Andy Serkis wird gefragt, warum die neue „Herr der Ringe“-Besetzung ausschließlich aus weißen Schauspielern besteht: „Ich glaube nicht, dass wir eine politisch korrekte Besetzung des Films um der Besetzung willen machen werden“
https://variety.com/2026/film/news/andy-serkis-lord-of-the-rings-diversity-white-actors-1236811570/
39 Kommentare
*points at Magic the Gathering: Lord of the Rings set emphatically*
It’s essentially like saying „why would I make Journey to the West and try to cast a diverse pool“. LotR is essentially a European period fantasy. There is no reason to do so.
“New ‘Lord of the Rings’ cast”
I’m sorry what, is there a remake? how is this the first I’m hearing of it?
I don’t understand how Serkis was able to get this (likely very expensive) directing role considering his track record. Is he paying for some of it? Were they just sick of hearing him beg to make the movie?
Tolkien specifically described the southerons and Haradrim as those with „black faces.“ Which implies that is different from the men of the North, Westernese, Hobbits (as it is Sam who says it). So, the people included in those stories shouldn’t be people of colour. In the way he says it it also implies it’s a foreign aspect he hasn’t encountered, so you could take it as neither Elves or Dwarves look like that either, but they aren’t specifically described as such.
The fact is Tolkein was an Englishman of a certain era writing a medieval fantasy inspired by European Epics such as Norse Mythology, Beowulf and King Arthur. He also said he believes middle earth to be our Earth very far into the past. All of Middle Earth is very European in it’s mythology and culture. It’s unlikely he was ever imagining anyone in his stories to represent anything but white Europeans, otherwise he would have described them so. At least in the stories he got around to telling. Who knows what his stories about the far east or Southerons would be.
This is a little crazy now. I don’t think every movie needs diversity. If they hire actors after they have them read the script well for the part, I don’t think they need to consider race.
As a black woman I’m so tired of this discussion we have black characters and representation in the 80’s and 90’s. Why is it such an issue now? I would rather we have our own shows with original characters so those angry folks would stop crying online but as a person who understands why diversity matters when actors or directors pander to those groups it hurts. When I was a kid I didn’t have princess/ or make believe characters that looked like me and seeing how my nieces and nephews have characters that look like them in shows they like it means something to us. He could have just said no comment and leave it at that I like lord of the rings these are made up characters who cares what color elves or dwarfs are. They have different races in the ring of power what’s the matter now? Anyway let’s wrap this up, folks are showing u who they are so believe them.
When Marlon James‘ fantasy series „Dark Star Trilogy“ is adapted for film or TV (Michael B. Jordan owns the rights and it’s fucking amazing), will anyone be asking why there isn’t much white or brown character representation in a series set in fantasy version of Africa?
I hope not, because that would make it weird.
I love when people commit to historically accurate fantasy casting. I’d argue that Lord of the Rings really has nothing that makes skin color relevant to the story
Edit: and by that i mean, fantasy is fictional and there is no historical accuracy. So there’s no reason why all the hobbits, elves, etc would be the same skin color
As a non-white I never understood the representation thing. I watch content from all around the world and I identify to characters on a human spiritual level.
Jesus can we stop with the ‚every movie has to be a rainbow coalition of actors‘?!
There is absolutely a time and a place, if you want more diversity, then tell stories steeped in diversity! Write new stories that have diversity! Don’t shoehorn it into things it was never in to begin with.
Wasn’t the original all white actors? These people are so weird
Fucking rage bait question
Anyone else feel like this a shot at the Harry Potter show?
So there won’t be a Tolkien black guy?
Just make sure the movie doesn’t suck. I don’t care what color skin the actors are.
I was hoping to see a Latino Gandalf and an Inuit Bilbo.
All 11 people on Reddit mad about this are glad he was asked that question
What a stupid question.
Is it weird that I don’t care about this, yet also don’t care that they cast a black Snape in Harry Potter?
No way he’s being faithful to the lore… How dare he…!
I don’t see any issue here. It sounds harsh, but it makes sense.
From the same guy who removed the message from Animal Farm…
Didn’t a bunch of people complain that The Rings of Power were too diverse?
Good god pick a lane. Or just enjoy the entertainment for what it is. Entertainment.
I think a diverse cast is a good thing, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing that this movie *doesn’t* have one.
People really need to calm down.
Why should he have to defend or explain himself? His adaptation is of a European book, with a setting rooted in European fantasy and folklore and directly based on Europe, which is canonically white (other parts of Arda have other dominant ethnic groups).
The full NPR interview was worth the listen for those types of fans 🙂
In the printed Lord of the Rings trilogy, you may recall that there are, in fact, black characters. They are the ’swarthy Southrons‘ who are mentioned but do not directly appear in the story. They’re on the bad guys‘ side. Be cautious wishing for honest representation; Sauron may grant it.
The people complaining about this are just as stupid as the right wingers crying about cast of Odyssey or Hamiltons skin color.
Make your own shit if you dont like it. Dont go see it of you dont like it.. no one cares
Imagine if he was asked why there aren’t more white people in Black Panther.
I get the feeling that Andy Serkis probably said something long and thoughtful, and Variety.com went straight for some culture war ragebait.
Diversity check boxes never increase the quality of a project. Ask the Rings of Power creatives if their push toward diversity helped them salvage the awful scripting and dialogue.
I’m Hispanic and I look it. People don’t really look like me in any of the LOTR settings and it has never bothered me. I just really like movies and fantasy. I don’t care if I don’t feel represented, but I also love when I am. These debates are so tiring and boring.
For me, I just don’t think the movies need to be rehashed yet and I don’t have a lot of faith in this adaptation.
In other words, there are plenty of films out there where the source material or original script, call for a diverse cast. This isn’t one of them. And that should be okay. It’s not like there’s tons of reasonable people out there throwing a party because there’s only white people in this production. People need to stop tallying victories and losses based purely off diversity.
Why is this a headline with an article? It’s rage bait to help YouTubers and movie ticket sales. It’s so tiring.
Remember when everyone lost their shit over a black dwarf in rings of power?
As a black guy, I think this is a sign that the entertainment industry is healing. I want my dark ages influenced media to have European people.
„this particular movie doesn’t require a diverse cast“ sounds good to me. I watched this awesome show called squid game, it was really really good but wow….it was all 200% asian people, I guess I’m not allowed to like it due to lack of representation now?
This is like complaining Wakanda wasn’t white enough. People have too much time on their hands