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Casting Call: Utopia

A survival obsessed techie and conspiracy theorist, Wilson is one of the five members of the online comic book forum that obtained the original manuscript. Along with surviving group members Becky, Ian, and Grant, Wilson is in hiding from The Network, who have taken a special interest in his computer skills. Writer-actor Riz Ahmed (The Road to Guantanamo, Trishna, The Reluctant Fundamentalist) emanates the kind of intellect needed to play Wilson, and he's made a career playing roles with a certain layer of secrecy— secrecy that's integral to pulling off the conspiracy theorist in Wilson.

Photo by Robbie Fimmano,
Interview, November 2011.

 

Arby is the token hit man. Unemotional, secretive, and stony, Arby is a part of The Network, and it's his sole job to hunt the group down. The past three years have been an incredible breakout for actor Jason Clarke (Lawless, The Great Gatsby, Zero Dark Thirty). His next project choices are no doubt going to be watched closely. The stoic villain with nuance is a role he could do so much with.


Photo by Aldo Rossi, Interview, September 2012.

 

Becky is also a member of the online forum that got them in all this trouble, but she's not involved for a love of comic books. The grad student is investigating the mysterious death of her father and its ominous connection to the Utopia manuscript. When The Network finds out about her involvement, she along with Ian, must give up her normal life to go on the run. Rooney Mara should play Becky for three reasons. David Fincher obviously loves her (The Social Network and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). She's proven her chops at the angsty-investigative type (and just in general) as the titular role in the latter movie. And, you know, Becky would be running from "The Network"... like The Social Network. Bad joke?


Photo by Mikael Jansson, Interview, March 2013.

 

Ian is a bored IT consultant still living with his mom before The Network puts out a hit on him. He ironically gets a taste of the life he's wished for when the Utopia manuscript quickly begins dismantling his life. When How to Make it in America ended, one thing was certain: we had seen far too little of Victor Rasuk. A return to HBO could be exactly the place for Rasuk to showcase his contagious restlessness, perfect for the role of Ian.

 

 

Unlike the rest of the lead cast, Jessica Hyde had no involvement in the online forum that caught The Network's attention by obtaining the shady manuscript. The Network has been pursuing her for much of her life, and she lives an isolated life because of it, but she'll prove helpful to the rest of The Network's newly minted targets. Jena Malone is coming off of a lauded turn as Johanna Mason in Catching Fire, but she's had an almost 20-year career with films like Into the Wild, Pride & Prejudice, and Step Mom. Malone's natural edge and confidence of demeanor make her compelling to watch, but the vulnerability she'd have to portray as Jessica is even more intriguing.

 

Eleven-year old Grant is a hardened kid pretending to be a wealthy banker on the comic book forum. His deception doesn't last for long, because when he goes to meet with the rest of the group he soon witnesses a murder, runs off with the manuscript, and becomes Target #1 for The Network. Ethan Cutkosky plays Carl Gallagher on the similarly imported UK to US drama, Shameless. As one of the most explosive and troublesome Gallaghers on the show (and that's saying a lot), Cutkosky could bring that angry, rebellious energy to the role of Grant.