Saturday, May 19, 2018

Jack Campbell's "Ascendant"

Jack Campbell” is the pen name of John G. Hemry, a retired naval officer who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis before serving with the surface fleet and in a variety of other assignments. He is the New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Fleet series and The Lost Stars series, as well as the Stark’s War, Paul Sinclair, and Pillars of Reality series. He lives with his indomitable wife and three children in Maryland.

Here Campbell dreamcasts an adaptation of his new novel, Ascendant:
Who would I like to play the lead roles if Ascendant was turned into a movie?

That's a tough one. In part because some of the best actors for a certain role are ones I've already committed to roles if the later Lost Fleet series becomes movies. For example, Katee Sackhoff would be great as Mele Darcy the Marine, but I want Katee for the role of battle cruiser commander Tanya Desjani in the later books. Elena Anaya or Rosario Dawson could play Carmen Ochoa. Lochan Nakamura could be played by Jackie Chan. That's a bit against type, but I think Chan (in addition to being perhaps the greatest stunt actor of all time) is very good at playing the world-weary man who isn't quite ready to give up yet, and still wants to make a difference. Jackie Chan has the strength to play someone who doesn't think he's strong, but has more going for him that he himself believes. Tadanobu Asano also has the acting chops to play Lochan well. The most difficult one to cast would be Rob Geary, an everyman who has to face extraordinary challenges. A young James Stewart could have done him, or a young Tom Hanks or Morgan Freeman. Nowadays? Josh Hutcherson, maybe. Someone not too cocky or heroic seeming, but able to show how an "average" person can be rise to remarkable demands.
Visit Jack Campbell's website.

Writers Read: Jack Campbell.

--Marshal Zeringue