A spirited professional with hair as big as her heart, Stephanie Plum is back in Janet Evanovich's latest misadventure in bounty hunting, Lean Mean Thirteen. The bail bonds office of Plum's cousin Vinny is still as organized as it will ever be, and her attempts to associate with a ne'er-do-well ex-husband give the colorful file clerk Lula ample opportunity for some frank advice. A little blood and a few bullet holes later, and Evanovich's irrespressible Jersey girl has had it up to her earrings.
This 13th installment in the Stephanie Plum series has rabid fans almost as wound up as the imminent Plum movie. Debates are still raging over who's going to fill Plum's high-heeled shoes -- Sandra Bullock? Marisa Tomei? Amanda Peet? Alyssa Milano? Eva Longoria? Or even Rachael Ray?
Let us know what you think! And feel free to cast the rest of the movie while you're at it.
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Comments: 164
As for Ranger, we need someone like Jimmy Smitz, but maybe younger? Maybe Dean Cain? Or Jesse Borrego...
As for the men in our books, I thought of Ranger somewhat as the Benjamin Bratt style in the beginning but the more I read I'm gonna have to go with the Rock. He's tough and sexy as Hell!!!!! I'm still having a hard time putting a face on Morrelli. Although, my boyfriend is a HOT Italian, wink!
What about Jack or Sawyer from Lost (well the actors playing those parts) for Joe? It's not as if there aren't pleanty of smouldering guys out there for either male lead. Grannie? Amanda Peet is potential for Stephanie, she is kind of wacky, but maybe a bit too preppie. Cameron Diaz, NO, Reese, NO, Mira Sorvino from Mighty Aphrodite? Not J Lo either - that would just be sad.
She might know a little something ...
It's hard to picture Reese Witherspoon as Stephanie, but maybe with the right hair it would work, she did a good job on the Legally Blonde movies.
This is who I see when I read the books...I have a hard time with Ranger. Maybe Gabby's ex husband from Desperate Housewives if he bulked up some...? He's a tough one...
Sandra Bullock would be good as Stephanie, but how about Jennifer Lopez?
Steph - Paula Cale (she was the sister on "Providence")
Joe - Oded Fehr (Ardeth Bay in The Mummy movies) look him up on imdb.com and check out his black & white pic on the left side of screen -- HELLO JOE!
Ranger - The Rock (if Renee Z. can learn a Brit accent, The Rock can learn Cuban)
Lula - Sherri Shepherd
Connie - Ginnifer Goodwin (with some lights & magic chest augmentation. One of my favorite lines: "if boobs were money, Connie would be Bill Gates")
Vinnie - Steve Buscemi
Grandma - Estelle Getty (is she still acting) or 'Yetta' from The Nanny
Tank- Michael Clarke Duncan
SJP is the only one actress that i can see eating a dozen crispy cremes and living to tell, and this is SP's signature, with the hair, and crazy family, and sexy guy's. Sandra B is too big, so are the other ones and too dark-haired. SP looks delicate but she's not, far from it. Think about it...
the Rock of course for Ranger - As for Morelli - hmm - Estelle Getty for Grandma
Steph: Marissa Tomei
Joe: Goran Visnjic
Ranger: The Rock
Steph's mom: Renee Taylor
Grandma Mazur: Ellen Albertini Dow
Vinnie: Joe Pesci
Connie: Megan Mullally
Lula: Sherri Shepherd
:D
I also imagine the Yetta character from the Nanny as Grandma Mazur.
Maybe Edie Falco as Mrs Plum.
I like the idea of having Ranger be a shadowed character. Leave it up to our imaginations.
Mo'nique would be great as Lula.
Stephanie - Sandra Bullock - I think she's good for the role, yes she's a bit older, but she can pull off the flustered frizzy hair look and also tone it down just right; she had the right body shape and the great quirky sense. As a side note, if Jesse (Sandra's real life husband) played one of the bad guys she had to wrestle . . . OMG funny
Joe Morelli - My vote is for George Eads from the original CSI. He's italian, he's built, but not too built, he's got good timing on screen with everything and can be a sweetheart and a brute.
Ranger - Ricardo Chavira who plays Carlos on Desperate Housewives. He's tall, built but not too built (I don't picture Ranger as being the ROCK size, but rather, thin and lean with good sized biceps). He's also really cuban *lol* I think I would automatically go wet if he walked up beside me. Ricardo also has the mysterious down pat.
Grandma - Cloris Leachman; I agree with Jackie G. I think she can play the quirky not all there grandma, and she's rail thin . . .
Lula - Mo'Nique in a heartbeat. Granted I'm from Baltimore and so is Mo'Nique, but the woman is a good plus sized woman who already wears smaller clothes because she feels big can be sexy. She is from B-more, so she can work the ghetto, and she's a comedian, so she's down right funny.
Steph's Mom - I would like to see Doris, the mom from Everybody Loves Raymond. I think she is a great actress and could do the facial expressions as necessary, since Steph's mom doesn't talk too much.
I also agree with Meghan Mullaly for Connie, and Steve Bushemi for Vinnie . . .
Eddie Cibrian of Third Watch for Ranger
Justin Chambers from GA with longer hair for Joe Morelli
Stephanie's mom: Susan Sullivan and how about Kurtwood Smith who played the dad on That Seventies show??
azcarol
Love the idea of the 70s show dad for Stephanie's father ... Brrriilllllliant!
