Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a faithful adaptation of its source material – but how closely do the actors resemble the comic characters they play? Scott Pilgrim vs. the World revolves around immature bass player Scott Pilgrim, who falls in love with the mysterious Ramona Flowers and finds that he has to do battle with her seven evil exes before he can date her. Although it bombed at the box office on its initial release in 2010, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World has garnered a ionate cult following in the years since, even earning a Netflix anime adaptation, with the original cast set to reprise their roles.
Wright’s adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s series of Scott Pilgrim graphic novels, which he scripted with Michael Bacall, is mostly faithful to the comics. It translates the frenetic visual style to the screen and rarely deviates from the original storyline. Wright also chose actors who were not only well-suited to their roles but resembled their comic book counterparts. On top of that, the film’s wardrobe department and hair and makeup stylists transformed the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World cast into their comic characters.
Michael Cera As Scott Pilgrim
Michael Cera stars in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World as the title character, the bass player for the band Sex Bob-Omb (heard on the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack), who has to defeat the seven evil exes of his new girlfriend Ramona. From his boyish looks to his slender build to his fluffy tuft of brown hair, Cera looks exactly like Scott as he’s drawn in the comics. And he didn’t just look the part; he brought the character to life. It’s important to the story that Scott be perceived as an everyman so that everyone in the audience can identify with him. Cera embodies that spectacularly with his usual warm affability.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead As Ramona Flowers
Scott’s love interest Ramona Victoria “Rammy” Flowers, an American expatriate from New York and “ninja delivery girl” for Amazon, is played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. The most notable physical trait of Ramona is her ever-changing hair color, and Winstead's followed suit throughout the film. There’s an air of mystique around Ramona in the Scott Pilgrim comics – she’s closed off emotionally and not much is known about her past – and Winstead brought that mystique to the screen with an intriguingly ambiguous performance.
Kieran Culkin As Wallace Wells
Wallace Wells, Scott’s much smarter and more mature roommate, is played by Kieran Culkin in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Both the movie and comic book versions of Wallace have stylish hair that simultaneously looks ruggedly unkempt and carefully groomed. The wardrobe department captured Wallace’s sharp dress sense with snappy jackets, scarves, and even pajamas. Culkin gives a scene-stealing performance as Wallace that nails his sardonic wit, much like his quotable role as Roman Roy in Succession. The actor also carries himself with the effortless confidence exuded by his comic book counterpart.
Ellen Wong As Knives Chau
Knives Chau, the girlfriend that Scott leaves to be with Ramona, is played by Ellen Wong. The film version of Knives is missing the red streak that the comic version has in her hair, but in some scenes, she can be seen wearing her famous striped scarves from the comics. Knives is shown to be short in stature in the way she’s drawn next to other characters in the comics, and Wong is shorter than most of her co-stars in the film. The actress hilariously leans into Knives’ jealousy in her attempts to win Scott back from Ramona.
Anna Kendrick As Stacey Pilgrim
Anna Kendrick plays Scott’s younger sister, Stacey Pilgrim, who, like his friends, disapproves of his relationship with Knives. Stacey has the same long, straight, dark hair in the movie adaptation that she has in the comics. The version of Stacey in the movie also has the same minimalist fashion sense as her comic book counterpart, wearing a lot of plain t-shirts. Despite being the younger sibling, Stacey is much more mature and responsible than Scott, which Kendrick reflects in her spot-on portrayal of the character in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
Brie Larson As Natalie V. "Envy" Adams
Scott’s own ex, Natalie V. “Envy” Adams, the lead singer of the band The Clash at Demonhead, is played by Brie Larson. The main difference between Envy’s appearance in the comics and the film adaptation is her hair color. Envy is a redhead in the comics, but Larson plays her as a blonde in the movie. Despite the difference in color, both versions of Envy wear their hair in the same Asuka Langley Soryu-inspired style, and share the same giant hoop earrings. Larson perfectly embodies the character’s punk rock attitude with dry, deadpan humor and a snarky on-screen presence.
Mark Webber As Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills, the lead singer, guitarist, and “talent” of Sex Bob-Omb, is played by Mark Webber in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Much like in the comics, the movie version of Stephen has a full head of thick reddish-brown hair and a five-o’clock shadow beard (represented in the comics with a couple of pencil lines). Whereas the comic book version of Stephen is noticeably bigger and brawnier than his bandmates, the movie version has about the same build as Scott. Movie Stephen often wears button-down shirts – including an extravagant one with guitar patches on the shoulders – while the comic version usually wears t-shirts.
Alison Pill As Kim Pine
The drummer of Sex Bob-Omb, Scott’s high school friend Kim Pine, is played by Alison Pill. From the freckles on her cheeks to her red hair that parts in the middle, Pill’s portrayal of Kim in the movie adaptation looks just like she does in the comics. Pill captures the character in her performance, too, playing Kim’s sarcastic personality as a cover for deep vulnerability. While she pretends not to, Kim actually cares a lot about Sex Bob-Omb and their future career, and she also cares a lot about Scott, although she masks it with wry hostility.
Aubrey Plaza As Julie Powers
Stephen’s ex-girlfriend Julie Powers, who works at the same coffee shop as Stacey, is played by Aubrey Plaza. The film version of Julie wears the same bangs, glasses, earrings, and Second Cup uniform as her comic counterpart, although her glasses frames aren’t as cartoonishly big in the movie as they’re drawn in the comics. Plaza is known for playing morose, deadpan characters, which made her the ideal casting for Julie because Julie has an intense dislike for almost everyone around her – particularly Scott, who she considers to be a loser.
Johnny Simmons As "Young" Neil Nordegraf
Sex Bob-Omb’s biggest fan, Neil Nordegraf, nicknamed “Young Neil,” is played by Johnny Simmons. In the movie adaptation, unlike in the comics, Young Neil gets his chance to play for Sex Bob-Omb when Scott refuses to make a deal with one of Ramona’s exes and leaves the band. The hair stylists behind Scott Pilgrim vs. the World perfectly recreated Young Neil’s distinctive shaggy hairstyle on Simmons’ head for the film, with his fringe draped over his eyes. Simmons also hysterically leans into Young Neil’s unhealthy obsession with the unsuccessful music of Sex Bob-Omb.
