Dick Grayson Casting Thread

[Gamma Goliath]

That would be one of his challenges as an actor i suppose.

 

[az824]

I really like him (Fin Wittrock) as choice too if he can pull of a more humble but still charming character.

My top choice is Michael Trevino:

He looks way more like Nightwing than Efron, maybe not as fit (but that can change) and definitely as good an actor if not better.

 

[Da-Scribe]

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if WB pulled a fast one and went with a non-white actor as Dick. Someone said Steven Yeun. I could see that happening.

 

[terry78]

Yeah just saw that on DC's social page. I said they'll throw a curve ball and make him black or Asian.

 

[Lone]

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if WB pulled a fast one and went with a non-white actor as Dick. Someone said Steven Yeun. I could see that happening.

Now that you mention it, I can totally see him as Grayson.

Still hoping Efron is cast into the DCEU.

 

[Sawyer]

It'll be Nick Jonas, y'all. Bet on it.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Zac Efron as Nightwing by BossLogic Inc:

 

[LoganGambit87]

It'll be Nick Jonas, y'all. Bet on it.

gonna be harry styles he already got that WB connection with Nolan's Dunkirk

 

[PeterBenParker]

Because they aren't going to hire a 2nd rate TV actor to play the role. They will be looking for a future star for the part.

Again, this is the same studio that cast Ben Affleck and Jesse Eisenberg as Batman and Lex Luthor respectively. To say "they aren't going to hire blah blah" is..interesting because most of their casting decisions have been outside the box.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if WB pulled a fast one and went with a non-white actor as Dick. Someone said Steven Yeun. I could see that happening.

Yeah just saw that on DC's social page. I said they'll throw a curve ball and make him black or Asian.

Yup, seems like a safe thing to assume. Marlon Wayans was almost Robin at one point.

 

[2kt09]

Did someone say...

Spoiler

Androgynous

Spoiler

Asian

Spoiler

Kid?

 

[TheRedWraith]

I said androgynous but a race change would be a needless change for the sake of change that would add nothing and the only way to make it mean something would be to change the character so I'd rather they just primarily try to cast visually accurate give or take some minor details like eye color.

 

[superman-mos]

I said androgynous but a race change would be a needless change for the sake of change that would add nothing and the only way to make it mean something would be to change the character so I'd rather they just primarily try to cast visually accurate give or take some minor details like eye color.

I was saying something earlier in the Iron Fist thread. I'm all for diversity in comics and films but I don't like changing established characters into a gender or race that they have historically never been. You have to many great characters of different races and genders that can be used if only they would make the effort to raise that characters profile and status . No reason to make Dick Grayson an African American when you've got great African American characters in the bat mythology that deserves the spotlight as well and could be very popular in their own right . I don't think you have to change a characters race to tap into that characters popularity to make a character of color or gender to work which seems to be the reasoning behind doing it

 

[Polux]

Look, it they change Dick's race, is because they found an actor that checks all the requirements they're looking for and fits their version of Dick, AND that actor happens to be of a different race...

Casting directors don't sit down (when it comes to this main characters) and go "Hey! I know! Let's make him asian! Let's make'im black!"; they find the actor they like, and then make whatever adjustments they need to do to the script.

 

[az824]

That's why I suggested Michael Trevino, he's full Mexican but he's still white, so you don't change the race, only the ethnicity. Everybody wins.

 

[az824]

Also, Trevino looks a lot like Nightwing in the comics, minus the eye color.

 

[superman-mos]

I'm just against casting characters for diversity sake when there are great characters of different races , genders, and beliefs already exist . Just comes across a little lazy when they do it to just be doing it. Which seems to be a trend as of lately in fandom .

 

[BlueLanternKal]

Tweaking the script to fit a race bend for an actor that fits the role... is lazy?

 

[Robin91939]

Tweaking the script to fit a race bend for an actor that fits the role... is lazy?

I think he means it's more lazy than continuing to create new and exciting diverse characters to populate the mythos.

