I've only seen the full 2nd Thor trailer once or twice on the net and the first one during Tron showings. I saw Idris (I think that's his name) all decked out in gold armor but figured he was Loki's henchman or something. Of course after the 2nd trailer and seeing him more clearly he definitely looked more akin to Hiemdall... which as it stands... He is.
So apparently there are white supremacist groups boycotting the movie for this casting choice alone.
I feel that's a bit an over-reaction but I don't worship norse dieties.
Though, I can also understand where they're coming from. While I didn't mind Kingpin being played by Michael Clark Duncan I also DID NOT want too see a Wonder Woman movie where Diana was played by Beyonce.
What do you guys think about this story? This casting choice?
and how do you feel about roles getting tossed to the "wrong race"?
Would you have liked a white War Machine? A Mexican Iron Man? a Black Thor?
Chime in and let me know what you think.
__________________ "damn jinzin, you're a real trooper, you provde fact after fact and pages and pages of proof and these wanton miscreants just keep at it"~MERC
Its a minor detail. Yeah it annoys me, but it's not going to stop me from enjoying the movie if it turns out to be good.
Heimdall isn't a major character, but as it stands a black Norse God makes about as much sense as a blond hair, blue eyed African deity would. Considering that in the Old Norse world if you called someone "black" you didn't mean Sub-Saharan African or even Moorish, you meant someone with brown hair and brown eyes. That's how small the ethnic diversity was in that time and place.
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Last edited by Omega Vision on Apr 9th, 2011 at 07:14 PM
Keep in mind in mythology Hiemdall is established as the fairest skinned/whitest of white god.
__________________ "damn jinzin, you're a real trooper, you provde fact after fact and pages and pages of proof and these wanton miscreants just keep at it"~MERC
If you're talking about the religon itself your wrong. Sure Norse gods where white but thats because Norse people were white, if you look at what gods really are in Norse lore they transcend physical form. Thats like arguing that angels should be white.
However I do get a little pissed off when they make white characters black, I think they should just make more black characters but I'm glad its pissing off the white supremecist.
He is? I thought that was Balder? Hell if want to get into specifics then Thor should be as powerful as Odin.
edit: Yea apparently thats what Norse lore says.
__________________ Watch what people are cynical about, and one can often discover what they lack.
- General George Patton Jr
Last edited by Deadline on Apr 9th, 2011 at 07:48 PM
I can see why some people would displeased by the notion, but it doesn't bother me personally.
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Balder is also called Balder the White at times, but it's a reference to light/day/brightness, whereas Hiemdall is specifically referenced as the whitest of skin.
Just sayin' it's kind of like they're trying to piss people off given that fact alone hehe.
__________________ "damn jinzin, you're a real trooper, you provde fact after fact and pages and pages of proof and these wanton miscreants just keep at it"~MERC
Also don't forget about my curiosities on your opinions regarding this type of casting choice in general.
__________________ "damn jinzin, you're a real trooper, you provde fact after fact and pages and pages of proof and these wanton miscreants just keep at it"~MERC
__________________ "damn jinzin, you're a real trooper, you provde fact after fact and pages and pages of proof and these wanton miscreants just keep at it"~MERC
Yea but from a religous point of view gods are metaphysical beings they can be black. However in comics Asagardians aren't as metaphysical (except maybe Odin).
Well yea my earlier post sumed up my feelings.
__________________ Watch what people are cynical about, and one can often discover what they lack.
- General George Patton Jr
Usually that might be the case, but I don't think pigmentation is a bullet point to godly representations for most dieties... Hiemdall's a different story.
__________________ "damn jinzin, you're a real trooper, you provde fact after fact and pages and pages of proof and these wanton miscreants just keep at it"~MERC
Meh this is such a minor change I don't think anyone should care. I mean I'm not sure but I don't know if they went into the movie saying they needed a black man its just that he did the best job.
Heimdal is minor character in the background of things that this change is nothing I'm gonna cry over.
I would be a little more disturbed at a Black Thor or White War Machine. Cause they're more central characters from comics that you want to see them as they are. So I want to see Thor as he is in comics I want to see War Machine as he is comics. I don't really care about Heimdal.
Just like they made Jarvis a machine. It didn't bother me that much.
I understand why it bothers people. Racial background plays heavily into character identity and all that. That being said, change is good, and while I personally don't feel attached to Heimdall's character (and therefore can't speak from the perspective of those who do), he obviously isn't a big part of the big picture, so I'm for it.
First of all, it's Heimdall, not Hiemdall. If you're going to complain about a character's specifics, identify him right.
Secondly, have you been asleep for the past year and a half? This debate has gone on since Idris Elba was cast in late fall of 2009. I have followed the debate on multiple boards, and there's virtually nothing left to be said at this point. The movie opens in less than four weeks.
Thirdly, Asgardians aren't from Earth or Scandinavia; just the select ones they have brought to Asgard over millenia are. So they don't have to racially look all caucasian.
...So did they have to cast him? Maybe not. This controversy could have been avoided if they hadn't. But precedent had alreay been set in other ways. Hogun the Grim resembles a mongol in many ways, so a Japanese actor has been cast for his part. And Heimdall was one God who didn't visit Earth(Midgard) so he's never been seen by mortals. And Kenneth Branagh has a history of ignoring race in casting supporting roles - he cast Denzel Washington & Keanu Reeves as brothers in Much Ado About Nothing. Because he's more concerned about getting a great actor to do a good job than anything else.
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I think he looks aesthetically amazing in the movie, especially the contact lenses. I hope something happens to 616 Heimdall that makes him change his appearance like tranny Loki.
I figure the stance they are taking is that Asgardians are a completely different species as varied and diverse as Humanity... which I don't really have a problem with, but I think it will be confusing if they ever introduce any of the other Pantheons.
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It is annoying when they cant even get a character right. IMO , characters should come as close as possible to what they are like in comics. Unless they're going with a black Hiemdall for comics.
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"damn jinzin, you're a real trooper, you provde fact after fact and pages and pages of proof and these wanton miscreants just keep at it"~MERC
Apr 9th, 2011 07:00 PM
