When we hear the names Siegfried and Roy today, most people automatically think back to the unfortunate accident in 2003 that ended the careers of the magician duo. During a show on October 3, 2003, Roy Horn was attacked by one of his trained white tigers, Mantacore. Roy survived that attack along with Siegfried, and their lives have never been the same. There’s so much more to the story of Siegfried and Roy apart from that particular incident, and a biopic about their lives and careers is something that’s probably long overdue. It would take the right actors to play the parts; so if we were to cast a Siegfried and Roy biopic, these are the names we’d like to see.
1. Christoph Waltz
The talents of this famous Austrian actor are undeniable. The Oscar-winning actor hasn’t been around that long in the American scene, but he’s proven to be invaluable in the industry. Ever since director Quentin Tarantino discovered him back in 2008 and cast him in Inglorious Basterds (2009),his work has been nonstop. Truth is Waltz has been acting since the late 70s, and his experience has made him one of the best actors of this time. We believe that Waltz would be perfect to portray an older Siegfried circa 2000s–around the time when the infamous accident happened. During that time, Siegfried was around the age as Waltz is today. We believe that Waltz would provide the intensity and characterization needed to portray the drama surrounding Siegfried’s life around the early 2000s. Waltz is incredibly believable as a dramatic actor, and we’ve never really seen take on a role with much color and flamboyance as that of Siegried’s.
2. Nicolas Cage
Roy Horn suffered an incredible tragedy doing something he loved. The story of his career can’t be any more heartbreaking than it was–except for the fact that he actually survived a tiger attack in front of thousands and lived to tell the tale. If we know of any other survivor in Hollywood, it would have to be Nicolas Cage. Cage has been acting ever since he was a teenager, and his career has seen many ups and downs. Throughout it all, he’s managed to stay afloat and still relevant to this day. Cage has given us incredible works of artistry in the past, and we believe he would do Roy Horn justice. We can picture Cage portraying Roy during the time when the attack happened–as we can imagine a Siegfried and Roy biopic would revolve somewhat around the tragedy that happened in 2003. Cage is quite versatile in his acting. He can and probably has done it all. His an remarkable dramatist, but he’s also got enough flair to possibly portray a magician such as Roy.
3. Robert Sheehan
If flair is a requirement to play a magician, Irish actor Robert Sheehan could easily take the cake. There’s something over the top–in a good way–about the way Sheehan just carries himself, or perhaps it’s just the way he looks. Sheehan is probably most recently notable for his role in Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy (2019), but he’s done so much more than just that. The 31-year old actor has been actively acting since the early 2000s, and he’s got the skills to show just that kind of experience. He’s done a lot of work on Irish television, but he can be seen on many other American films as well. We can definitely see Sheehan portraying a younger Roy, during the time when he was just beginning to establish a career alongside Siegfried. The two moved to Las Vegas in the 60s, and they’ve never really turned back since. Roy’s life in Vegas was as interesting as the man himself, and Sheehan on that role is something that we’d love to see on screen.
4. Evan Peters
His name might not be as familiar as it should be, but Peters’ face is something that most people would recognize. Peters has long been a staple character on one of television’s most successful anthologies, American Horror Story. Evan Peters may also be recognizable as Quicksilver in the most recent X-Men film installments. There’s something understated about Peters’ acting. It’s almost mysterious in some sense, and it leaves audiences wanting for more. That’s definitely not a bad thing when it comes to film. We believe that Evan Peters would be perfect to portray a younger Siegfried. Siegfried is actually older than Roy by a few years, and he was the one that had the initial penchant for performance magic. Siegfried met Roy while working on a cruise ship as a magician performer, and he actually used Roy as an assistant on stage. The rest was history from there. The two connected, and Siegfried will remain to be Roy’s best friend to this very day. Evan Peters exudes that kind of loyalty in his persona, and loyalty will certainly be one of the main themes of a Siegfried and Roy biopic.
5. Paul Giamatti
The duo of Siegfried and Roy was great, but their business wouldn’t have been as great if their management wasn’t. Thanks to their longtime manager, Bernie Yuman, that became a nonissue for the performing artists. Bernie Yuman is a well-known Las Vegas production management pro, and he was the person that saw Siegfried and Roy to their success. He was also there at the end when the magicians were ready to say goodbye to the stage and close that part of their lives forever. We can’t think of anyone better to play the role of Yuman other than the amazing Paul Giamatti. Giamatti needs no introduction, and all of his awards are a testament to his acting talents. He may have started his career in comedy, but we all know that he’s an incredible drama actor as well. The role of Bernie Yuman in a Siegfried and Roy biopic is just as important as the magicians themselves, and Giamatti’s acting style seems to be just the perfect fit.
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