, very unique.
»

20.7.06

 
Blogger MetalAZNWarrior said...

firthette - It's fate calling you to visit my blog more often then. :P Haha.

20.7.06

 
Anonymous firthette said...

yeah..maybe its fate ;-) but i do have quite biased opinions..haha

21.7.06

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

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22.7.06

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think the only reason you paired Steven as Bruke and Linda as Yang is because they make a cute couple together, isnt it?

25.7.06

 
Blogger MetalAZNWarrior said...

Haha yes. :D However, I do think Steven will fit Burke best though. But Linda not so much as Cristina...

26.7.06

 
Anonymous cherrie said...

gosh gosh! i haven't seen the american version, but reading the character descriptions i agree! :D and im sooo happy tht you included two of my favorite actors, my top 2 actually :D raymond and steven :D

10.8.06

 
Blogger MetalAZNWarrior said...

Hehe. Come to think of it... Raymond and Steven have never filmed a series together before, right?

10.8.06

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

when is this serie going to be on dvd?

12.8.06

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I can't wait to watch this serie because it has such a fantastic cast. I love Ron Ng, Linda Chung, Bernice Liu, Myolie Wu, Louis Koo who usually does movies, Raymond Lam, Steven Ma and Jessica Hsuan!!!=D I'm so into TVB series. I hope one day I could be like one of them so I'll get to sing and act. But I don't think that day will ever come.=(

12.8.06

 
Blogger MetalAZNWarrior said...

anonymous #1 - You are asking about the American version (actually, the ONLY version of Grey's Anatomy at the moment) right? Well, season 1 is already out. Season 2 will release in September I think! I forgot the date...

anonymous #2 - Oh no! Sorry for the misunderstanding. This is merely my recast. It is not a real series!

13.8.06

 
Anonymous jesshy said...

In my opinion (and I am just going by actor/actresses by imagining them delivering some of the lines.)

I disagree with Myolie as Meredith. Meredith has a rather sad and melancholic elegance about her... but Myolie's features and character seems to scream "HYPER CUTENESS" to me. I would prefer someone like Michelle Ye for the role (alas, she's not very active in TVB right now) as she gives me the same feel as Ellen Pompeo. In addition, she looks darn cute in OL attire/style in Central Affairs (ATV). So I'm really supporting Michelle Ye for this role... and I can totally imagine her delivering Meredith's lines... especially the scene against Richard Webber in the room... about his affair with his mother.

As for Louis Koo for Derek Shephard, I don't object entirely. But somehow, I don't think I can really feel the chemistry for him with either Myolie or Michelle. And I suddenly have a weird thought about Gallen Lo for McDreamy. :P But Louis is still good too... he would be MY McDreamy for sure.

Lau Dan is PERFECT for Richard Webber. But failing to have him, I will settle for Paul Chun - but I must say Lau Dan is better: he has that LOOK, which gives the impression that he could be a successful professional who had a sordid affair with a colleague once upon a time. And his wife probably should be Rebecca Chan (anyone remembers her from War and Beauty as the Queen?)

I think Bosco would probably be a better choice for George than Raymond (Raymond looks too bright), and Bosco's performance in War of In-Laws is good support. Furthermore, Bosco has a good record of playing 'solid' characters. Unless TVB is trying to go for something new...

NO LINDA for Christina! Too young, and she doensn't look like she's capable of being Christina. Because Christina is a VERY complex character. Sandra Oh hits all the high notes with her portrayal and I must say hers is a tough act to follow. If Sheren Tang was a few years younger, she would be my top choice. As of now, my choice for Christina is Joyce Tang: she has enough guts to pull of all of Christina's anti-girl tendencies and still able to give the character depth. Not to mention, she totally can pull off the bitch look if she wants to.

On the surface, Izzie Stevens is one of the easier characters to cast, because her character is rather generic in most of the TVB series: pretty who is smart and yada yada. I'm sure Bernice pretty enough to be a lingerie model. But I can't imagine her crying at Denny's bedside, or get emotionally involved with a patient to begin with. In my opinion, Charmaine Sheh is a better actress for Izzie... mainly because I can see Charmaine pinning 'George' to the wall and threatening while sobbing, "I will hurt you - not enough to break your bones - but enough so that you will not get in my way." But no, I cannot see Bernice being able to carry that scene off (and that is one of crucial Izzie scenes.

YES. SHEREN TANG IS THE PERFECT BAILEY. Because I can imagine her saying, "Preston Xavier Burke. What have you done with my SUCK UPS."

