Main Cast In T.B.T.R

Curtis says “When casting I look for a particular texture and a willingness of an actor to stretch something to its comic limits.”
When casting for the teenage character ‘Carl’ Curtis found that young actor Tom Sturridge was the only applicant able to capture the slightly casual manner that he was looking for.
When casting ‘The Count’, Curtis wanted the actor to be American because of a famous American deejay of the 60’s called ‘Emperor Rosko’. Philip Seymour Hoffman agreed to play the part and was excited about doing so saying that Curtis had captured the era’s spirit of rebellion in ‘The Count’.
Bill Nighy was cast as Pirate Radio’s captain ‘Quentin’. Nighy had worked with Richard Curtis in his previous rom-com ‘Love Actually’ and Curtis' T.V. drama ‘The Girl in The Café’. Curtis admits to hoping Bill Nighy would play ‘Quentin’, saying “It’s surprising how much fun it is realising you’ve written the part for someone you already love!”
‘Gavin’, the deejay who ‘returns to his rightful throne’ in Pirate Radio is played by Rhys Ifans who had worked with Curtis in his hit rom-com ‘Notting Hill’ as Hugh Grants’ character’s eccentric, rude and Welsh roommate ‘Spike’. Ifans says it was brave of Curtis to give him a role completely different to his previous Curtis character ‘Spike’. Curtis says “Rhys was perfect for the role. His magnetism comes out in spades.”