A poster mock-up |
| Lyra | Dakota Blue Richards |
| Pantalaimon | Adam Godley |
| Mrs Coulter | Nicole Kidman |
| Lord Asriel | Daniel Craig |
| Iorek Byrnison | Nonso Anozie |
| Iofur Raknison* | Ian McShane |
| Roger | Ben Walker |
| John Faa | Jim Carter |
| Farder Coram | Tom Courtenay |
| Ma Costa | Claire Higgins |
| Billy Costa | Charlie Rowe |
| Tony Costa | Steven Loton |
| Fra Pavel | Simon McBurney |
| Thorold | John Bett |
| Mrs Lonsdale | Magda Szubanski |
| Sister Clara | Hattie Morahan |
| Librarian | John Franklyn-Robbins |
| Younger Fellow | Jonathan Laury |
| Bolvangar doctor | Paul Antony-Barber |
| Bolvanger official | Jason Watkins |
| Passing Scholar | James Rawlings |
Nicole Kidman will play Mrs. Coulter in His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass. Kidman had long been rumoured for the role and in July 2006, she was announced by New Line as taking the part. It had been reported by The Daily Mail that disagreements over Kidman's fees held up the negotiation process somewhat. Read the press release.
Dakota Blue Richards has been cast in the lead role of Lyra Belacqua. Miss Richards landed the role after filmmakers conducted an extensive casting search. More than 10,000 young girls attended open calls in Oxford, Cambridge, Exeter, and Kendal, before Dakota was chosen from the Cambridge call for a further audition and subsequent screen test. Dakota is twelve years old and a British schoolgirl, from Sussex. She is a genuine His Dark Materials fan, having gone to seen the National Theatre's stage adaptation long before the auditions.
The still to the left (click it for an enlarged view) is the only photograph of her New Line have released yet.
The film's director, Chris Weitz, remarked, "Dakota made what should have been an extremely difficult decision quite easy. We wanted a completely new face for Lyra, but I was surprised that any young girl, especially one without training, could light up the screen as Dakota does."
Philip Pullman similarly gave a warm reaction to the casting. He commented:
"I'm delighted with the casting of Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra. As soon as I saw Dakota's screen test, I realized that the search was over. Dakota has just the combination of qualities that make up the complicated character of this girl, and I very much look forward to seeing the film take shape, with Dakota's Lyra at the heart of it.
She's absolutely marvellous - and she looks right. I know Lyra better than anyone. Looking like someone isn't a case of having blond hair and blue eyes: it's about bone structure; the way someone carries herself. She is also a very good actress. At 12, she hasn't had time to be fully trained, but that was not what we were looking for. It a was question of getting someone who can be the part."
Several other actors had previously been touted for the role of Lord Asriel. Paul Bettany had entered into the negotiations stage with New Line. We understand that Bettany had become persuaded to seek the part after encouragement from Nicole Kidman and became interested after reading the books, but that negotiations stalled over fees - with New Line wanting to scale the actor's fees down for the first movie, where Asriel has comparatively little to do. This may have led to Bettany eventually turning down the role. Eric Bana was also approached for the part beforehand.
The French=Swiss actress Eva Green will play Serafina Pekkala. Her previous films include The Dreamers and Kingdom of Heaven, whilst she will play the Bond girl Vesper Lynd in the next James Bond film, Casino Royale. Daniel Craig, who has the role Lord Asriel, will play Bond opposite her. Eva has finalised the deal for the first His Dark Materials movie, with an option to star in two sequels, if they are made.
Nonso Anozie, a predominantly stage actor thus far, will provide the voice for Iorek Byrnison. Anozie has won numerous awards for his acting, including for roles as Othello and King Lear. In addition, the actor is just shy of two metres tall! Philip Pullman remarked of him: "Iorek, of course, is being constructed pixel by pixel in a computer somewhere; but his voice is provided by Nonso Anozie, and a better bear you`d have to go a long way to find."
Ian McShane, a veteran British actor best known for television parts in the Western series Deadwood and as the titular character in the British series Lovejoy, will provide the voice for Iofur Raknison. To sample McShane's grizzly voice you can view a commercial for Deadwood here: towards the end McShane says, "No one gets out alive."
There was a little intial confusement over which actor had which role. McShane's involvement was mentioned in the Washington Post and the article's author revealed to us that the actor would be voicing "the King of the Bears." This can of course be taken to mean either Iorek or Iofur. Initially we had thought McShane would voice Iorek - he is the more major character and thus a role more likely to be announced earlier.
However, the Daily Mail then slated Iorek's voice-over part as going to Nonso Anozie and further confirmation came from Philip Pullman.
Adam Godley will voice Lyra's daemon, Pantalaimon. Godley's most prominent recent film roles have been as Mr. Teavee in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and as Mr Trench in Love Actually. Last autumn on stage he was hailed as 'superb' as St Paul at the National Theatre. You can hear two sound bites of Mr Godley in Love Actually here and also here.
We can reveal that Claire Higgins will take the role of Ma Costa in The Golden Compass movie. Her involvement was initially mentioned in a story the Daily Mail ran a while ago. Higgins is an accomplished stage actress, having won the prestigious Olivier Award three times in the decade between 1995 and 2005. On screen, she has performed in few films, mostly playing television roles and appearing in many British staples such as Midsomer Murders, Heartbeat and Silent Witness.
Rather unfairly, we're going to lump together a few of the more minor characters in the film here.
