Originally Posted by Charlatan

I know when I am making a film, we make a list of actors for various roles. We put them in order of perference and work through the list until someone agrees to make the film.

I am going through this right now and it sucks. Each actor brings something different to a role and can change the tone an meaning of a film entirely... not to mention their value in terms of their box office or video sales draw.

Just imagine any role writen for a woman in her late 20s. Think about each one of these women in that role and you will see what I mean.
Elisha Cuthbert
Eliza Dushku
Maggie Gyllenhaall
Heather Graham
Laura Prepon
Claire Danes
Mena Suvari
Jill Hennessey
Amanda Peet
Michele Monaghan
Rose McGowan

Casting really is everything. Your actor is your film (when it comes down to it). It's one of the reasons they get paid so much.