Just changing existing characters, some who have been around 60-70 years, just to hit a quota or to give a film a sense of diversity is far easier than creating a new character who is specifically intended to be a different ethnicity, etc.

I'm always split on this topic, because it has worked. But I think I'm more toward the side of not changing for change's sake because while it may give another ethnicity someone to look to, you are taking away someone else's favorite character. Or, better to say, you are taking someone else from seeing themselves in their favorite character (Before anyone says that changing a white character's race shouldn't impact a white fan seeing themselves in the character, then any other race should have no problem seeing themselves in a white character. It's just not true. Appearance does help to have people see themselves in and relate to characters).

The comics have been making a strong effort lately to be more diverse and create characters that every race/creed/orientation can relate to. I even think DC has done better here. They've created totally new characters, while Marvel has just introduced more legacy characters (even for characters who aren't typically legacy characters: Thor, Hulk, Spider-Man, Iron Man).

And changing a race of a character does change the character. Especially American characters. Whites, blacks, latinos, asians? We all have vastly different experiences in life in this country (especially depending on what region you're from) and swapping a race changes all the baggage that comes with it. I'm defined by my whiteness just as much as an African American is defined by their blackness. It's not, in any way, all of what either of us are, but it has informed my life experiences. It has shaped my existence. So just like taking a character like Storm or Black Panther or Miles Morales or Rhodey and changing their race would be wrong and would fundamentally change their character, changing Dick Grayson's would also change his.


Now, that said ... I've seen it happen and work in films with characters like Perry White, Deadshot and on TV with the West family, etc. Which is why I struggle with the topic. Do these not bother me because I never saw myself in these characters like I do a character like Dick Grayson? Probably. And I think that's why this is always such a fierce discussion. When you're changing any character, you're taking away SOMEONE's chsracter. A character someone in the world feels ownership of. That's a tricky situation.

-R

 

[BlueLanternKal]

Fair enough. And I agree. Changing characters for the sake of diversity is wrong. But say if a latino or asian actor reads for Nightwing and Geoff Johns and the casting directors are convinced "this guy is Dick Grayson" what do you do? That's why I fall on the diversity side of things. Race and skin color are definitely important factors, but these larger than life characters are certainly not exclusively defined by their ethnic background or skin pigmentation.

 

[superman-mos]

Fair enough. And I agree. Changing characters for the sake of diversity is wrong. But say if a latino or asian actor reads for Nightwing and Geoff Johns and the casting directors are convinced "this guy is Dick Grayson" what do you do? That's why I fall on the diversity side of things. Race and skin color are definitely important factors, but these larger than life characters are certainly not exclusively defined by their ethnic background or skin pigmentation.

Yeah he pretty much nailed what I meant by lazy . It's like they want to have diversity but instead introducing new characters or use existing characters of race and gender they just change another character to fit that i agree though sometimes it does work really well but usually in my opinion the ones most people have a problem with is the iconic characters or characters with a rich history . While I won't argue that Iris West , Perry White , and Deadshot are very much well known they are not on the level of Superman, Batman, Etc. I think the only reason Nightwing is on that level is his history is just as rich as Batmans due to his many years of publication as Robin. It's the comments like Danny Rand should be Asian .... it confuses me . Because he is a martial artist with ties to eastern mysticism he should be Asian? Isn't that more of a racial stereotype than him being a white martial artist ? Those things get on my nerves . I just don't like to see these things changed for the sake of changing them . I would rather see the characters that already exist that are of different races, religions, and genders be used instead of changing established characters. I don't want a white guy or Asian guy playing Black Panther , Black Lightning, Blade, Vixen, etc etc etc . Can it work though? Yes with some characters it can work and if it honestly added something to the story and more depth to the character to make that change the. I could probably get on board with it but it's when it's done just for the sake of doing it that gets me .

 

[Black Narcissus]

I'd like to see an asian actor play Grayson. No problem with that.

 

[Robin91939]

I don't think there's anything inherently "wrong" with changing a character's race. Or that it's a problem.

