the casting picspam that started it all...
PREMISE
Greece is so 3,OOO years ago. The Gods of Olympus have moved on with the times, leaving behind their togas and impractical marble temples for fashionable Armani suits, high couture dresses, and sophisticated high-rises. The world's ritziest apartment building, The Lito, has just opened its doors; and the residents are more than just rich and famous -- they're immortal, too. When you've literally seen everything and have limitless power, how do you pass the days? If you're the Gods of Olympus, you squabble with the relatives, unleash your wiles on the local mortals, cast some unpredictable spells, and look damn. fine. doing it. Hotel Babylon ain't got shit on The Lito.
MAJOR CHARACTERS
ZEUS --> Clive Owen
“I prefer a crowded boardroom full of squabbling suits over Iris’s family parties.”
The God of the Skies, with command over storms, lightning, and wind, is a formidable man. He may have put his armor and quiver of bolts away in a magical trunk in the otherworldly attic, but he's still a hard-hitting, tempermental, and stubborn force to be reckoned with. Having traded in his breastplate for an Italian suit, Zeus now spends his days behind a heavy mahogany desk as the CEO of the world's largest airline company, and his nights clashing with his wife and sneaking out to meet the flirtatious secretary (and barista, and waitress, and...). His combatative policies and cutthroat attitude have brought his stockholders millions, and raised the ire of both his competitors and brothers, and his philandering is a constant source of tension and blackmailing at The Lito. (Clive Owen is smoldering hot. He's got that deep, growly voice. He looks reeeeal fine in suits. And I think he could play the self-satisfied bastard and hard-ass really well. Mmmmmm.)
HERA --> Cate Blanchett
"I know you better than any one, Zeus, and you hate that. You hate that I call you on your own bullshit.”
Hera, Goddess of the Hearth and Married Women, may have spent most of the last several thousand years mediating family disputes, disciplining her willful children, and trying to reign in her husband's hot head (and free charms), but she's no stay-at-home soccer mom. With a will and stubbornness to match Zeus's, Hera is equally adept at manipulating people and getting her way. With The Lito as her headquarters, she's launched an incredible sucessful interior design empire, far surpassing Martha Stewart as the go-to woman for all things classy, tasteful, and impressive. Whether it's deflecting bad publicity, keeping a level eye on the accounts, or dispensing with a verbal (or backhanded) smackdown, Hera doesn't hesitate to get things done. (Cate Blanchett is the definition of a HBIC. I'd love to see her butt heads with Clive Owen and be super stylish and fierce and GUH.)
POSEIDON --> Michael Fassbender
"The destructive princess routine is beginning to piss me off."
The Lord of the Seas, Poseidon claims dominion over 60% of the planet, and often clashes with his elder brother Zeus over environmental and business practices. Poseidon, like his neice Artemis, is more concerned with supporting green agencies and scientific research and is often sailing with Greenpeace or clashing with companies that continue to dump toxins or over-fish. When Poseidon is at The Lito, there are invariably clashes between him and his brothers/nephews; the others tend to write him off as a sanctimonious kill-joy. (Considering how so much pollution in the world effects our oceans/water supplies, and how they make up more than half of the planet, I really see Poseidon as an environmentalist. I'd like to see Michael play the indignant crusader, and I see plenty of dramatic and comedic potential in his never-ending quest to protect the planet -- sometimes from his own, decadent family.)
HADES --> Richard Armitage
"Black used to command respect, before every melodramatic teenager started wearing it."
The so-called black sheep of the family, the King of the Dead has always struggled to rise from beneath his brothers' shadows and claim his own place in their glittering world. Now the owner of one of the world's most lucrative recording labels, Hades frequents the more enviable artistic and entertainment circles and enjoys a very exciting night life. (Yeah, yeah, so it's probably cliche to have Hades involved in rock music and the like -- but what other profession would be more perfect for him? There's so much pretentiousness and arrogance and angst and desperation in the music industry, which I think Hades would enjoy immensely. Also, I definitely see him as something as a nihilistic decadent, who'd enjoy plenty of distructive vices. And who wouldn't want to see Raaarmitage as a glam rocker type?)
PERSEPHONE --> Amy Adams
"I know you think my parties are silly and useless, but they're important to me!"
Hades and his wife Persephone seem an unlikely match: he dresses in black, chain-smokes, and is rarely seen before dark -- and then only at questionable clubs or award ceremonies. Persephone, on the other hand, is a bubbly television personality who hosts her own talk show (which focuses on family relationships) and several gardening and cooking programs. The picture of Susie Q. Homemaker, Persephone has an infectiously sweet and innocent personality and a softness that tempers her husband's black moods, sharp tongue, and general apathy. (In mythology, Persephone is always praised as a devoted, innocent, virginal maiden who takes pity on Hades -- sort of the Beauty to his Beast. I could see her as the sort of well-meaning celebrity with a squeaky-clean image who donates to charities and sincerely wants to help people with their troubles, be they familial or around the house. Persephone here would be very bubbly and crafty -- I can just see her scrapbooking and throwing Pampered Chef parties, LOL -- and since she's connected to the seasons, I see her being really into gardening and cooking. She'd be the party planner and biggest mediator in this crazy family. And I'd looooove to see Amy Adams and Raarmitage play off one another -- they could have plenty of domestic scenes where she gets to show a little fire and he gets to show his softer side. D'AW.)
