I'm not half as pissy as this entry sounds, I'm actually LOLing at Titanic while I write this

[ninety6tears]

I don't know why it bothers me so much that people keep saying they want Kristen Bell to play Christine Chapel in the Star Trek franchise.

There are some who genuinely really like Kristen Bell as an actress, and they want a version of Chapel with quite a bit more spark this time around. That's completely fine by me.

What bothers me is that nine times out of ten, I feel like this suggestion comes up either because:

A) She's the first stereotypically attractive blond actress who pops into somebody's head, or even worse:

B) She has chemistry with Zachary Quinto, and "Chapel was always a love interest for Spock."


Chapel was not ever a possible love interest for Spock. She was continuously, for a time, enamored with Spock. She may have even earnestly loved him, the sweetheart, but the fact is that when the guy, WHILE HE IS EMOTIONALLY COMPROMISED UP THE WAZOO, responds to your confession of love by not only apologetically rejecting you but BEING REMINDED OF HIS MOTHER, it's time to move on. And it would be nice if, in our slightly more enlightened times, we brought back Chapel and made her more of an individual than an extension of anyone else's character development.

All the power to you if you ship Chapel/Spock or write Chapel/Spock or read Chapel/Spock. Hell, I have a fic in the works when they become much better friends than they were in TOS, I think it's potentially an interesting relationship. I've even said it could be kind of cute if it's just hinted at a couple times that Chapel is attracted to Spock but leave it at that. When it comes down to it, I would call it an obnoxious inconsistency of character if there was a requited Chapel/Spock thing in the films (Not to mention I'd love it if they still made Uhura and Chapel good friends, and that might make that kind of awkward...). Just please for the love of god take SOMETHING into account besides WHO SHE WOULD LOOK GOOD MAKING OUT WITH when talking about who should goddamn play the character. I'll admit I'm guilty of considering who would have a good presence alongside Karl Urban's Bones, but that's because it's practically inevitable that they will be in scenes together if they actually give this character a role, and in the end I'd be happy with whoever they cast as long as she has the right gravitas.
And while this rant isn't really about my subjective preference, I don't think Bell's got it. When I read fic I imagine Chapel as more of an Uma Thurman.


SECOND ORDER OF BUSINESS.

WHERE IS THE RED FIC?



I can't be the only person who thought this movie was fun. If there's a friggin' Losers fandom there should be a Red fandom. Right? *wibbles*

Comments

[jouissant.livejournal.com]

Ooh, Majel Barrett kinda looks like Uma Thurman. I can see it. What I can't see is KBell as Chapel, as much as I &hearts her.

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

Yeah, she's always reminded me of Thurman a little bit.
If anything, I could see Kristen as more of a Rand.

[jouissant.livejournal.com]

Definitely, younger and spunkier. I think she could rock the Rand hair.
I see Chapel as a bit older and kind of grave, what with the missing fiance and all.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_tehrin/]

I love KBell, but I can't see her as Chapel either. Especially since she's worked with Zachary Quinto before. They're great actors, but if they were on screen again together, I'd be reminded of Sylar and Elle. Which would ruin it for me a bit.

[idkmybffironman.livejournal.com]

Veronica Mars just isn't badass enough to replace Majel Barrett. I love her and all, but no. Just no.

[jolinar-rosha.livejournal.com]

who thinks that Chapel was a love interest for Spock? Have they ever seen TOS? Like you said, Chapel was in love with Spock for a while, but this was never reciprocal.

Also, Kristen Bell? No. I don't see her as Chapel at all. Don't ask me why, I just don't. We need someone a bit more... yeah, like Uman Thurman, I guess. :P or, the actress who played Kara in Legend of the Seeker. A character *completely* unlike Chapel, but I can see the actress in the role, easily. With that spark, too.

Finally, what is this Red film and why don't I know about it?! When did it come out?!

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

Red came out here about two weeks ago, I think. It's based on a comic miniseries which is also awesome - the movie is a lot more humorous than the comics but still really violent and it has this totally flail-worthy cast including Bruce Willis who I just looove.

[jolinar-rosha.livejournal.com]

Bruce Willis?! Comic book mini-series?!

ok hold on, I need to research this....

... aaand apparently it comes out here on November 4th! YAY!! :DDD

[oldgurl.livejournal.com]

*random lj user jumping in with random observation*

Hudson Leick would make an awesome Chapel. she would bring an awesome amount of fierceness and maturity to a fairly young crew (minus Bones). plus i'd love to see her on screen again.

*ends random observation*

p.s - can't wait to read your ST!bb.

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

I've never seen Hudson Leick in anything, I don't think, but I do like the look of her.
And thanks, I hope you like the BB if you read it :)

late comment diggity-doo

[mutantjules.livejournal.com]

I love Kristen Bell with my whole heart, and I think she could play almost anyone. But she's not at all who I'd think of for Chapel, who always had a wistful, almost melancholy sense about her, and like you said, Bell's too sparky unless they were to futz with her character a bit. Uma could be EXCELLENT but everybody in the reboot is so damn much younger! I totally got this idea from someone else on lj, but I secretly want Rosamund Pike as Chapel. She can do the strong-poised-working-woman-with-a-secret-squishy-heart, and also her and Karl have worked together before and had total chemistry even though they were playing siblings

It would probably delight me if her and Spock had a ~moment in the next movie, but I don't want it to go anywhere. I still kinda hope he saves her life on an away mission or something, not in a big sweeping romantic way, but something you could totally see her developing a crush on him over. But really it'd just be for a moment. DAMMIT WHY CAN I NOT WRITE THIS THING

also, dying to see Red. it looks SUPER-fun!

Re: late comment diggity-doo

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

I would seriously die over a Chapel-has-a-total-crush-on-him-but-doesn't-even-know-that-she-does type thing, or something equally subtle, yeah. I mean, I know that we want her to be this super-strong woman, but people are cute and silly with their crushes sometimes, and hell, anyone who's a nurse is secretly a BAMF by default, IMO. Anyway, I'm shamelessly into the Chapel/McCoy idea (I don't generally care about the canon romance, but Bones should seriously be getting some) and for some reason I find that ship twice as cute if she starts off liking Spock, in ways I can't even explain.

Yes, yes, see Red :D