I just it's fans being precious and selfish (admittedly) with characters they love, relate to and see themselves in and wanting it to stay that way.

Fictional characters belong to their fans. That's who has ownership of them. Every individual fan has their own 100% ownership of each character. I own all of Nightwing, just like anyone else on this board owns all of him. So we're all allowed to want to continue seeing ourselves in him, relate to him and enjoy the character as much as we do now in the future.

That's why I hate when discussions about race changes devolve into discussions about racism (it hasn't here yet, no). There's nothing racist or wrong with wanting to keep a character you love the way that you like them. And there's nothing wrong with admitting that it's easier to see yourself in a character that looks like you. That's why publishers are creating more diverse characters. To give minorities characters they can see themselves in. Whether it's Miles Morales or Kamala Khan or Simon Baz or Duke Thomas, these are characters being created that give people who look like these characters someone they can see themselves in.

Taking that away from them would unfair and would take a pretty good reason. That's how I feel about about changing a race of any character. It would be unfair and would need a good reason. That reason could be story or actor or director. But there has to be a good one.

-R

 

[superman-mos]

I don't think there's anything inherently "wrong" with changing a character's race. Or that it's a problem.

I just it's fans being precious and selfish (admittedly) with characters they love, relate to and see themselves in and wanting it to stay that way.

Fictional characters belong to their fans. That's who has ownership of them. Every individual fan has their own 100% ownership of each character. I own all of Nightwing, just like anyone else on this board owns all of him. So we're all allowed to want to continue seeing ourselves in him, relate to him and enjoy the character as much as we do now in the future.

That's why I hate when discussions about race changes devolve into discussions about racism (it hasn't here yet, no). There's nothing racist or wrong with wanting to keep a character you love the way that you like them. And there's nothing wrong with admitting that it's easier to see yourself in a character that looks like you. That's why publishers are creating more diverse characters. To give minorities characters they can see themselves in. Whether it's Miles Morales or Kamala Khan or Simon Baz or Duke Thomas, these are characters being created that give people who look like these characters someone they can see themselves in.

Taking that away from them would unfair and would take a pretty good reason. That's how I feel about about changing a race of any character. It would be unfair and would need a good reason. That reason could be story or actor or director. But there has to be a good one.

-R

yes you are correct .

 

[dhandler01]

It is way more lazy to assume that casting a minority to play the role is being done "for diversity". Not to mention you are basically saying the only people who have the chops to play said character is white which is ridiculous.

The best person for the part should get it...if that person is non-white so be it.

 

[Robin91939]

It is way more lazy to assume that casting a minority to play the role is being done "for diversity". Not to mention you are basically saying the only people who have the chops to play said character is white which is ridiculous.

The best person for the part should get it...if that person is non-white so be it.

Literally no one said that a minority actor doesn't have the chops to play a traditionally white character.

Denzel Washington, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Will Smith, Mahershala Ali, David Oyelowo, Morgan Freeman, Forest Whitaker, Terrance Howard, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle, Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne ... All amongst the best actors living today.

Literally zero people have said that minority actors don't have the chops.

I've made a pretty clear argument as to why race changes get an emotional response from fans. It's not about an actor of another race not having the acting ability to perform the character, it's that generations of fans grew up seeing themselves in that character and a big reason is because they identified with them from a physical/visual level. So giving diversity so that another group can have a character that reflects them will always come at the expense of taking it away from an established fanbase.

Now, I'm not saying that I can't see part of myself in a minority character or that a minority fan can't see themselves in a white character ... or that a character's race is their main and defining characteristic. It's not. But it is a big part of a person's identity.

A white woman couldn't play Storm. That doesn't mean that there are no white women who have the chops to play the part. It's just that Ororo Munroe is a black woman. She's a character that little black girls look up to and see themselves in and are inspired by. It would be unfair to take her away from them. Just like it's unfair to change Dick Grayson for no other reason than diversity's sake.

-R