I was thinking about the Mirrormask girl!

Jewel Staite just jumped into my head too -- she also has a young/old look, does sweetly earthy, blunt, loving and gently teasing very well (all key elements in Death's relationship with Dream), and has Gothed up very nicely in the past.

There are some thing I don't need to see six stories tall, you know? Heath Ledger in a green fright wig is one of them.

That's one thing I precisely need to see. Was a sample of the makeup linked to here? It was horrifying. I really liked it.

Bea Arthur.

Aha. Joker.

Bea Arthur.

Phyllis Diller.

Gaiman has stated that about 17 is his mental image of Death: Sandman FAQ.

Gaiman has stated that about 17 is his mental image of Death

I knew I wasn't pulling that idea out of the air!

I knew I wasn't pulling that idea out of the air!

Curse those artists who deviated from Gaiman's mental script! (Seriously, depending on who's drawing her, she looks anywhere from 16 to teetering on 30.)

Actual 17 year olds capable of playing Death? That's going to be brutally tough -- they're almost certainly going to have to go with someone older who can look youngish-ageless. Sarah Polley or Claire Danes or Natalie Portman could've maybe done it, maybe, when they were actually 17 themselves, but I'm not sure what current teenage actor has the depth and Deathiness to do it.

I totally don't have a problem with an actress who is not 17 or close to that playing Death. But I definitely think Clare Danes is too mature looking now. Also I don't know that she could have pulled off the blunt thing Death has so well.

Even though I'm not too familiar with Gaiman's Death, I nominate Ellen Page. She's young with major chops.