Casting Couch: Meet ‘Water for Elephants’ Old Jacob!

Posted on May 5, 2010 by

‘Water for Elephants’ director Francis Lawrence tweeted some casting news today! Hal Holbrook has been cast as Old Jacob. Of the casting, Lawrence said, “I got my first choice! The great Hal Holbrook is playing old Jacob.”

We’re definitely seeing a resemblence!

Jacob - Young and Old

Filming of ‘Water for Elephants’ begins May 22 in Santa Paula, California.

What do you think about this casting choice?

Follow @h2oforelephants on Twitter and Facebook!

This entry was posted in Casting, Francis Lawrence, Hal Holbrook, Water for Elephants and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.
  • RoslynSelene

    Sure does look like him. Nice choice!

  • Ginaransom

    *gigglefit* the resemblance is uncanny!! No, seriously.. They look similar… Interesting.

  • http://robert-pattinson.ca Just A Girl

    Crazy eyebrows, very similar eye colour plus I think Hal gives good cantankerous old dood! Nice choice Francis!

  • http://tinkrbe1l3.wordpress.com tinkrbe1l3

    i like the pictures! the tuxes…they really do match up well :)

  • Kelli

    I think it’s perfect!! so excited….

  • kphrase

    Such a wonderful choice! Hal is an icon… :-)

  • Anne-Marie Witte

    Fantastic choice. Hal Holbrook is a great actor and will play the older Jacob to perfection.

  • floryp

    They do look alike! It’s a good choice!

  • Sus

    I love Hal Holbrook! I was hoping they’d age Rob like they did Brad Pitt in “Benjamin whateverhisnamewas”, but Hal is a great choice! I bet it will be nice for him to go back to work after the recent death of his wife, Dixie Carter!

  • Dee

    Great choice. I can’t wait for filming to start.

  • http://www.myrobertpattinson.com Jen aka MRP

    I think it is a BRILLIANT pick! This director is hitting the nail on the head over and over! So very excited for this flick!

  • Carol

    Great choice. Hal Holbrook is an icon in movies, theater and tv. I can’t wait for this movie. The book was awesome.

  • Susan

    Great addition to a spectacular cast!!!

  • Marystat

    To sound like Chandler from Friends, can this movie GET any better?? :-) .

  • passionsonsflower

    Kudos to Frances Lawrences.
    Holbrook has such a vast body of work as a much beloved character actor. He could easily play all facets of old Jacob. This movie will do great things for all involved parties. Oh yeah and you ladies @ the Forgery are total bad asses!!! Many thanks

  • http://twitter.com/PunkyBumpkin PunkyBumpkin

    Awesome! I really love Hal Holbrook. I think he’s a great choice!

  • tribecca

    I couldn’t be happier. Hal Holbrook is a wonderful actor and the PERFECT choice for the older Jacob Janowski. I have a feeling this movie is going to be Oscar-worthy for sure. :)

    • http://deficiente-eficiente.blogspot.com @patiuka

      Me too! It’s a great choice! And I confess I’m trying the best I can to not have any impure thoughts with Mr. Jankowski in respect of his old age…lol — just kidding! Can’t wait for this movie. This is something really big, something that really deserves and should be nominated for Oscar.

  • Chris

    Mr. H will make a great 90 something Jacob. I am on chapter 4 now of the book and I am inserting Rob in younger Jacob.

  • Denise

    Hal Holbrook is a great choice and so happy for director that he got who he wanted. He will play the elderly cantankerous Jacob to perfection.

  • Michelle F.

    Phenomenal choice! Both are superb actors! Even more excited to see the movie now!

  • apotampkin

    perfect perfect perfect!!!! So excited!!

  • Jenny

    just perfect……

  • apotampkin

    PS I just showed this to my husband because we’ve been listening to the audio book together, and he thought it was perfect too. But then he said “they’ve already got old Bella” and I’m like “what??” … then he realised this was nothing to do with Twilight. Keep up man!!! lulz

  • Peggy

    I was really hoping that the director would actually have Robert Pattinson play Jacob when he is older. It would have been a great opportunity for Rob to stretch his acting talents and if the make-up transformation was done really well ( such as Benjamin Button) it would have been great to have Rob throughout the entire movie. I just finished reading the book, whick is really good and can’t wait to see the book on film!

  • Madonna Meier

    Great choice! I do see facial similarities and Hal Holbrook is a great actor. He will do older “Jacob” justice.

  • Mirt

    Ah! Fantastic choice. Couldn’t be more pleased.

  • freak4sparkle

    I love it love it love it!! I never even thought about Hal Holbrook, PERFECT!!! I’m even more excited
    now!!’

  • AliceCullen

    Great choice! As I read the book (& loved it) I kept wondering how they would/could age Rob to 90 (or 93 ;) ). There’s not enough make-up in the world to disguise that beautiful face! But casting Hal Holbrook is perfect. This movie will be great! Can’t wait to see Rob interact with all those animals and with Reese who (if you all don’t know) played his mother in the alternate ending of Vanity Fair which was cut from the film but on the DVD.

  • mimi

    holy crap! really great choice. the similarities are amazing. makes me wonder if they not only looked at current headshots, but also looked at older pics of the actors when they were younger. kudos on an excellent choice, mr. lawrence.

  • Alexia Pons

    Yes, Rob could look a lot like him when he is over 90. He looks elegant, a has a great face, easy to like, as I assume Old Uncle Robbie will be.
    Excellent choice!!!

  • Sally Silvaggio

    Keanna Reeves would have been a good choice for Jacob, young and old, I think he could have played both parts easily.

  • Vivianecelke

    I loved. Very good…..

  • MerryWife

    [giggling] In the late 60s, I had a school-girl crush on Hal Holbrook (while he was in the Bold Ones). Now, I have a middle-aged crush on Rob and STILL think Hal Holbrook is a cutie! Perfect casting for a great book.

  • http://robsessedvenezuela.blogspot.com/ RobsessedVenezuela

    I must say I’m fascinated with this movie. The love Hal Hobrock and Rob

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