Roland Deschain Was Modeled on a Western Icon
Stephen King’s gunslinger is a lean, white, blue-eyed man whose look was heavily inspired by Clint Eastwood. Idris Elba’s Roland in The Dark Tower intentionally abandoned that physical template.
Armand Was Supposed to Look 15
Anne Rice described Armand as an auburn-haired boy who appears to be about 15. The 1994 Interview with the Vampire instead cast 34-year-old Antonio Banderas with long dark hair.
James Bond Was Not Blonde
Ian Fleming’s Bond is six feet tall with short black hair, blue-gray eyes, and a prominent scar on his right cheek. Daniel Craig’s blond Bond immediately broke with one of 007’s clearest physical trademarks.
Frankenstein’s Monster Never Had That Famous Head
Mary Shelley describes the creature with translucent yellow skin, flowing black hair, pearly teeth, watery eyes, and black lips. Boris Karloff’s flat-headed monster created an entirely different image that became far more famous.
Dracula Originally Had a White Mustache
When Jonathan Harker first meets Dracula, he sees a tall old man dressed in black with a long white mustache. Bela Lugosi’s slick-haired, clean-shaven Count became the look everyone copied instead.
Jo March Was Tall and Awkward
Louisa May Alcott describes Jo as very tall and thin, with long limbs, big hands and feet, round shoulders, and a generally coltish appearance. Winona Ryder made for a much more petite Jo in Little Women.