Preston Burke. Very difficult character to cast in my opinion. Because during the first episode, I thought of him as the 'villian' who will make life terribly difficult for the newbies. My first choice would be Moses Chan because he has the potential to be a good Burke. My second choice would be Marco Ngai, only if I get my choice for Christina, that is Joyce Tang. The two of them had awesome chemistry in Armed Reaction and Prince's Shadow. Steven looks a bit young, and doesn't give you the initial creeps... TOO CUTE TOO!

YES. RON NG for Alex Karev! I see potential chemistry between Ron and Charmaine or Bernice. :D

No objections to Jessica as Addison. I'm sure she can hit all the right spots with sexy and leggy and emotional. Only thing is, if I'll be rooting for Jessica and Louis.

An additional recast: Liza Wang as Dr Ellis Grey. Because SHE CAN! XDDDD

15.8.06

 
Blogger MetalAZNWarrior said...

Thanks for your comment jesshy! It was very interesting to read. Grey's Anatomy was the hardest to recast thus far. Everyone did a better recast than me. :P

15.8.06

 
Anonymous jesshy said...

Glad to share. I think GA is a very tough series to recast, too, for two reasons:

Firstly, it's because of the ages. The characters in GA are a bit more matured than the new generation of actors and actresses TVB is currently trying to promote. The interns should tentatively be around 26-28 years old (since medicine is a second degree for them) and McDreamy and Burke should be around say... late thirties? After all, McDreamy has been married for almost ten years to Addison and both are world renowned surgeons (fame that does not come with being young). Most of the actors and actresses look young enough to act as teenagers or college students.

Secondly, the original GA cast is multiracial. Apparently, the characters were written without giving clues to their race and the best actresses and actors were the one who got the role. But this resulted in the multi-racial cast and enhanced the uniqueness of GA. There are certain characteristics of GA which will be lost if it's an all Chinese cast. For e.g., there has been theories that the reason Richard Webber and Ellis Grey had an affair with each other is because at the time they were interns, they were minorities: there weren't many black doctors or lady doctors. Naturally they sought comfort with each other.

Thirdly, the original cast of GA comes in all shapes and sizes. Miranda 'Nazi' Bailey is wonderful fun because everyone underestimates her (I think it's the height). There is also Callie, George's later love interest; who is on the plus size, and that was part of the conflict (imo anyway)(Can George love Callie who is practically the complete opposite of Meredith (Ellen Pompeo is really stick thin). Callie isn't a girly girl but she is vulnerable and insecure about her appearance (she does not usually wear dresses or heels) The point is, the cast of GA isn't all about beautiful people which helps the vievers who are physically less than perfect identify with them. And right now, all of TVB's actresses and actors are way too pretty. The only actress who seems to remotely able to take up Callie is Myolie Wu in her current size (she will have good chemistry with Bosco's George). ^^;; But if TVB is bent on casting pretty people into the roles, Tavia Yeung's a good choice too.

In an afterthought, I would like Raymond to be McVet. :D

16.8.06

 
Blogger MetalAZNWarrior said...

I agree with you that the diversity of the cast and how relatable the characters/cast are is a large part of GA's popularity & appeal. It feels very "real." :)

Thanks for the info about how they casted the characters!

It is indeed a unique and special show. :D

16.8.06

 
Anonymous TkN said...

Main Cast:

Meredith Grey - Ada Choi
Derek Shepherd - Louis Koo
Cristina Yang - Yoyo Mung
Izzie Stevens - Bernice Liu
George O'Malley - Wayne Lai
Richard Webber - Bobby Au
Miranda Bailey - Sheren Tang
Preston Burke - Moses Chan
Alex Karev - Samuel Chan
Addison Montgomery-Shepherd - Sonija Kwok
Callie Torres - Patricia Liu

Guest stars:

Ellis Grey - Michelle Yim
Denny Duquette - Michael Miu
Finn Dandridge - Kenny Wong
Mark Sloan - Joe Ma
Joe - Evergreen Mak

No lengthy comment/explanation this time :)

But, on an end note - I'm glad Sandra Oh played Cristina and not Bailey as she auditioned for. Likewise with Isaiah Washington as Burke and not McDreamy. These four were perfectly casted.

3.11.06

 
Blogger MetalAZNWarrior said...

I love your casting! Wonderful choices. Gosh you make mine pale in comparison. :P

5.11.06

 
Anonymous TkN said...

It's rare to see Metal write so humbly :P

5.11.06

 
Blogger MetalAZNWarrior said...

Haha well, you understand the series & characters better since you've seen every episode. I, on the other hand, have a more superficial grasp of it. Hence, I bow down to your recasting. :)

5.11.06

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

cant wait to watch if this series is really out. its really interesting watching all of my fans in tvb acted as grey's!!!!

6.5.07

 

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