They've finally cast Rupert Campbell Black!

[Kefir]

https://www.an-eventful-life.com.au/eventing-news/books-dvds/cast-jilly-cooper%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98rivals%E2%80%99-revealed

And it's...Alex Hassell. He is finally made flesh! Thoughts, O Cooper fans?

Johnny Flynn is beautiful but too sensitive for RCB and - sorry - he really can't act. He was good in Beast because he didn't have to do anything.

Yes! Jane asher would have been perfect.

I love this thread and the timeless casting ideas!

Wasn't Helen American though? Which obviously made her a total outsider!

Will always be Marcus Gilbert for me.

God, no.
RCB is blond for a start. I think of him as Anthony Andrews in his heyday. Too old now so I would go with James Norton. But PP's suggestion of Alexander Skarsgard is also good.

The perfect RCB (40 years ago)

The perfect RCB now.

Rupert Penry Jones might be a bit old now - isn't RCB about 40 in Rivals? I might be remembering that wrong though. If he's about 50 the. Yes, RPJ instead of James Norton.

I have a strong disliking towards this guy

It’s hard to get someone these days. Young Robert Redford would have been perfect.

Meant to quote this one





Actually yes, James Norton is a very good shout!

I can see Aiden Turner as Declan.

I think Emma Mackey (Maeve from Sex Education) could make a good Taggie (with curly hair)

Nor 'refined' enough - I see RC-B as smooth, chiselled and more expensive looking LOL.

That's Alex Pettyfer General, who was my shout upthread! He's much younger there but is still pretty hot, though beardy these days. Has the requisite English posh boy edge as well.

James Norton is deffo a good call. Can we stage a protest to oust the dark haired imposter and get Norton for RCB instead?

What a disappointing lineup!
Apart from Danny Dyer none of them look how they should.
RCB should be flawless, Declan far more rugged and lined.
I love David Tennant, but Lord Baddingham? No!
I always pictured Tony Bad like this…

Oooh actually James Norton could be fantastic as RCB. He has that arrogant, haughty look down to a tee.. despite apparently being absolutely lovely. He is posh irl as well isn’t he?

Yes a bit posh irl I think.

He can do "utter bastard who you still inexplicably find yourself rooting for", definitely needed for RCB.

If he were the right age, then Edward Fox would have made a great RCB. Second Carson for Tony Baddingham (sorry I can’t remember the actors name)

If we're doing ageless fantasy casting, I always pictured Tony Baddingham like Ian McShane (Lovejoy) - flashy and a bit smooth and oily.

I can't think of a modern equivalent, sadly - perhaps it was a particularly 80s character! Anyway, David Tennant isn't it.

This is how I imagine the young RCB to look

Jimmy Smits was always Bas Baddingham in my head.

Gabriel Byrne was my Declan O’Hara.

@vestanesta I agree that I thought about Freddie Fox for a young RCB, so like you say in Riders.

But for Rivals I now think the posters who suggested James Norton have cracked it, he has the look, the right build and height, we know he can act mean, moody and dangerous to know and yet still elicit sympathy from the viewer and god he can act. But I'm pretty sure he wouldn't touch this with a barge pole.

I think it will be pretty awful and I don't have the Disney channel and will not be subscribing, so will just have to content myself with re-reading the book, yet again, where the characters are exactly how I imagine them.

If we're doing time-shift casting..

100% me too