With Hartley Sawyer losing his role on The Flash, there is a chance a new face could take over as Ralph Dibny — but who are the best casting options to fit the show and the wider Arrowverse? Created by Josh Broome and Carmine Infantino, the superhero also known as Elongated Man debuted via The Flash #112 in 1960. Blessed with the ability to stretch and reshape his body, Ralph was a detective with a fondness for unusual mysteries. Touring the United States in search of them, he often teamed up with such heroes as The Flash, Batman, Zatanna, and even Green Lantern. As a result of these interactions, Ralph eventually became a member of the Justice League. The character has won several awards over the decades and been adapted multiple times in animation.
The character made his live-action debut in The Flash season 4. Played by Sawyer, Ralph was reimagined to be a disgraced police officer who had transitioned into a seedy private detective. Equally, rather than discovering a way to give himself powers, as is the case in the comics, the TV version of Ralph was unwittingly affected by a wave of dark matter. Despite a lingering animosity between the pair, Barry Allen and Ralph Dibny ultimately became firm friends and trusted allies as the latter fought to atone for past mistakes. Ralph's position on Team Flash was solidified when Sawyer was promoted to a series regular in The Flash season 5. He also returned for The Flash season 6, which saw Elongated Man complete his journey to a legitimate hero and attempt to guide others the way Barry had guided him.
Following the emergence of some graphically disturbing and racist tweets, however, Sawyer was fired from The Flash. Despite Sawyer apologizing for his offensive words and some fans launching a petition to see the actor reinstated, both the network and the showrunners have remained steadfast in their decision. As a result, it remains firmly up in the air which course of action the show will take. Like Batwoman season 2, it could be that The Flash will merely write Ralph unceremoniously out of the show in favor of a new character. However, The Flash season 6 introduced its best new character in years and set up some interesting directions for Ralph Dibny and Sue Dearbon. As such, the best course of action could be to simply recast and preserve the planned storylines. Should The Flash go that route, here are some potential actors who would be a good fit.
Many could be forgiven for not yet knowing the name James Austin Kerr. However, the actor has been quietly building up quite the resume over the last decade. With brief turns in Hulu's Casual and CBS's long-running procedural NCIS, Kerr displayed a charm that perfectly walked the line between likable and sleazy. That ability more than lines up with the traits established by Sawyer's iteration of the once sordid private investigator.
Conversely, Kerr also proved himself adept at bringing to life the more moral and heroic aspects of Ralph Dibny's nature in little known projects like Like Us and Tell Your Friends and You People. As well as remaining convincingly calm in the face of danger in the former, a scene from the latter featured him actively standing up for an innocent black man being harassed by the police. Having starred as a member of the Howling Commandos in Agent Carter, he is also no stranger to the action of comic book adaptations. Given all of that — and the fact that the actor shares a similar look to Sawyer — Kerr could easily slip into Elongated Man's superhero suit. And the fact that he is a relative unknown could make the transition far less jarring for audiences.
Also sharing a similar look is Brett Dier. The Canadian actor is perhaps best known for his turn as Michael Cordero Jr. on Jane the Virgin. That fact means Dier is already a recognizable face within the circles of The CW, on which The Flash and the rest of the Arrowverse currently thrive. The character of Michael also shared more than a few shades with Dibny, seeing as they are both former detectives who are likably weird and have previously made arguably questionable decisions. Equally, both had to deal with some pretty surreal situations. As such, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for Dier to take on this role.
As Michael, Dier also managed the tricky feat of being a beloved character despite serving as the losing member of the show's central love triangle. So popular was Dier that fans were outraged when he appeared to be killed off at the end of season 3. Many were just as outraged when it turned out he was actually alive but didn't get the ending they felt he deserved. Whatever one's thoughts on Michael's fate, Dier has also delighted fans through social media videos — demonstrating that he equally has the perfect temperament, versatile acting chops, and comedic timing to play Ralph Dibny. The move would also bring an in-built fanbase with it. Plus, with his latest TV show, Schooled, having been canceled after two seasons, Dier's schedule is wide open.
Another option that would be familiar to The CW crowd would be Jason Dohring. In recent years, he starred on two of the network's most acclaimed shows: iZombie and The Originals. The actor first came to widespread prominence, however, as resident bad boy Logan Echolls in Veronica Mars. Dramatically versatile and masterful with a quip, Dohring turned Logan into a firm favorite within the show's passionate fanbase, despite the character's often questionable decisions. That only grew more so as, across the seasons and the later revivals, Logan's often buried heart of gold shone only brighter. His history with depicting that kind of character growth more than makes him a solid match for Ralph Dibny.
Equally, his turns on iZombie and The Originals proved that he's just as adept at playing a complex and effective supporting role within an ensemble as he is a traditional leading man. Though Dohring isn't as much a physical match as some options on this list, he has a look that is still equal parts distinctive and it's nothing that Ralph's shapeshifting abilities can't explain away. Furthermore, Ralph's durability would provide solace for fans of the actor still lamenting Logan's eventual fate on Veronica Mars.
