Meet Kalden from the Circle by Dave Eggers: John Boyega

 

 “ 

When she was finished, she opened the door to find the man in the same place, now looking out the window.
“You look lost,” Mae said.
“Nah. Just figuring out something before, you know, heeding upstairs. You work over here?”
“I do. I’m new. In C.E.”
“C.E.?”
“Customer Experience.”
“Oh right. We used to just call it Customer Service.”
“So I take it you’re not new?”
“Me? No, no. I’ve been here a little while. Not so much in this building.” He smiled and looked out the window, and with his face turned away, Mae took him in. His eyes were dark, his face oval, and his hair was grey, almost white, but he couldn’t have been older than thirty. He was thin, sinewy, and his skinny jeans and tight long-sleeve jersey gave his silhouette the quick thick-thin brushtokes of calligraphy.

He turned back to her, blinking, scoffing at himself and his poor manners. “Sorry. I’m Kalden.” 

page 91, The Circle 

And so we meet Kalden, the mysterious man who keeps popping up in Mae’s life at The Circle. In the movie starring Emma Watson as Mae, Kalden is played by Star Wars’ John Boyega. He’s not immediately the character as written by author Dave Eggers — thin and sinewy—and probably white so I’m excited that director James Ponsoldt looked beyond the externals to find his man. I’m looking forward to seeing the interplay between Watson and Boyega onscreen; in the novel their chemistry is a key component, their relationship secret and sexual. 

The Circle stars Emma Watson as Mae along with Tom Hanks as Eamon Bailey, Patton Oswalt as Tom Stenton, Karen Gillan as Annie, Ellar Coltrane as Mae’s former boyfriend Mercer and Bill Paxton (unknown).

I’m waiting for a release date, which is supposed to be sometime this year. While the book was ever so slightly heavy handed and repetitive, I think it’s going to make a heck of a film, especially if you like sci-fi thrillers. I’ll add it to my guide to Movies Based on Books 2016 when I get a firm date!

#MOVIESBASEDONBOOKS