Overweight, grey, self-loathing, self-harming Despair is a role that will require any actor to work under a lot of make up or prosthetics or performance capture. Therefore there is no real need to find an actor that is a good physical match, especially given the scarcity of larger actresses in Hollywood, and more need for someone who can display the right level of pain through all that, someone with expressive eyes essentially. Gabourey Sidibe has demonstrated her ability with dark fantasy material on the Coven series of American Horror Story. It is her breakthrough role in Precious, though, that shows the qualities needed to be the perfect Despair. As Precious, Sidibe showed a capacity for conveying a mix of angry self loathing and yet continuing defiance, while playing a repressed, troubled and overweight young woman. These are all elements that she could definitely return to in the part of Despair, even if they have not always been so much a part of her performances since. Other options: Given casting speculation has focused on finding an overweight woman who is a talented actor and relatively big name, Sidibe's American Horror Story co-star Kathy Bates is a name that comes up a lot. However, she doesn't quite have the right feel of bleak depression necessary. Some more interesting online speculation has suggested anyone from Judi Dench to Catherine Tate, who are definitely unusual choices but both could completely immerse themselves in the role.
