Cool thread! for me, I'd select:
The late Brad Renfro would have made an excellent young Anakin(anybody see "apt pupil"? his personality changes and intensity are amazing.) Ethan Hawke is an excellent actor for the role too imo.
I'd keep Ewan Mcgregor as obiwan. but in TPM, he's a full jedi, not a padawan. I thought Ewan did the best acting anyway
Loved Liam Neeson as Qui-gon. but in a smaller role. Obiwan needed to discover anakin, not qui-gon.
SW isnt for Natalie Portman. Before TPM she had never seen a SW movie and had to rent the whole trilogy before filming. She wasnt happy with Lucas's filming process and she did a lot of bawling in the bathroom on set. I loathed Portman's performance and think she's highly overrated anyway. For the role of Padme', I'd select Milla Jovovich(sp) from the resident evil movies. She's beautiful and can kick ass. Other options: Gretchen Mol, Famke Jansen, Kirsten Dunst, or Minnie Driver.
Michael York as mace Windu. Great actor with swordplay experience. Ever see "the 4 musketeers"? He has a spectacular sword duel against......Christopher Lee!
Helen Mirren as a Mon Mothma.
Jim Caviezel as a jedi
Keep Jimmy Smits as senator Bail Organa. Bigger part. Too good of an actor to be sidelined like he was.
Nicolas Cage IMO would have made a great jango fett or another mandalorian warrior. denzel Washington would've been great too.
I'd keep Christopher Lee as an elder wise sith-lord, who fell out of the jedi order at a much younger age. His name would ONLY be darth tyrrannus,
Gabriel Byrne as Senator/Governor Tarkin
Rebecca Demorney as an evil senator (ever see "the hand that rocks the cradle"?)
Anthony Hopkins as a turncoat senator. Has major role
Gary Oldman as an evil senator. has major role
Ian Mckellan as an elder sithlord
Edward Burns as a Republic army major( in my PT versions, the republic HAS an army)
Lisa Ling as a jedi
Sean Bean as a mandalorian warrior
Josh Brolin as a mandolorian warrior or Republic soldier.