Duff would never have cast herself as Elizabeth I "in a million years", although she has played classical roles, notably Cordelia in the National Theatre's 1997 King Lear with Ian Holm.
Michelle, the film's most fully realized and compelling character, is the kind of role Ms. Keener has played before (most notably in "Your Friends and Neighbors" and "Being John Malkovich"), to the point that she has begun to represent a contemporary type.
Since then he has played major roles elsewhere — notably Chekhov's Ivanov and Shakespeare's Falstaff for Lincoln Center Theater — but in recent seasons he has returned to the Public, playing opposite Meryl Streep in both "The Seagull" and as a last-minute replacement for Christopher Walken in "Mother Courage".
Though James tends to stick to comedic roles, he has played politicians before, most notably the POTUS in the 2015 Adam Sandler comedy "Pixels".
Yet, contrary to what many expected, Obama herself has played the role in a notably traditional key.
Mr. Valdés, who has lived in Stockholm since 1963 and emerged from three decades of obscurity in 1994, has played New York in various settings, notably in a duo with the flamenco singer Diego El Cigala.
The tension between demand for information and safety has played out in other arenas, notably cars, as dashboards have become more computerized, delivering navigation and entertainment information but with increasingly complexity.
It didn't take long for Mr. McRoberts to become comfortable in the role of Holly, partly because he has played the part before, most notably in a national tour.
Mr. Audiard sought actors who would be willing to transform themselves for their roles, like Mr. Cassel, a 35-year-old French star who has aristocratic looks but who has played several tough-guy parts, notably in "La Haine" ("Hate") and "The Crimson Rivers".
Most notably, the Service Employees International Union has played a key role in pushing for health care reform.
