Canadutch
It’s the casting we’ve all been waiting for, the part that could either make or break this film, and well what can I say other than… eeeuuuuhhhhh???
I’m really not so sure about this one, not sure at all.
It’s Debbie Reynolds. Debbie Freakin Reynolds. Debbie annoying mom to Grace Adler on Will and Grace Reynolds. As Grandma Mazur? OUR endearing, old, batshit crazy grandma. Can she do it?
I don’t know.
I suppose I should be more supportive of her, seeing as one of the reasons I got my name was that my mother loved her Tammy Movies, but I can’t. I can’t help but question her in this role and even our name connection can’t keep me on her side.
Let’s have a look at what Grandma Mazur is meant to be.
From Wikipedia:
Grandma Mazur is Stephanie’s maternal grandmother. In Two For The Dough her real name is Edna. She lives in Stephanie’s parents’ house ever since her husband died of heart failure. In Lean Mean Thirteen Grandma Mazur uses his real name: Harry.
She is a woman unwilling to grow old, ever. Stephanie relates to Grandma Mazur more than any other member of her family. Beginning in Two For the Dough, Grandma Mazur begins to tag along on cases with Stephanie, often pulling a gun out of her purse at inappropriate moments. Grandma Mazur also frequents the local funeral parlors because they are the social center of the neighborhood. She sometimes peeks underneath the casket lid to see the dead body, causing hysteria in the parlor.
Grandma Mazur is also the official owner of Big Blue, a ’53 powder blue Buick that men love and women hate. The car is virtually indestructible, and Grandma Mazur got it from Stephanie’s Uncle Sandor. She moved in with Stephanie for a short periods of time during “Hot Six”. She also occasionally watches pay-per-view porn, on account that “The Weather Channel doesn’t have enough action”.
Ok, if you read that and have never read the books I suppose you’d think that Debbie Reynolds would be just as capable of playing this role as anyone. If you have read the books though, I’m sure you’ll be with me on this one. Grandma Mazur is old. Like OLDER THAN DIRT kind of old. The mental image you are given of her is that she is small and somewhat frail physically, a tiny little wrinkled crazy woman.
Debbie Reynolds is getting up there, sure, but she’s not that kind of old yet, and she just doesn’t have it. I don’t know what IT is but it’s that thing that makes you think OMG, She would be the perfect Grandma Mazur!
Sort of like you’d have with this lady…
Now that is a crazy ol’ grandma! She was quite possibly the only good thing about that show.
Let’s not forget my first choice…
Rappin’ Granny in the hizzouuuuuse!! I always thought Ellen Albertini Dow would make a great Grandma Mazur.
I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong. They can do a lot with makeup nowadays and she is a good actress. Perhaps with the right clothes, the right script, the right acting and the right director she just might be able to make us believe she is Grandma Mazur.
That’s a lot of things to have to get right though and they do, because I’m not convinced she is right.
The casting is starting to worry me a bit. I don’t think they made the right choice for Morelli and now this… I’m happy with the rest of the cast but these are important roles that if not done properly could ruin the movies for a lot of people who truly love the books.
What do you think? When you heard about the movie and imagined who would be cast as Grandma Mazur, how far down your mental list was she?
All I know is, she wasn’t even ON mine.
My husband would like to know who is playing Carl! :)
Not sure Debbie Reynolds can pull this one off… I love her, but not what I envisioned for this part. The granny of the Nanny would be perfect… or Cloise Leechman.
I think Beth Grant would be a great Mrs. Plum.
That is too funny. The entire time I’ve been reading this series I have pictured the grandmother from the Nanny being Grandma Mazur and then I see her picture here in your article. That’s great!
I also pictured someone much different for grandma mazur. I was thinking more like sophia off of golden girls. That is who pops into my mind when I read the books. And DEFINATELY sandra bullock for stephanie!! The rock for ranger and danny devito for vinnie. But we will see what the movie brings.
My first choice for Grandma Mazur has passed away (Sophia from Golden Girls)however Debbie Reynolds I think can pull it off;she was in a kid flick Halloweentown as the wiccan gramma and did a good job.
Morelli should be someone else;can’t think who tho.
Ranger I thought Benjamin Bratt (Ithink that’s his name; the cop in Catwoman opposite Halle Barrie?) Billie Dee William wld have been great 20 years ago…
Lula’s great.
I was thinking Sandra Bullock for Stephanie but Heigl works too.
Well salaries must surely play a part. Sandra Bullock and The Rock are not cheap — although I like that casting. Sometimes you have to go with who you can afford rather than who your dream cast would be. Not sure how ‘bankable’ Cloris Leachman or Betty White are these days but they are still big well-known names.
For me, the perfect Grandma Mazur would have been Estelle Getty (now deceased). With this cast, I don’t have high hopes for the movie. . . none of them even come close to what I imagine when I read the books. Not only that, every time a movie is made from a book I have enjoyed, the storyline doesn’t even come close to what was in the book.
As I an reading through the books I totally picture Grandma as Estelle Getty…cannot picture Debbie Reynolds at all.
Not liking the choices for Morelli or Ranger. Neither one has the magnetism that is written in the books. They don’t even have the looks. Pretty sad. Not sure I’ll watch the movie with those 2.
Seems to me neither of those guys are hot enough. Just so-so, considering all the hunks Hollywood has from which to choose. And Reynolds would have made a better Mom than a Grandma.
