Brenda Janowitz's "The Dinner Party"

Brenda Janowitz is the author of five novels, including The Dinner Party. Her work has also appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Salon, the New York Post, Publishers Weekly, and elsewhere. Janowitz attended Cornell University and Hofstra Law School, where she was a member of the Law Review. Upon graduation from Hofstra, Janowitz worked for the law firm Kaye Scholer, LLP, and did a federal clerkship with the Honorable Marilyn Dolan Go, United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of New York.

Here Janowitz dreamcasts an adaptation of The Dinner Party:

One of the best parts of writing a book is “casting” the movie in your mind. For The Dinner Party, I had many parts to fill. It’s the story of three very different families, two generations, who gather for a Passover Seder they won’t soon forget.

Since the Passover Seder takes place at the Gold family home, I thought I’d give casting the Gold family a try.

For my hostess with the mostess, Sylvia, it’s got to be Meryl Streep. Meryl can do anything, and I’d love to see how she handles hosting a Passover Seder while tensions simmer beneath the surface. (Also, Meryl Streep was pictured next to my book when US Weekly featured it this week, so I’ve got Meryl on my mind….)

For Sylvia’s darling husband Alan, Tom Hanks would be perfect. Alan is sweet and lovable and holds everything together. He’s also a pediatric cardiologist, a man who fixes children’s hearts. That sounds like a job for Tom Hanks.

For Sylvia’s daughters, I’d love to see Anna Kendrick as Sarah and Shailene Woodley as Becca. The central relationship of the book is Sylvia and her daughter Sarah, so we need a powerhouse actress who can handle anything. She butts heads with her mother, and I think that Anna could hold her own against Meryl Streep. For beautiful, winsome, and very lost Becca, I think Shailene could give the right amount of sweetness and strength.

For Sylvia’s prodigal son, the eldest child working in Sri Lanka for Doctors Without Borders, I’d love to cast Henry Cavill. Gideon is scruffy and sexy and undeniable to women. Enough said.

So, when do we start filming?!

Learn more about the book and author at Brenda Janowitz's website.

My Book, The Movie: Recipe for a Happy Life.

--Marshal Zeringue

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