Casper Van Dien

Van Dien worked as a model before moving into acting through television roles in the early 1990s, a background that gave him exactly the clean-cut, all-American look Paul Verhoeven needed for his satirical lead.

He was cast for his square-jawed, recruitment-poster looks — exactly what Verhoeven needed to sell his satire of fascist propaganda as sincerely as possible. A relatively new actor at the time, he was chosen specifically for a wholesome appearance that could sell the film's over-the-top propaganda-newsreel aesthetic without any visible irony.

The role remains the best known of his career, and he has continued acting in film and television since, largely in smaller productions.