I COMPLETELY agree with you! I pictured Grandma Mazur as much older. Hopefully, they use alot of makeup and she has to be sassy and daring. As far as Morelli, I think he will be ok. RANGER IS HOT! I have wanted Stephanie to be played by Bullock. I can’t picture Heigl as Plum, but we shall see. I think Vinnie is PERFECT! He looks just like I pictured him! I LOVE these books and can’t wait to see the movie! (It better be good or I will be devastated!) Thanks for all of your work with this and keeping us updated!
As more and more of the casting is announced, I am starting to see a disturbing arrogance by the casting director. Do they even know there are well over a dozen books so far about these characters? There is no effort to comform to the physical characteristics of the characters, and often, this is quite important. For instance, Grandma Mazur is always described as very small woman. The reason they MUST keep her in character is that Grandma has a HUGE personality. The contrast with her tiny body is critical. Even Stephanie mentions how Grandma’s mind gets sharper as her body droops. So sad that careless casting can ruin a good movie, and Hollywood has gotten the idea they can do anything with make-up and acting. Janet Evanovich will certainly sell no books based on this movie.
I think that Betty White or Cloris Leachman would have been much better choices! They’ve really messed the casting up. I think The Rock should have been Ranger, the guy they cast is too wimpy! Tank should be VinDiesel. Nicholas Cage strikes me as a MUCH better Morelli. I haven’t heard who Lula is going to be, I think Queen Latifa could pull it off but I picture Lula larger than that! Not sure if I will even want to see this movie with the lousy casting they have in place.
Wanted to correct..I like suggestion of fehr for morelli..
Vaille — do you mean Oded Fehr? He is so freaking hot. I can totally see him doing it but is he too old? He would have to be a believable 30 year old.
Okay. I agree Debbie Reynolds not my pick. Grandma mazur..too important and needs to look as funny. Nanny lady for sure…joy behar as mom.Chris Evans as diesel. I like morelli pick from looks okay but Li
ke debt better. Don’t like ranger pick but the rock to poor actor. How about maybe vicky Lawrence as mother.
What a shame, in my opinion, the only person who could do Grandma Mazur justice would be Cloris Leachman!
Cloris Leachman was who I always pictured too.
SHE WOULD BE PERFECT! UGH!!!
Ellen Dow is exactly what I pictured when reading the book too! Debbie Reynolds is great, but she is what I pictured in my mind for Plum’s mom. Can’t wait to see the movie…lovin the books!
I believe that Debbie can pull it off. It’s great that she got this roll. I’ve seen her play old, and she is an actress full of talent. She has always been a favorite of mine, and I can really see her pulling this crazy lady off. She probably won’t mind the makeup that will be needed, and a wig would provide the red hair. I’m really looking forward to the movie’s release! Have been reading Stephanie Plum books for years.
NO NO NO! How can she be Grandma Mazur?? She looks more like the mother. I pray she can play a crazy old Grandma, because she is one of the best characters in the book! She is so wonderful, she had my macho husband hooked on the books and laughing his butt off. I am good with the rest of the cast, but this is a tricky character and she has to pull this off to make the movie work.
Olympia Dukakis would be good! Although Gerard Butler is about the HOTTEST thing out there, he still isn’t italian and is a little too old. Is there not an italian-american actor out there?
I totally agree that grandma mazur should be cast by Ellen Dow. She is funny. You never know how well they can make a character look with makeup etc. I mean look at Kristen stewart in the twilight series, she looked plain with brown hair and brown eyes. But in real life she has blond hair and blue eyes and looks so different. I do hope they make the cast look like we are all picturing them to look in the books. I guess we’ll all see..
I think Olympia Dukakis would make a great Grandm Mazur.
And Gerard Butler would make a good Morelli.
Olympia Dukakis is exactly who I picture as well!!!!!
Morelli has brown eyes and should be more Italian looking than the guy they picked.Vinnie is perfect ewwww.And Lula is too
I was just saying that this book would be a great show on tv.a movie too!
so when is it scheduled to come to life?
Debbie Reynolds is old as dirt. But I can’t see her dying her hair ‘red’.
No, no, no that woman looks nothing like Grandma Mazur! The lady from ‘The Nanny’ would have been much better, the books refer to Grandma Mazur’s saggy skin all the time and Stephanie regularly says things like ‘Gravity has not been kind to Grandma Mazur’ – Clearly she is meant to be really old and walnut looking, not all plasticy! What a terrible choice!
So I just started reading the books a couple of months ago. I love them.
I agree with you about Morelli, but to be honest, I can’t picture who could be play him. I can’t think of one italian actor that would fit. As I read the books I try to picture O’Mara and I still am unable to. As for Grandma Mazur, I am really okay with Debbie Reynolds. I think she can do it. I had pictured Dow but I think Reynolds is at least a better choice than that lady from the Nanny.
I am still sad about K. Heigl as Steph. Ann Hathaway would have been my choice.
The guy I always imagined to play Morelli, is the actor that played Will’s boyfriend on Will and Grace. He played a cop on that show. I think he would have been the perfect choice.
I really do agree with you about grandma Mazur. I much prefer Dow or the lady from Nanny. Even Betty White, although it seems we have had an overdose of her lately, I still think she’s great.Don’t know about Ranger, Rock would have been so much better and I never thought about the guy from Mars because he never stuck me as looking Italian. Still looking forward to the movie. Hope it lives up to my expectations. The books have all been great!!
I agree Grandma is definitely the one from the Nanny she would have been perfect!!!!!!!!!