ARES --> Jeffrey Dean Morgan
"Don't try to kid yourself, sweetheart -- you need a fuckbuddy like me."
Tony Stark wishes he could be Ares. This badass motherfucker literally took the patent out on warfare, and his weapons factories produce the world's most sought-after and expensive tools of destruction. Thanks to a pact the other gods forced him into, Ares has sullenly agreed to not do any double-dealing between war torn countries, or deal with nuclear weapons. As you can imagine, he's not too happy about this, and is often shouting, picking fights, and drinking copious amounts of whiskey. The biggest bad boy at The Lito can often be found in seedy biker bars, laughing at the fights that just happen to break out around him, or meeting up with Aphrodite at clandestine motels. (Sure, I just stole most of Tony Stark's personality traits for Ares, but WHATEVS. Ares would be much louder, gruffer, and more rough-and-tumble, with plenty of scars and scruff and intimidating swagger. But, he's also got that bad boy charm going for him, and we all know JDM can charm the panties off just about any girl. Also: HOW HOT WOULD HE AND THE FOXY LADY I CAST AS APHRODITE (SEE BELOW) BE TOGETHER?)
APHRODITE --> Diane Kruger
"I don't want to be that goddess anymore. The Goddess of Beauty all of the writers mock, and turn into a caricature of the typical catty, vain, cheating, shallow woman."
Aphrodite has had her fingers in every aspect of the women's fashion world: she's moonlighted as a model, acted in pretentious art films, sat on the board of directors for Victoria's Secret and several cosmetic companies, and designed her own clothing line. There's a reason why her name is synonymous with femininity and beauty, and why thousands of men around the world love her. But after thousands of years of being worshipped for her body and beauty, Aphrodite is finally starting to lose patience. She wants to be taken seriously, and is beginning to assert herself around The Lito. Of course, when you're the Goddess of Love, it's hard to change your ways over-night, and she still finds herself sneaking about with Ares and getting caught in embarrassing situations. (Diane Kruger is sooooooo gorgeous, OMFG. And she could do that stuck-up bitch with a vulnerable side perfectly. I'd love to see her be catty and fierce and just generally fabulous. Also: She and JDM would be hoooooot together, and I'd love to see how she'd play off the BAMF I cast as her hubby, Hephaestus...)
HEPHAESTUS --> Tim Roth
"Let's drop the acts for once. Please."
POOR HEPHAESTUS. If Hades is the smooth bastard, and Ares the asshole of a bad boy, Hephaestus is the downtrodden puppy everyone should love and empathize with. I WANT TO GIVE HIM A MILLION JILLION HUGS, because he always gets the hard deal. Sure, he's married to Aphrodite, who's only the embodiment of beauty and sex, but he's also crippled from the waist down and considered less-than-desirable when compared to the raw physicality of Ares (and about fifty other men). He knows his wife is cheating on him, but he also loves her -- and he's so used to being dealt the shite hand that he'll settle for a less than faithful wife. Hephaestus is the working man of the gods, spending most of his time in the garage tinkering on cars and rebuilding anything mechanical that the others break in their fits of anger. HEphaestus would bring the pathos to balance the petty manipulations and bad behaviour in the show -- and perhaps halfway through the first season, a gorgeous greasemonkey would begin apprenticing under him and finally give him the love and validation he's always wanted... (TIM ROTH. EYES OF SIN. FANTASTIC TALENT. SMALL AND COMPACT AND SUPER MUSCULAR BODY. HE WOULD BE FUCKING AWESOME AS HEPHAESTUS, AND I'D LOVE TO SEE HIM DO SOME SERIOUS, EMOTIONAL ACTING.)
ARTEMIS --> Melanie Laurent
"Focus, Sam. The lout's off limits."
Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt, Moon and Forest, is quite aloof and above most of her family's squabbles, and spends most of her time running several women's shelters and indulging in her atheletic lifestyle. Since winning a gold medal in running at the Olympics, she's used her fame to help the World Wildlife Federation and bring attention to the offenses against the world's last wild sanctuaries. She gets along best with her uncle Poseidon, who shares her protective views, and is often frustrated with her family's drama and sexcapades. (Melanie Laurent is beautiful and fierce and I'd just like to see her play the hard-as-nails, feminist Artemis. :D)
APOLLO --> Simon Baker
"Ladies! Your beverage service has arrived. Wouldn’t do to let you get dehydrated in this heat."
