CASTING NEWS: Divergent's Four/Tobias Has Been Found! Meet Theo James

EPIC NEWS, INITIATES. We've been speculating for a while, we've seen potentials come and go, but finally, the news of who has been cast as FOUR is in:

From EW: Finally! Divergent has found its male lead! Theo James has been cast as Tobias ‘Four’ Eaton in Neil Burger’s (Limitless) big screen adaptation of Veronica Roth’s bestselling novel.

“As a fan of Divergent, I am thrilled to have been chosen for the role of Four and to be a part of such a phenomenal story,” James tells EW in an exclusive statement. “As an actor, I am excited to explore and play this incredibly complex and mysterious character. Director Neil Burger is a remarkably visionary filmmaker. Along with the incredibly talented Shailene Woodley, we are looking forward to the fantastic adventure of bringing this beloved book to life on the big screen for all the fans.”

“Theo is not only an incredibly talented actor, he is also who we envisioned as Four when reading Veronica’s novel which has taken the world by storm,” says Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger, co-chairmen of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group in a joint statement. “As we continue to develop the film, the studio remains committed to providing fans with a movie adaptation that stays as true to the book as possible and we are confident that we have done so with our selection of Shailene and Theo in the leading roles. (continued)

Why such a long wait? Eric Feig, Lionsgate president of production says in a statement: “We took our time to find the right actor to fill the role of Four, and Theo is definitely the perfect fit. Veronica has crafted a truly iconic character in Four and we cannot wait to begin production and bring him and this story to life for millions of fans around the world.”


Veronica Roth reacts:
"Recently I saw Theo James’ screen test with Shailene Woodley, and I was sure within seconds: this was ‘Four,’ no question. Theo is able to capture ‘Four’s’ authority and strength, as well as his depth and sensitivity. He is a perfect match for Shailene’s incredibly strong presence as Tris. I’m thrilled!

Lets Take a Closer Look at Mr James

Here's a list of TV/Films you might recognize Theo from: Downton Abbey, The Inbetweeners movie, Bedlam, Underworld: Awakening movie. Check out his IMDB page here for a full list.

• Actual name: Theodore Peter James Kenneth Taptiklis.
• Born 16 Dec 1984 in Oxford, England. (Yep, he's British. With Greek roots)
• He is the youngest of 5 children.
• He toyed with the idea of being an actor at 18 but decided he wanted more life experience first. "It might have worked for others, but I was not mature enough to do it. I needed to be a bit more grounded and to have more to draw from. It was the right decision for me.”
• He has a degree in Philosophy. 
• He's environmentally friendly. "I try to use public transport, always."
• He was a singer and guitarist in the band 'Shere Khan'. Check out their YouTube channel here.
• He is currently starring as a lead in TV series Golden Boy.
• He looks up to Michael Fassbender as an actor. 
• Musically, he's obsessed with Hendrix. 
• He swears like a sailor.
• He enjoys free diving & cuba diving in his spare time. Dauntless much? 

He's done some training in his previous films including Underworld which will come in handy: "I got to do some cool shit, which is good. Actually, I managed to wrangle a lot of training, as well, because I made sure that I gave the impression that I was up for it. I got free running training with the stunt guys, which was great, and boxing, which I'd already done quite a lot before. Knife work and how to kill somebody in 30 seconds. Kidding about that last part."

Um, yes, this whole thing is working for us. Here's a video from an interview at comic con for Underworld so you can check out his voice.

So... what do you think? I'm sure they'll be a mixed response, as with every book turned movie ever made. Edward, Jace, Peeta.. etc.
Us? We're overjoyed, frankly. Four has a maturity that an older actor will probably bring to the role. And he's gorgeous. (Refer to pictures).

The fact that they took the casting so seriously is surely a good omen of things to come.