The Rock does have the Latino background - and while we haven't seen his dark side as much in the movies, anyone who really watched him back in the WWF (yes F not that BS E crud) days, can remember just how dark the man can get when he acts.
Morelli, while some are probably going to shoot me for even thinking this - remember what Joey Lawrence looked like WITH hair? = while I dinna like his looks bald, with his dark hair, would have been great - though if his brother Matt (I think he's the middle one) has fulfilled his teenage promise well - might be actually ok for it.
Grandma has SO many different potential women out there - her MOM is going to be the difficult call I think.
I don't think that Queen Latifah would consider the Lula - but it might be a good fit. Yes Steve Buscemi would be a great vinnie! I love him as an actor.
As for the rest I'd have to really stop and think about it... but Betty White would be a great Grandma Mazur, and I can't picture anyone other than Queen Latifah playing Lula.
I've always pictured Sandra Bullock as Stephanie. I absolutely cannot picture Reese Witherspoon in the role.
I like George Eads for Morelli. Has a great smile that would work.
I like Vin Diesel for Ranger better than the Rock.
How about Sevario Guerra (Bob on Becker) as Vinnie?
I'm not really sure I want a movie. I'm afraid it would ruin my mental images of the characters. But if it's made, I'll be there!
I then thought that maybe someone NOT a huge name might be for the best, adn came up with Bitsy Schram, who play Sherona on MONK for the first few seasons. She played a great Jersey girl and even dressed how I kind of pictured Stephaine Plum to dress. I also thought of Sandra Bullock, due to her attitude in Miss Congeneality, but the second one was a bomb, so maybe she is to stay away from this part. Sandra Bullock may also come across as too old for the part, even though she is still hot (RRROWR!)
For Vinnie, my personal first choice is Steve Buscemi.
Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) is the first choice I've come up with as far as the look, even though he is not Latino (he is of African American and Polynisian mix), he is NOT a great actor. Every part the plays, he acts the exact same way. I would the "Ranger" not "Rock".
A shame Estelle Getty of Golden Girls fame is not around any more, she would be perfect. She also kind of played this type character in the Stallone comedy "Stop or My Mom Will Shoot!",...but I never saw more than a few scenes of that one. But she is the only one I have eben able to picture when reading these books
For Lula, I still say Queen Latifah, as she can play a gal with street attitude like in "Bringin' Down the House" (only saw the ending of that one, but she is pretty funny & likable).
Morelli is a tough one. I've had a hard time coming up with an actor who would resemble (physically) the Morelli in my head when I read.
I was actually thinking this might make a great TV series on HBO, ala "The Sopranos", "OZ" "Entourage" ,...they wouldn't have to edit content for TV (on HBO as opposed to network TV), and an entire novel could be an entire season, as 2 or 3 hour moves almost always never do justice in "Book to Movie" films.
Lulu-Queen Latifah, and Monique are too nice for Lulu. She is a ho and a somewhat stupid one at that. Sorry Lulu. I haven't found someone for her yet.
Carlos Mancuso(Ranger)- I also thought of Benjamin Bratt as Ranger-his younger self. Unfortunately he is too old for Joe and Rangeman. The Rock is too big. Johnny Depp? Antonio Banderas is too old. He could play Rangers dad if there was a spot for it.
Dad-The Dad from Wonder Years would be perfect for her dad provided of course that he's still alive-it helps.
Sally Sweet- Jim Carey or Wierd Al Yankovich would be a good Sally Sweet.
Grandma Mazur- As far as Grandma-Carole Kane. Look at Grandmama from The Addams Family and Addams Family Values. A little less gloom and a little more zoom and there you go.
Hector the psycho Wrestler-I get the names confused because I haven't read anything but textbooks for the last six months-Vin Diesel would be good as this guy or the wrestler from Nacho Libre-the guy who played Ramses.
Bitsy Schram, who play Sherona on MONK -She would do well as Connie, Vinnies office manager.
I can almost see Sally Sweet and Grandma in my head. I am not sure if I saw someone who looked like that or it was a great imagination combined with great writing. As far as Grandma Mazur-She is a cartoon character. I can totally see her and hear her but I can't put my finger on it. I do think that placing Reese Witherspoon in this role is a big mistake. She is too white for this role. We need someone who can play a b@#$%&.
Could Colin Ferrell play anything? I like Duncan for Tank but maybe he's too big?
Stephanie: Heather Paige Kent or Lauren Graham
Grandma:Linda Hunt or Betty White
Morelli: Eddie Cahill or Johnny Mesner
Cousin Vinnie: Danny DeVito
Ranger: Coby Bell
Mrs.Plum: Ellen Burstyn
Mr.Plum: Paul Dooley
Albert:Ethan Sandler
Valerie:Bitty Schram
Lula: Jackee Harry
Connie: Megan Mullally
Sally Sweet:Eric McCormack
My favorite choice so far for Morelli is George Eads - he doesn't look super sweet. Morelli has an edge, and coldness about him that I think George could definately pull off. Dwayne as Ranger could be a trick, remember Ranger is supposed to have a pony tail...I don't know that the Rock could do long hair. Antonio Bandares would be great for the character all except the size. As for Debbie Mazer - what about John Travolta's wife...remember her in Jerry Mcguire - she could totally be bitchy and sexy at the same time no problem (forgot her name). I like the idea of Joe Pesci for Vinnie, but I think he is too old -
I don't know that there are the perfect actors around today for the characters that Janet has created...we may just have to make due with whats available.