Another less obvious but still interesting choice would be Enver Gjokaj. The California-born actor has proven himself to have considerable (yet somehow still underrated) talent over the years. Despite a number of earlier roles, he first came to prominence as Anthony Ceccoli (aka Victor) in Joss Whedon's Dollhouse. As one of the resident "Dolls," Gjokaj's character was often implanted with a different personality, meaning he played several different characters in one across the show's two seasons. Though the show never quite achieved the same level of popularity of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or even Firefly, Gjokaj was usually one of those singled out for acclaim.
It's easy to understand why. Whether he was playing Victor as a child-like blank slate, someone wholly original, or emulating one of his castmates (such as Fran Kranz's Topher), Gjokaj offered an acting masterclass. That goes as much comedically as it does dramatically. As such, even with a drastically different appearance, he would at least retain the character's mannerisms and charm, no doubt offering a level of familiarity for those who have come to love Ralph over the seasons. Plus, despite notable turns in Agent Carter and Agents of SHIELD recently, taking on the role of Ralph Dibny could make him the kind of series regular he has long deserved to be.
Though many might instinctively be drawn to Ian Somerhalder, it's actually fellow The Vampire Diaries star, Paul Wesley, who could make a good fit for Ralph Dibny. As a stalwart of The CW, he is already known in the right circles. Furthermore, he recently directed an episode of Batwoman, meaning he already has connections within the Arrowverse. On the surface, Stefan Salvatore was the tortured, brooding one of the two vampire siblings. Even then, however, Wesley graced Stefan with undeniable charm and could be as suave as one would expect an often undercover private eye. All three of these traits more than fit with Ralph Dibny up to where The Flash season 6 left him.
Though Ralph's crimes pale in comparison to Stefan's, both are driven by a desire to make up for their mistakes and do genuine good. Often Stefan could be dismissed as the joyless brother. However, when he was finally given the opportunity to let go of Stefan's angst, Wesley proved that he could deliver lighthearted moments just as well as the dramatic. Fresh off of an equally brooding role on the newly canceled Tell Me A Story, the role of Ralph Dibny could be the perfect chance to prove he has more range than he's often credited.
Another option from the world of The Vampire Diaries is Nathaniel Buzolic. His time on the original show was intermittent and brief, often marked by vengeful violence and rebellion. However, more noble shades to the character often revealed themselves. Those traits only grew more prevalent during his more prominent time on the spin-off show, The Originals. As with Stefan, Buzolic tackled that trajectory with aplomb and more than a fair share of a likable charm.
In Supernatural's first ill-fated attempt at producing a spin-off in season 9, the Australian actor equally proved himself adept at being a more traditional hero. That being said, him adding a slight roguish edge to Ralph Dibny would certainly put him in good stead with the character's future wife — even as he tries to further guide her to the side of the heroes. In fact, his dynamic with Davina on The Originals is almost an inversion of Ralph's relationship with Sue Dearbon, given the actor experience in developing such an on-screen romance. Being of the same age and similar height as Sawyer and with a distinct look — especially in the jawline — Buzolic would also fit right at home in Elongated Man's superhero suit.
If writers of The Flash were to use Ralph Dibny's shapeshifting abilities to recast him, another interesting that could go would be Jason R. Moore. As seen in a previous episode, Ralph isn't inhibited by race when he transforms his body. On multiple occasions in the past, he has posed as Detective Joe West (Jesse L. Martin). As such, whatever the reasons for the disguise may end up being, there's nothing stopping Moore from taking over. Most known for his role as Curtis Hoyle on Netflix's The Punisher, he proved himself capable of comic-book-style action and playing a shrewd, measured thinker. Those two traits are key for a superhero detective. Furthermore, Curtis served as a counterpoint to Frank Castle's wild and more violent ways.
Despite being surrounded by larger than life (and titular) characters, Moore still managed to stand out and remain a beacon of likability and sympathy. Those traits would fit well with being part of an ensemble under the leadership of another titular hero, but allow him to still make a mark when required. Curtis was calm under pressure, loyal, and always striving to do the right thing, despite everything he's seen and been involved in. These traits and more lend themselves to the talented actor getting to play a hero in his own right and continue the story of Ralph Dibny as he, like Curtis with Frank Castle, tries to steer Sue Dearbon to a more noble place. And get to further demonstrate a more fun, lighthearted side of his range in the process.
Apart from DC's Legends of Tomorrow, all Arrowverse shows were forced to shut down early due to the Coronavirus pandemic. It's for that same reason that The Flash season 7 has been delayed until 2021. As a result, it'll be some time before any official announcements are made. However, there is at least some solace in that fact. The writers will have much more time to figure out what's best for the story and potentially assess different actors. As such, if somebody does indeed take over the role of Ralph Dibny on The Flash, they can ensure that it will be the absolute best person for the job.
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