Raynell Maxson - Skye Barrett

Raynell is 7 years old. Innocent and are interested in growing plants (90-91) which signifies rebirth and innocence; no taint from the past of Troy would leave a mark in her character as she grows into womanhood. She is obedient towards Rose as evidenced by her hastening to do as Rose tells her. Rose says, “Raynell… get on upstairs and get on upstairs and get that dress on like I told you” (93). Without quibbling she goes upstairs and changes. Skye Barret is how Raynelle will look in my Fences play. Young and free from all the emotional baggages that adults carry.

Cory Maxson - Tupac Shakur

 There are no physical or character descriptions of Cory in the play. He is 17 years old, that is simply an assumption as Troy and Rose have been married for 18 years. He plays football, so he must be fit. Found this picture of Tupac and he definitely can play the character of Cory Maxson. He loves and feels protective of his mother Rose, when Troy was hurting Rose, “Cory comes up behind Troy and grabs him… Cory throws a glancing blow that catches him on the chest and knocks him down” (72). The Marines honed the sinews of his body seven years later when he comes back home for Troy’s funeral. As you can see, Tupac has honed his body into a fighting machine.  

Gabriel Maxson - Michael Clarke Duncan

Gabriel’s character is special. According to the book, he is “46 years old, has a metal plate in his head, an injury during World War II.” The actor I had in mind for Gabriel is Michael Clarke Duncan who played John Coffey in the movie, Green Mile. Mr. Duncan has such an open, happy and innocent face that he can play Gabriel Maxson very well. Gabriel “believes with every fiber of his being that he is the Archangel Gabriel”(24).  John Coffey was unearthly, he had the ability to heal. Gabriel is in his belief that he is Archangel Gabriel is also otherworldly. He is certainly not aware or conscious that his brother Troy took his money and bought the house, yet he has to pay rent. Like his namesake, Gabriel Maxson is powerful, but gentle: a protector as was evidenced by “That’s the hell hounds. I got to chase them out of here. Go on get out of here! Get out!” (27). Michael C. Duncan is such a big man, but he is gentle; exactly like Gabriel.

Lyons Maxson - John Legend

John Legend embodies Lyon’s look and personality. I cannot recall watching him in any movies, but during my search for this role, I stumbled on this attractive, clean-cut African American singer/actor. He sports a  “neatly trimmed goatee” (13), even his clothing in the picture match the description in the book: “sport coat, white shirt, tieless and buttoned at the collar” (13). The character description in the book, give me a sense that he is not serious, stable, salt of the earth type of person, but more of the creative and sanguineous bent. “Though he fancies himself a musician, he is more caught up in the rituals and “idea” of being a musician than in the actual practice of the music.”  A singer/actor will be able to comprehend what Lyons is going through. Mr. Legend is both an actor and singer, he is competent enough to play Lyon’s character.

Rose Maxson - Eartha Kitt

I chose Eartha Kitt (in her 40s) for Rose as there is hidden, tensile strength in Ms. Kitt’s small and vulnerable person. There is no physical description of Rose in the book, but her sassiness and strength is plainly seen in the play. As this passage states, “I told him if he wasn’t the marrying kind, then move out the way so the marrying kind could find me” (6). The book also alludes to her attractiveness as evidenced by Troy stating, “I looked here. Looked there. Saw Rose and latched on to her” (6). Ms. Kitt is an attractive and sensual woman, in this aspect she could play Rose. There is also strength emotionally and mentally, as evinced by her character as Cat Woman. Rose displays this emotional and mental strength when she found out that Troy will be a daddy. Here is what she said in page 70-71:

Don’t you think it ever crossed my mind to want to know other men? That I wanted to lay up somewhere and forget about my responsibilities? That I wanted someone to make me laugh so I could feel good? You not the only one who’s got wants and needs. But I held on to you, Troy. I took all my feelings, my wants and needs, my dreams… and I buried them inside of you… I planted myself inside you and waited to bloom…I gave everything I had to try and erase the doubt that you wasn’t the finest man in the world…. Cause that’s the only way I was gonna survive as your wife.

It takes emotional and mental strength to erase any doubts you have so that you can survive and keep the life she had.

Jim Bono - Laurence Fishburne

 Laurence Fishburne as Bono is a good foil for Samuel L. Jackson’s Troy as he has a quieter mien than Mr. Jackson. In many of the movies I have watch him in, he has played characters where he is passionately committed to a cause. In Bono’s situation, he is committed to his friendship with Troy (1). In terms of his personality, he is emulating his ideal that is Troy, “His commitment to their friendship of thirty-odd years is rooted in his admiration of Troy’s ‘honesty,’ capacity for hard work, and his strength, which Bono seeks to emulate” (1).  Emulation, the copying, becomes a reality and becomes embedded in a person’s character and personality; So Bono, after 30 years or so, must be honest, a hard worker, and emotionally and physically strong. With Mr. Fishburne’s talent, he can personify Bono wonderfully. 

Troy Maxson - Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson epitomizes the character of Troy Maxson. He has a big, larger than life personality, and the African heritage is very strong and stamped in his physique. His personality and character, Mitch Hennessey, in the movie The Long Kiss Goodnight, fit the character of Troy. He is loud, vulgar and is quite a ladies man, as was stated in the book, “Troy is usually the most talkative and at times he can be crude and almost vulgar…”(1). In terms of physical similarities, Mr. Jackson is a middle-aged man, about 6 feet 2 ½ inches tall of solid muscle, flesh and bone. Troy’s physical description is “fifty-three years old, a large man…; it is this largeness that he strives to fill out and make an accommodation with.” (1) Even though Troy could be crude and vulgar, “he is capable of rising to profound heights of expression.” Jackson is such a capable and talented actor, that he embodies Troy’s character and fit him to a Tee.