Black Thor Actor Talks About Racist Comic Book Fans

[Goofguy]

I just saw the movie and I enjoyed it regardless of any actor's race. The Heimdall character was actually pretty bad ass. They got an imposing actor to play the part and he did a good job. In such a fantastical world, this type of inane, racist diatribe means nothing and it certainly accomplishes nothing.

 

[OldRat]

I'm kinda late to this, but really, it's not about racism. People (most of them) aren't saying this silly or stupid because they're horrified by a filthy negro brute (emphasis on exagaration here) portraying what is supposed to be a GLORIOUS MAN OF THE WHITE MASTER RACE. Nah. The problem for many here is that it's just a really weird thing to do, and kind of sucker-punches the source material. Was there any real reason for him to be black in this? Did it somehow really change anything, or was there any emphasis on it? Because if not, then it just seems like a pointless thing to do.
(On a sidenote, I hear he's really awesome in the role, which certainly evens it out a bit.)
And yes, I know there's an asian actor also, which is the same deal really.

It's kind of like casting, say, Aragorn as a black man. Or making Conan an asian. Or, I dunno, portraying Wolverine as an aborigine. Or making a movie about feudal Japan or an African tribal society and sticking a white actor there without any explanation or reason, and portraying just another member of the society. It's just weird and confusing, and doesn't really add to anything.
So no, people are (in general) NOT bitching because they only want to gaze upon the fortright brow of the great white man and shun the filthy lesser races for so horribly and frivolously displaying themselves before their eyes. People are bitching because they feel it deviates too much from what they already know about it.

Then again, Marvel pretty much raped Norse mythology up, down and sideways by making their Asgard in the first place (which is still some people's actual religion, and as such I'd consider it pretty damn rude). Kind of like if you made a movie about Jesus as an alien from another planet who defeats the forces of the devil with sweet kung fu moves and his great big cross. Or a movie where Buddha launches hellfire and lasers from his eyes and fights against the anthropomorphic manifestation of human desires so that he can reach the magical sky castle known as Nirvana.
So maybe we could consider it a small payback.

 

[Sindwiller]

What do you think the reaction would be in New Orleans if they cast loa/voudon gods as entirely white people? Why is it ok to overwrite the history of one sub-set of people but not the other? As someone from England (a lot of us have viking ancestors as much as the people actually in nordic countries due to large parts being invaded) I find this incredibly insulting and demeaning, seriously. This light-hearted article by the escapist which seems to think one type of racism but not the other is ok is pathetic too.

Fun fact... the film isn't based on Norse mythology at all (id est, it's not a documentary on Norse mythology). It's based on a comic canon and all those "gods" depicted in the movie are in all actuality aliens - as it has been mentioned before several times in this thread.

"As someone from England" - sh*t, as someone from Bulgaria, I wouldn't even give a hoot if Vasil Levski [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasil_Levski] were to be played by a dark-colored gypsy, or if some Slavic god were to be depicted as someone with black skin color. You're developing false patriotic feelings, where it is absolutely inappropriate (considering that modern-day England has as much in common in culture and history with the Vikings, as Microsoft has with well-written software). You ought not to feel insulted, because the work is entirely fictional.

 

[Axelhander]

Hardcore fans of ANYTHING are dumb, dumb people. The Heimdall "issue" is no exception.

Excellent casting, excellently played character.

 

[Hiken no Ace]

Ok, i watched the movie last night. I didn't have any problems with the character of Heimdall sooo...good job dude.

 

[molesgallus]

Yep. Definitely not racist at all. The Norsemen were, of course, mostly black. Barely a white man amongst them. And their Gods, well they just weren't Gods unless they were black.

So, this clearly isn't racist casting. If say, the name 'Norsemen' meant "The people from the north', they lived in the Northern-most part of Europe, and collectively had probably seen 5 black men in their lives, this would be extremely racist casting. Tokenism in it's extreme.

However, since that's all nonsense, and the Vikings were an African tribe, this isn't Racist Casting.

 

[NickCooley]

Yes he was purposefully casted because he was black. Not because he's a bloody good actor or anything, no that would just be silly and all these people crying foul over a dead religion they've never worshiped who's only connection is that their great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandpa might of worshiped it to are clearly just concerned individuals who-

Fuck it I can't keep up the sarcasm. You people are nutters seriously.

 

[Doctor Glocktor]

What do you think the reaction would be in New Orleans if they cast loa/voudon gods as entirely white people? Why is it ok to overwrite the history of one sub-set of people but not the other? As someone from England (a lot of us have viking ancestors as much as the people actually in nordic countries due to large parts being invaded) I find this incredibly insulting and demeaning, seriously. This light-hearted article by the escapist which seems to think one type of racism but not the other is ok is pathetic too.

Fun fact... the film isn't based on Norse mythology at all (id est, it's not a documentary on Norse mythology). It's based on a comic canon and all those "gods" depicted in the movie are in all actuality aliens - as it has been mentioned before several times in this thread.

"As someone from England" - sh*t, as someone from Bulgaria, I wouldn't even give a hoot if Vasil Levski [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasil_Levski] were to be played by a dark-colored gypsy, or if some Slavic god were to be depicted as someone with black skin color. You're developing false patriotic feelings, where it is absolutely inappropriate (considering that modern-day England has as much in common in culture and history with the Vikings, as Microsoft has with well-written software). You ought not to feel insulted, because the work is entirely fictional.

