Since the casting news of Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan and the news that the film will not be shooting in Australia as originally planned, there’s been very little information released about the upcoming live-action film. Today, however, the news is out that the casting selection for Carol Ferris is down to five actresses.

In October there were rumors that Jackie Earle Haley might be on the shortlist to play Sinestro, but today’s Latino Review article trumps that rumor by stating flat out that one of the five actresses they name WILL be cast as Carol Ferris, who is, of course, Hal’s love interest and fated to be the Star Sapphire should the film become a series and the decision to go that direction. In the first film, Carol is to be a 27-year-old woman who has a crush on Hal.

In trying to evaluate the actresses I tried to find photos that portrayed them in ways that might reflect what Carol might look like in the film and I ignored hair color and style since those are things that are easily changed. Based on what familiarity I have with their work, here are the candidates in the order that I would rank them:

Top Choice: Keri Russell
I really liked Keri’s voiceover work in the Wonder Woman animated film this year, and I’ve always enjoyed her performances in the films I’ve seen her in. She has the range and the experience to play the woman who’s struggling to run Ferris aircraft as a young woman in a man’s world while both loving and hating one of her best pilots. I can really see her as the ball-breaking Carol who one second would throw the book at Hal while a part of her would want to be in his arms. I do admit, though, that if Star Sapphire were in the future I would have a hard time seeing Keri in the outfit as sexist as that sounds.

 

Second Choice – Diane Kruger
I thought Diane was great in Inglorious Bastards and I enjoyed her in the National Treasure films and Troy. Diane, like Keri, I think she can play a multi-dimensional Carol Ferris. In the National Treasure films, Diane’s Abigail Chase has that same quality about her of being a no-nonsense woman and I can see her busting Hal’s chops. I only rate her second because I think Keri has a better face for the role. Given that Diane is an up and coming hot commodity in Hollywood, it would not surprise me one bit to see her land the role.

 

Third Choice – Eva Green
I have to admit that I haven’t seen anything that Eva has done so far and that’s the only reason I put her in the middle of the pack. She’s gotten good reviews in the work that she has done and she’s worked with Martin Campbell before so if he’s put her in his final pool of candidates then I’ll trust in his judgment that she has the acting chops to pull it off. She certainly has the looks to pull off the sophisticated Carol with the underlying sexiness. And she would look amazing as Star Sapphire if she makes an appearance. If I were judging this on looks alone, Eva would be my first choice.

 

 

Fourth Choice – Blake Lively
Like Eva Green, I don’t know much about Blake Lively’s work at all. But I spent some time looking at clips of her performances online and they pretty much agree with my first opinion of her. While she might very well be a capable young actress, I think she just looks too young to be believable in the role. I could be very wrong and obviously Martin Campbell must see something if he has included her in his final five. If she is cast as Carol Ferris I hope she proves me very wrong. Oh, and she’d also look great in the Star Sapphire costume if that really matters!

 

Last Place – Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner is a wonderful actress who indeed has the range to pull of the forceful bitch-on-a-stick aspect of Carol Ferris as well as the sweet side. But there are really two reasons that I put her at the bottom of my list. One reason is that Jennifer will be 38 years old when the filming starts – 39 when the film is released and probably 40 by the time any kind of sequel were to film. She’s a beautiful woman, but she cannot pull 27 off and I’d be afraid that the movie would turn into a superhero version of The Graduate! And, well, time still hasn’t erased the bad memories of Electra.

Since we don’t know how much of Carol Ferris is in the final script, I based my choices on what actress I felt could bring the most presence to the character in the least amount of lines.