“Silo” is based on author Hugh Howey’s book trilogy “Wool,” “Shift,” and “Dust,” and judging by the critical response, and the fact the show is set to return for a fourth and final season, it’s been a very successful adaptation. But when Tim Robbins was cast as the head of the Silo’s IT department Bernard Holland, Howey had some concerns — and that’s putting it lightly.
Adapting a popular book for the screen comes with numerous pitfalls. Casting is one of the most obvious, as you’re essentially bringing to life a character that has lived in the heads of readers for some time (and to which those readers have already formed a strong bond). We’ve seen things go awry in that regard many a time — even author Lee Child eventually admitted that casting Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher was a mistake. But we’ve also seen wild casting swings work, like when Tim Burton had to fight for Michael Keaton’s casting as Batman and ended up making two untouchable movies with the “Mr. Mom” star.
When Robbins was cast as Bernard in “Silo,” however, it seems Howey was worried this was going to be a Cruise-as-Jack-Reacher situation. During a Reddit Q&A, the author was asked which casting decision was closest to the character he had in mind when writing the books and which one made him “shake [his] head.” The questioner suggested that the latter might be Bernard, to which Howey replied, “Yes! I mean, I’m so delighted now, because he’s a legend and he killed that role. But when I heard they cast someone as large as him, I was like WTF?”
Hugh Howey was so impressed by Tim Robbins in Silo he considered changing his books
Tim Robbins as Bernard Holland is a complete reversal of the 5-foot 7-inch Tom Cruise being cast as the 6-foot 5-inch Jack Reacher. Robbins actually does stand at 6 feet 5 inches, but in Hugh Howey’s books, his character is supposed to be a smaller and more weasele-like figure, which is why Howey was so taken aback by the choice to cast Robbins.
Over time, however, he seems to have come around. There’s no denying Robbins has made the character his own, with even Hughey admitting as much in his Reddit Q&A. What’s more, in a YouTube video recapping “Silo” Season 2, the author even suggested he should change his version of Bernard to match Robbins’ portrayal. Howey also spoke about having been a huge fan of the actor’s work, even claiming that “The Shawshank Redemption” wouldn’t have been the same without him. He continued:
“This role [of Bernard], man, I’ve got to go back in the books and change Bernard’s description to being, like, super tall and ruggedly handsome, because [Robbins] is Bernard. He embodied that character.”
Of course, that’s literally impossible. What’s more, the Apple TV iteration of Bernard is an expanded character compared to the book version, so Howey would have to change his storyline, too. But you can see why he might say such a thing, given Robbins’ typically splendid portrayal.
For now, many questions remain following the “Silo” Season 3 finale, and fans are eager to see how things wrap up in the upcoming fourth season, which, again, will be the show’s last. Season 4 is set to arrive on July 9, 2027 but in the meantime, Howey has a sci-fi book recommendation that’s perfect for alternate history fans.