So, because its fictional, its entirely ok to change it from the source material just because they needed a token black character?

 

[Arren Kae]

Race is only as important to the actor as it is important to the character. If you follow me.

If a character's not written as any particular race and/or the character's race doesn't inform his identity significantly then it's fine to cast an actor of any race as that character.

That being said, any Nordic god has white (preferably scandinavian/germanic) attributes as an important part of his character. Casting a black actor as a white god is an example of how Hollywood shits on source material. But that's nothing new nor is it limited to mis-matched races.

Lest anyone bullshit, I'll bring up an example more particular to this situation than what has already been said about The Last Airbender: would you be fine w/a white actor playing The Black Panther?

 

[Verlander]

White characters didn't make Dragonball suck, nor did white characters make Airbender suck. They sucked for other reasons.

Seeing as he didn't suck, and this film didn't suck, there is no issue.

 

[MetallicaRulez0]

Is the actor good in the role?

If so, I don't give a rat's ass what color his skin is. If they had cast a black Thor, maybe I'd have a problem with it. This is just a supporting actor. Who honestly cares that much? Get a grip.

 

[Luke Cooper]

Really? this sort of argument seems a bit pointless don't you think? regardless of whether he is black or white really shouldn't be an issue. I understand that comic fans and those who are familiar with the Nordic beliefs would be upset, I myself have a huge fascination with Norse mythology, however, one thing I love about movies and correct me if I'm wrong, they have the ability to portray almost any media, both from the past and present and create a more enticing visual form that draws people in and gives them a great story.
I personally don't care if he was cast for equal opportunities, just like I don't care whether any of the other actors were cast for some strange reason. The point is that the film was as good as it was because of the work they put into it and the actors that were in it, whether it changes one detail of the comic doesn't matter as long as it was good...and it WAS good.
Just on a side note he was pretty much the most badass looking and sounding character in the whole movie, I don't know who cast him but I can see why you did, it was an awesome movie.

 

[Seieko Pherdo]

And why are we all focused on a guy's skin color rather than is the movie good? Like what fans of something should be doing.

 

[Nurb]

Comic book fans hate any change to established characters, cannon or not, except this time they didn't see the racist label coming when they complained about a god character's race change instead of a costume. Yes, I'm aware some genuine racists complained but they'd be the minority from what I read. I'm not a fan of thor or comics really, but it's annyoing to have that label thrown around so casually about criticism and the comics' source material

 

[Logan Westbrook]

What do you think the reaction would be in New Orleans if they cast loa/voudon gods as entirely white people?
Why is it ok to overwrite the history of one sub-set of people but not the other? As someone from England (a lot of us have viking ancestors as much as the people actually in nordic countries due to large parts being invaded) I find this incredibly insulting and demeaning, seriously.

There were no black people in the nordic countries at the time of those gods being believed in, there is no reason whatsoever for this other than attempting to rewrite and twist history for the sake of brainwashing people that "we have always been multicultural in eurasia."

This light-hearted, cheerfully racist, article by The Escapist, which seems to think one type of racism but ok not the other, is utterly pathetic.

I don't see what being English has to do with it. I'm English and I don't care.

I'm also not entirely sure how I've been racist. You could make the argument that I've been culturally insensitive, I suppose, but racist? Not really. Then again, you're playing the "brainwashing" card, so I doubt we're ever going to see eye to eye.

 

[Torrasque]

He's a really great actor, and suits the role. Considering I don't give a fuck about race, it makes sense that he got the role.
If he got it because he's black, then thats kinda lame, but I don't know if thats the case.
Either way, I'm glad this guy was in the movie.

Edit: Comment #666
;_;

 

[Really]

dearest yanks...i wouldnt worry about the black/white thing....I cant wait till they type cast an asian moses and a female david (you think the jew producers would allow that? probably not)...but anyways that's the ways of hollywood. mazeltov!

anyways I'm not here for the black norse god...im here for more logical issues that nobody seems to address...

1stly - I didnt know Asgardians speak English...considering the intense history and amalgamation of words and sounds which derived and formed our English language, where there was a time where every town in Britain had a different word for "egg", its amazing another species from another planet evolved to speak the same language.

2ndly - not only did the Asgardians speak ol' USA English, they use the ol' USA metric system.
Remember when Thor was looking for his hammer and someone tells him its was "50 miles west" Well although we didnt see it Thor must have been using his starfleet issued intergalactic translator or the Asgardians must use the exact same metric system. Funny that it wasn't "50 clicks west", or "50km west" - probably would have understood that too.

3rdly - and this one takes the cake, Kenneth-you-fool-Branagh!!!
Loki was considered Evil 100's of years ago in Norse mythology before he actually became Evil...weird right! The humans knew before the gods...
Its kinda like Satan only turning evil during modern day meanwhile years and years of religious and non-religious literature has painted him evil before. The Black Norse Actor should have used his vision to scope out our Norse Mythology literature in any one of our libraries then all of that could have been avoided...
Stupid beyond measure!

Having said all that the film is entertaining....but nowhere near the solid reviews its getting by the A-hole/list so-called movie buffs...because it possesses HOLES larger than a 50 year old porn star's.......(insert word here)!
Thank you for indulging...
Go Yanks!

 

[Matt Seegz]

So, Kitty's post, which goes so far as to challenge ethnocentrism, gets them banned, but the moron above me gets a free pass even after his railing against "Jew producers?"