AI ANALYSIS OF THE BELMONT

Casting Suggestions:

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I asked Gemini for castings suggestions. Here are the recommendations:

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Eva Novikova: Ana de Armas/Margot Robbie

"Jigsaw" John Doyle: Oscar Isaac

Dr. Benson: Stanley Tucci

Jeffrey: Paul Bettany

Henshaw: Toby Jones

George: John Slattery

Senator Harmon: Jeff Daniels

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Evalina (Eva) Novakova

Character Vibe: Late 20s/Early 30s. A beautiful, world-weary Czech émigré living a luxurious, but precarious, life as a high-end mistress/fixer. She's cynical, street-smart ("Flatbush nice"), highly observant, and uses her sexuality as a weapon. She needs an actress who can manage a cutting, dry delivery while maintaining an air of glamorous vulnerability.

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Key Traits: Sharp wit, European sophistication, dramatic intensity, glamorous.

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Actress Rationale

Ana de Armas She possesses the classic Hollywood beauty, the slight foreign accent (often used to indicate sophistication/mystery), and has proven she can handle the required sharp dialogue and blend of vulnerability and toughness in films like Knives Out and Blonde.

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Margot Robbie Known for her ability to inhabit roles that require period glamour and a complex, ambitious inner life (e.g., Babylon). She can portray Eva's seductive confidence while maintaining the necessary sharp edge.

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Jeffrey Fontaine

Character Vibe: 40s or 50s. A decadent, effete social parasite—a man accustomed to high society but now operating on the fringes of the Great Depression elite. He is dismissive, casual about morality, and concerned only with his own comfort (lumbago, whiskey, borrowing Eva's services).

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Key Traits: Flamboyant, casually cruel, sickly/weak, relies on others.

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Actor Rationale

Paul Bettany He excels at playing characters who are sophisticated, verbally adept, and possess a slight air of detached, sometimes villainous, decadence. He can easily pull off the "delicately handsome" look and the condescending tone toward Eva.

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Detective John Doyle

Character Vibe: 30s-40s. The classic noir detective. Glacial, observant, highly intelligent, and utterly unimpressed by the glamour of the rich. He is an outsider whose skepticism is the primary engine of the investigation. He has a subtle chemistry with Eva, appreciating her intellect even as he suspects her.

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Key Traits: Glacial intensity, leonine face, skepticism, hard-boiled, quiet authority.

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Actor Rationale

Oscar Isaac He has the perfect "leonine face with contours cut like glass" and the ability to convey immense intelligence and suspicion with minimal dialogue. His quiet intensity would make the final scene with Eva (unzipping the dress, the power play) deeply compelling.

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Mr. Harold William "Harry" Henshaw

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Character Vibe: Mid-40s. A middle-aged, British shipping businessman. He is initially formal and all-business, but weak-willed, easily tempted, and clearly nervous about getting caught in a compromise. He is physically described as having "thinning hair, a half-moon belly, slopping shoulders, with a dimpled face and a snub nose," suggesting a man of comfort, not physical prowess, who is out of his depth.

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Key Traits: Middle-aged, portly, anxious, easily flattered/tempted, British reserve.

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Actor Rationale

Toby Jones He is masterful at playing highly respectable, slightly pathetic, and nervous characters. His physical presence and ability to portray stiff British formality crumbling under temptation would perfectly capture Henshaw's uncomfortable position at the dinner table.

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Dr. Benson

Character Vibe: 40s–60s. The medical examiner/coroner, and Detective Doyle's cynical confidant. He is intelligent, observant, and wryly philosophical, serving as the voice of reason (and sometimes doubt) for Doyle. His description of him removing and cleaning his spectacles suggests a meticulous, professional, and slightly academic presence. He is loyal to Doyle, but not afraid to call him out ("I’d almost think you’re going soft"). He also bravely (though unsuccessfully) grapples with the Stiletto Man.

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Key Traits: Meticulous, academic, dry wit, supportive of Doyle, professional, wears glasses.

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Actor Rationale

Stanley Tucci He exudes quiet intelligence and can deliver dry, knowing dialogue with precision and warmth. He would bring gravitas and a necessary paternal/elder statesman quality to his interactions with Doyle, making the "going soft" commentary feel earned.

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George Abbot (The Waiter/Accomplice)

Character Vibe: Late 40s–60s. A veteran of the hospitality industry, at once "amicable and impersonal." He is the quiet, observant fixture of the hotel, using his discretion as a cover for his criminal activities. He is described as having slicked-back hair and a long, craggy nose. His role is to be utterly unremarkable and trustworthy, making his eventual reveal as the Stiletto Man's accomplice (and the key orchestrator of Henshaw's lure) a subtle shock.

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Key Traits: Discreet, professional, cool demeanor, veteran waiter, secret accomplice, "craggy nose."

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Actor Rationale

John Slattery He possesses the perfect blend of polished, old-school charisma and underlying menace. He can easily play a professional role (like a veteran waiter) while suggesting a shrewd intelligence and hidden agenda beneath the surface, making his betrayal feel natural.

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Senator Harmon

Character Vibe: 50s–60s. A powerful, sophisticated, and casually dangerous American politician revealed to be a Nazi collaborator and the true mastermind. He is charismatic, philosophical about power, and utterly ruthless. His linen suit marks him as a recent traveler (from the Caribbean, covering his tracks). He must be able to command a scene with chilling political rhetoric (the "winning side" philosophy) before revealing himself as a cold-blooded killer.

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Key Traits: Authoritative, charismatic, philosophical villain, American politician/collaborator, composed

under pressure.

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Actor Rationale

Jeff Daniels He has the look of a distinguished, seasoned politician and is excellent at delivering dialogue that is simultaneously charming and deeply unsettling. He can pull off the switch from the friendly, philosophical dinner guest to the man with the Luger aimed at Doyle's back.