Artemis's twin brother Apollo, God of the Sun (and big fan of chariot races) is her complete opposite in every way: he's loud, nosy, excessively energetic, and enjoys spending his days racing suped-up cars in back alleys or taking out an ever increasing circle of fashionable women to parties and premieres. Apollo loves to give his sister (and everyone else) a hard time, and his boisterous antics frequently land him in trouble. (Simon Baker is incredibly charming, looks the part, and I want him to be in more things. Getting to see him in snazzy clothes and frolicking about with gorgeous ladies whilst indulging in his inner adrenaline junkie would be fabulous.)
ATHENA --> Rachel Weisz
"Word of caution: I only like men for their minds."
The Goddess of Wisdom and Tactical Battle sprang fully-formed from her father Zeus's head; thus she's always been very mature, confident, and intelligent, and is perhaps the most level-headed of the gods. Athena has always had a drive to succeed, and has managed to become a true newspaper magnate in a time when most would claim the printed word was dying. A great benefactress to schools and publishing houses, Athena is always on the look-out for emerging scientists, leaders, and writers to encourage and nurture, and is quick to invest in promising projects and research. This fierce bitch can outwit any of her detractors, can tear apart any lawyer's contract, and has had high-profile romances with several of the world's greatest thinkers. (I want to be Rachel Weisz when I grow up. Not only is she beautiful in a very girl-next-door sort of way -- I love her nose, largely because I have a very similar one -- but she's also extremely intelligent, talented, and the picture of a confident woman. She can play the bookish nerd AND the passionate fighter, and I've always thought of Athena as a fierce brunette -- course, maybe that's because she's my favourite goddess and I'm a bit biased...)
HERMES --> Andrew-Lee Potts
"So... Guess they were going down, eh?"
Ahhhh, Hermes! The God of Thieves, Travelers, and Messengers is the goofball trickster, who's frequently playing jokes at the expense of his more serious and humorless relatives. Hermes made his millions as a dotcom wunderkind (only fair, considering he had a hand in inventing just about every form of communication, from the phone to the computer) and has since devoted his life to having fun and lightening up the sometimes tense and dreary mood around The Lito. He's also the foremost blackmailer in the family, able to winkle out everyone's dark secrets and clandestine meetings to use to his own benefit -- he's especially proud of that time he pressured Zeus into investing in Quentin Tarantino's first movie. But for all of his sneaky ways, Hermes also has that disarming smile and effortless good natured humor that makes it impossible for anyone (even Zeus) to hold a grudge with him for too long. (ANDREW-LEEEEEEE! He's so impish and mischievious, and I'd love to see him play another tricky goofball with a cutthroat attitude who gets up to plenty of shenanigans and practical jokes.)
DIONYSIUS --> Robert Downey Jr.
Of course he’d like another one. And another after that. They say there are no stupid questions, but…
COME ON, YOU KNEW I HAD TO HAVE RDJ INVOLVED SOMEHOW. And who better for him to play than Dionysius, the no-holds-barred God of Wine, Revelry, and Uncontrolled Passion? IMAGINE IT, IF YOU WILL: Dionysius throwing debauched parties at The Lito, with plenty of booze and gorgeous people and a minimum of clothes. BEST. THING. EVER. Dionysius's antics lead to plenty of back-pedaling and cover ups on the part of Hera, who tries to maintain the family's good name in the press. So of course, Dionysius and Hera will frequently be butting heads. But no matter what the severe and determined Hera tries to do, Dionysius just brushes it off with his snarky, sexy sense of humor and continues to indulge in orgies and wine tastings. (OH DEAR GOD I WANT THIS NOW. RIGHT NOW. RDJ IS RUMPLED CLOTHES -- OR NO CLOTHES -- IN EVERY EPISODE. PLENTY OF BOOZY, HILARIOUS ANTICS. SKINNY-DIPPING IN POSEIDON'S POOL. CHASING AFTER ARTEMIS'S FRIENDS. TEAMING UP WITH HERMES AND APOLLO TO CAUSE HAVOC AND PLAY JOKES AND GUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-- *DIES*)
HECTATE --> Eva Green
There was something ironic about Hectate's art being displayed at the Museum of Modern Art...
The Goddess of Magic is the most mysterious and secretive of the gods at The Lito; she's often jet-setting around the world for gala openings of her newest art collections, and maintains an air of the exotic by infrequently mingling with her family and avoiding the press her siblings purposefully court. (Eva Green is one of the most gorgeous, elegant people alive. Who else could play the smoky, enigmatic Goddess of Magic better? I see this role as more of a cameo -- Eva could swan in occasionally to be beautiful and say mysterious things to forward the plot, and maybe Hermes and Apollo and Dionysius could occasionally play jokes on her. GREATNESS.)
PART TWO, featuring other gods.
PART THREE, featuring heroes and side-characters.