I see that George R.R. Martin is announcing some of the casting for the Song of Fire and Ice series on HBO: Ser Jorah Mormant, Dany Targaryen, Robb Stark, and Jaime Lannister, among others (I really like the looks of the actors for Dany and Jaime).  How exciting that must be for him!  To see your characters take on their flesh and blood incarnations!

I've thought about who might play the parts in some of my stories after I've written them, but there's also a game you can play that is the reverse of that: find a picture of a person you think is interesting, and then write a story that fits who you think they are.  I remember an English class in high school where my teacher brought in a bunch of pictures of people from magazines and put them on the wall.  We were to pick one and write their story, sort of like the Spoon River Anthology.

I do a variation of this sometimes by watching music videos.  Some of the singers have such an interesting look, and songs can often be about attitude, that their appearance in the videos suggest a character for a story.  I'd love to do a story (or series of stories!) with the character I imagine from watching Lou Bega in Mambo #5.  He looks like a perfect rogue.  (I would have used "maverick," but the latest political campaign poisoned the word for me).  I also really like the attitude and look of Alison Krause in Gone Gone Gone.

Have any of you played the casting game, or done the reverse, like I've done here?  Or are their actors who you think would be perfect if they ever filmed your favorite book or story?