Fan Casting A Live-Action Spirited Away From Studio Ghibli

2001’s Spirited Away is a beloved Studio Ghibli classic that has only aged better with time. However, given the trend of live-action remakes of animated films, it wouldn’t be surprising if this Japanese Oscar-winner also gets a live-action adaptation.

In this case, a fine set of actors can be cast to ensure the right homage is paid to the source material. This would include both fresh faces and seasoned veterans along with an ensemble of motion-capture maestros. The importance of the latter can be stressed from the fact that Spirited Away‘s surreal themes make way for several fantasy creatures.

8 Chihiro Ogino – Noel Cho

Noel Cho is just one movie old with Lee Isaac Chung’s must-watch Minari but her supporting role was such that it did bring her to the spotlight. Even though she didn’t share as much screentime as her on-screen sibling Alan Kim, the role of Anne suited her calm composure. She played an obedient daughter who wishes to help her immigrant Korean parents by any means possible.

It would be interesting to find Cho essaying the Spirited Away protagonist Chihiro Ogino. Unwillingly drawn to a larger conspiracy because of the folly of her elders, the bratty Chihiro unexpectedly ends up becoming a valiant survivor. This transition from a socially awkward pre-teenager to a mature heroine would allow Noel Cho to explore more of her dramatic prowess.

7 Haku – Jyo Kairi

Japanese child actor Jyo Kairi’s filmography includes The Promised Neverland, Erased, and the critically-acclaimed Oscar nominee Shoplifters in which he played the part of an orphan called Shotta. His acting largely benefits from an effortless charm as well as youthful angst.

Spirited Away‘s secondary lead Haku would be a perfect fit for Kairi because of the multiple shades in his character. Be it in his human form or as the White Dragon, Haku’s moods can shift from caring to strict. Even in Shoplifters, Kairi’s character appears a high-strung individual who opens up with time. Playing Haku would be a perfect update on his star-making role.

6 Yubaba And Zeniba – Imelda Staunton

Imelda Staunton is such a versatile actress that she can make audiences fall in love with her and also despise her. In the fantasy genre, she’s popular as Dolores Umbridge, the Harry Potter villain who serves as the evil interim headmistress of Hogwarts. She accurately played the literary character, instilling fear with her expressions and villainous smile. At the same time, Staunton has also had her fair share of positive characters such as the witch Knotgrass in Maleficent.

In Spirited Away, Yubaba and Zeniba are identical witches who largely differ in terms of their personality traits. While Yubaba is inherently controlling and dangerous, Zeniba is very hospitable and helpful. Hence, it would be very amusing to find Staunton play both polar opposites in a single film.

5 Stink Spirit And Boh – Andy Serkis

When it comes to the art of motion-capture acting, Andy Serkis is a veteran with iconic roles such as Gollum, and Caesar, and many other classic characters.

It would only make sense for Serkis to provide the movements and voice for iconic Ghibli characters like the Stink Spirit and Boh. Even though Serkis has played humanoid characters, he has also donned the roles of those that bear a large and intimidating physique like King Kong in Peter Jackson’s titular remake and Snoke in the Star Wars franchise. Playing equally bulky characters like the Stink Spirit and Boh should come to him easily given his vast experience.

4 Kamaji – Jeff Goldblum

Over the past few years, Jeff Goldblum’s appearances have been strange and wholesome. Having played ‘geeky’ characters in Jurassic Park and Independence Day, he has also had a reputation as a diverse character actor. As a GQ interview dubbed him, he’s ‘the new model of 21st-century eccentricity.’

Kamaji’s hipster appearance and bizarre ways of talking might suit Goldblum whose last fantasy character was that of the Grandmaster in Thor: Ragnarok. The mustache and the glasses are also very similar to that of the evil scientist Dr. Eggman from Sonic, yet another ‘Goldblum-like’ character. The eight-armed operator of the Bathhouse boiler room would only make Goldblum retain his laidback charm.

3 Lin – Awkwafina

After starting out as a comedian and a rapper, Awkwafina is also building her filmography with roles in dramas like The Farewell as well as fantasy flicks like Raya and the Last Dragon and Shang-Chi. Rather than being typecast, she is sinking her teeth into all sorts of roles to show both her dramatic prowess and comedic presence.

However, if one thing that’s common in her roles is the sheer positivity that she brings to the screen. Lin would be a more mature role for her while also allowing her to showcase that positivity yet again. The character is introduced as a worker at Yubaba’s Bathhouse and later becomes Chihiro’s caretaker, giving her some much-needed emotional support and guidance.

2 No-Face – Doug Jones

Doug Jones’s lean and lanky frame is known to fans of fantasy and horror movies by Guillermo Del Toro having played beastly creatures in The Shape of Water, Hellboy, and Pan’s Labyrinth. No stranger to heavy makeup and visual effects, Jones’s presence as No-Face would complete a Spirited Away remake.

Even though the spirit has no dialogue, it appears as a lonely being who continuously follows the protagonist and reacts to her emotions. Jones has similarly played numerous characters without speaking a single word and yet being highly emotive.

1 Chihiro’s Parents – Benedict Wong And Ali Wong

Benedict Wong is most popular for playing the MCU character Wong, a master of the Mystic Arts. Even though he has his serious parts, Wong’s character can also be bumbling and playful at times. Comedian and actress Ali Wong similarly is filled with bubbling energy that she brings in her roles in films such as Always Be My Maybe and her comedy specials.

If they bring such moods to a live-action Spirited Away, Benedict Wong and Ali Wong can be cast as Chihiro’s parents Akio Ogino and Yuko Ogino. In what seems like a stark contrast, the 10-year-old Chihiro turns out to be more mature and responsible than her parents. The latter succumb to gluttony and turn into pigs. Even though Chihiro makes it her mission to rescue them, the Oginos are mostly used for comic relief which the aforementioned actors can easily provide.

About The Author

Shaurya Thapa
(727 Articles Published)

See also  The Office: Proof That Dwight Was Actually The Good Guy (& Why Jim Was The Antagonist)

Shaurya Thapa is an Indian freelance journalist who mostly dabbles in writings on cinema, music, and human interest features. When it comes to Screen Rant, he writes lists on a wide array of subjects ranging from international films to mainstream Netflix series and comic book trivia. He also hosts a podcast called ‘BhindiWire’, an Indian parody of IndieWire.

More From Shaurya Thapa