Ever since the announcement of Christian Bale leaving Aaron Sorkin’s upcoming Steve Jobs biopic there is a huge buzz around the topic of who will pick up the role of the Apple tech guru. Ashton Kutcher proved in his tenure in the role during Jobs (and, let’s be honest, well before that), that he is not the man Hollywood wants to return to step into Steve Jobs’ venerable shoes.
Sorkin’s film (similarly titled Jobs), is likely to focus on Steve as a young man legendarily building a computer in his garage and will, presumably, touch upon his illness and death. With these criteria in mind, I present you with my choice for the TOP FIVE ACTORS WHO COULD PLAY STEVE JOBS
#5. COREY STOLL
Age: 38
What you know him from: Midnight in Paris, House of Cards, Ant-Man (upcoming)
Why he should get the Job: Corey Stoll has proved across his career – and notably in House of Cards – that he can play brilliant men and their complicated emotional lives under the pressure of success. He’s certainly bald, but if you slapped a hair piece on Stoll’s bald pate I think he could look young enough to tell the story honestly.
#4. MICHAEL KELLY
Age: 45
What you know him from: House of Cards, Chronicle, Man of Steel
Why he should get the Job: Michael Kelly brings a quiet dignity to the screen that I think is missing from a lot of his peers. He’s an older casting choice for Steve Jobs and it would be a stretch to see him in the earlier scenes, but Josh Brolin played George W. Bush in his 20s, so it’s not unheard of. Kelly would light up as the Apple icon’s professional persona – making announcements, introducing products and spit-balling ideas in high-pressure situations.
#3. JAMIE BAMBER
Age: 41
What you know him from: Battlestar Galactica, Dollhouse, The Smoke
Why he should get the Job: Most people probably know Jamie Bamber from his role as Lee “Apollo” Adama on BSG and arrogance is a word that comes to mind when reflecting on that character. Bamber would bring to life Jobs’ iron will to have Apple succeed no matter what and personify the perseverance that ultimately made him a successful businessman. This would also herald a big return for the actor to American drama.
#2. JAMES MCAVOY
Age: 35
What you know him from: Wanted, Atonement, X-Men: First Class / Days of Future Past
Why he should get the Job: It’s not the furthest cry from McAvoy’s work as Charles Xavier in the present X-Men franchise of movies. Steve Jobs was young, brilliant and had to carve out his place in the world. McAvoy would nail the intrepidity on screen and absolutely bring a slough of X-Men fangirls in his wake.
#1. COLIN DONNELL
Age: 32
What you know him from: Pan Am, Arrow, The Affair (upcoming)
Why he should get the Job: Colin Donnell is poised to have an enormous break in Hollywood and I really think he would excel in the role of Steve Jobs. He’s young enough to believably play the single most important moment in the mogul’s life, charming enough to carry through periods of heavy determination and has portrayed sharp character shifts on screen (Tommy Merlyn across Arrow season 1 comes to mind), to highlight the devastating failures Jobs encountered throughout his life. It also doesn’t hurt that Donnell looks the way Hollywood wants their leading men to look.