MovieChat Forums > The Rat Pack (1998) Discussion > William Petersen as JFK?!?

William Petersen as JFK?!?

posted 20 years ago by TimmyAnn
24 replies | jump to latest

I absolutely adore William Petersen (drool, slobber, pant...), but he looks about as much like JFK as Tom Hanks* does (which is to say not at all!!!). Why on earth they cast him in that role is beyond me!!!!!!!

*randomly selected celebrity who bears no resemblance to JFK
EDIT: OMG, I just noticed that they cast Zjelko Ivanek as Bobby Kennedy!?!?!? Did they think they were casting a radio play?!?
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Oh, you can't do that with a ping-pong ball!!!

[–] Steviardo 20 years ago

Apart from Don Cheadle and Joe Mantegna the same could be said about pratically the rest of the entire cast,mate!

"He said I looked like Boris Karloff..." Arsenic and Old Lace

[–] TimmyAnn 20 years ago

True, but as a huge William Petersen fan, that is the one that just freaked me out. Especially the fake teeth! Make-up people, please, don't mess up Billy's beautiful mouth!!

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What's with today today?...Lucas

[–] cactusx 19 years ago

I don't think they could have cast a better Dean Martin than Joe Mantegna

[–] FrankZitto 19 years ago

Joe had the face, but he was bit too pudgy to play Dean. Dean was a slim man, and Joe did an awful job trying to sound like Dean. Ray Liotta was very bad as Frank. He was more like his character in Goodfellas. He spoke too fast for Frank, he was too tall to be Frank, and Frank had a stiffness to him, especially in his neck. The guys who played the Kennedy Brothers had the voices down, but they were pretty bad too. The only one who really looked just like the real role in which they played, was the one who played Ava Gardner, and the guy who played Moe, Moe. Cheadle as Sammy was great, his voice wasn't deep enough for Sam, but he really pulled it.

[–] gudmjon 19 years ago

I agree with you. Don Cheadle was most convincing but I thought Mantegna as Dean Martin was awful.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] joe_538 9 years ago

Mantegna's Dean Martin came off more like a guy doing an impersonation than an acting performance.

[–] ijonesiii 19 years ago

I have seen a lot worse movie JFK's over the years that were a lot more offensive than Petersen's interpretation.

[–] Newmanator 18 years ago

Angus Mcfayden as Peter was almost spot on

[–] ashwingardium 18 years ago

Angus Mcfayden as Peter was almost spot on

I thought he was fabulous - the reason I got the DVD

[–] nixon7 18 years ago

guy who played bobby wasnt right either

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] TimmyAnn 18 years ago

Yes, it does matter. I don't expect the actor to look exactly like the person, but if everytime I look at him I am thinking that he looks nothing whatsoever like the person they are playing, it takes me "out of the movie" as the critics say. I find it hard to believe they couldn't find someone who bore at least a passing resemblance to JFK to play the part.

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Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls would scarcely get your feet wet.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] TimmyAnn 18 years ago

Isn't she a computer generated character to begin with, like form a game or something?

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Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls would scarcely get your feet wet.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] majestic-man 17 years ago

I'd say that William Petersen was cast because although his facial resemblance to Kennedy was not similar, he made a photogenic JFK who was much more handsome than the real President.

[–] ButterfieldBaby 17 years ago

This movie may be entertaining, but it is without a doubt (as far as i've seen) the most miscast film ever.

[–] gieret 15 years ago

They cast William Petersen to be JFK because he is such a great actor he can convince you he is anybody! The fake teeth freaked me out a tad bit, though. I think he did a great job in the role. All of them were well cast except Ray Liotta. I like him and he's a good actor, but I never thought for one minute that he was Frank Sinatra. Have you seen Petersen in "The Kennedy's of Massachusetts"? He plays Joe in that and it is really good, but freaky. He actually shaved his hair off to get the correct hair line in Joe's later years. I forgot I was watching Petersen, he became Joe Kennedy. He's just that good.

[–] gd5150 10 years ago

He was great when it came out. Now everyone knows his as Mr. CSI so its a little weird.

[–] TimmyAnn 10 years ago

I knew who he was before CSI. In fact he is the reason I started to watch that show in the first place, but I just can't see him playing JFK. He looks absolutely nothing like him.

I do not have attention deficit disor...Ooh, look at the bunny! 

[–] gd5150 10 years ago

You should check out Manhunter. Interesting flick in so many ways. It's like CSI meets Miami Vice. Peterson is good in it.

[–] TimmyAnn 10 years ago

I have Manhunter on VHS and plan to get it on DVD. Like I said, I knew who he was before he became Gil Grissom.

I do not have attention deficit disor...Ooh, look at the bunny! 