Geirr Engelstad

I’m the goofy author who wrote the whole entire book and then said – oh wait who could play these characters in a movie? Previous blog posts on character casting have included: the Fierce Family, the Non-Humans, and the Storstrand Family. Today’s grouping include Aleks and Geirr and a couple of relatives.

Robbie Kay as Aleks Mickelsen:

Aleks is a Changeling, which makes him fey. I love Robbie’s cute face, there’s also something quite beautiful and otherworldly about it. Imagine Robbie with brown eyes and slightly pointy ears and it’d be a perfect match.

Kenneth Elvebakk as Samuel Mickelsen:

I like Kenneth for Aleks’ dad because there’s a hint of familial resemblance, so you can see why Samuel Mickelsen would think Aleks is his son, and not suspect a changeling.

Helen Mirren as Grams/Ava Mickelsen:

I love Helen Mirren and I think as a grandmother she would be both co-conspirator and parental authority. Like Aleks, Grams is a changeling. She gives Aleks a special device known as a stargazer that allows the child to stop time.

Donis Leonard Jr. as Gierr Engelstad:

Geirr (pronounced Guy-air) is the preppy and sometimes pessimistic friend. He’s kind, smart, and loyal. Donis is the perfect blend of geeky and cute that fits my vision of Geirr.

I have serious respect for casting directors at the end of all this. It’s a lot harder to work backwards. It’s pretty tough to find a perfect fit for someone else’s vision. (It’s also kind of hard too when it’s your vision!)

So there you have it! What do you think?