Why is there still such a fuss over Idris Elba as Heimdall?

[Figs]

Elba wasn't as bad as I thought he would be in this. I'm just glad the movie didn't have all those stupid close up growly faces of his from the trailers.

 

[Arach Knight]

lol yeah but I recall a few things from the Kirby Thor days where they had those pages on Asgard the city, and Black people being in those shots, Franklin.
I was quite happy with Elba's Heimdall. Tho I wish Tadanobu Asano had at least a Stash on his lip.

I might just go out and fetch one of those maxi-volumes of Thor that they sell for like $19.99 for twenty issues in black and white. It would be interesting to see if you are correct, not that I entirely doubt you. Stan and Jack were really progressive creators in their day.

 

[misjuevos]

i liked heimdall in this movie.

 

[Vartha]

I might just go out and fetch one of those maxi-volumes of Thor that they sell for like $19.99 for twenty issues in black and white. It would be interesting to see if you are correct, not that I entirely doubt you. Stan and Jack were really progressive creators in their day.

I'm thinking those things appeared in the back of the Annuals.

 

[Spider-Vader]

I thought Elba did a pretty good job as Heimdall, I don't know much about Heimdall, but I enjoyed his performance.

 

[jmc]

Idris Elba is ****ing great. That is all.

 

[msmariah]

I am not elevating anything to racism. I am witnessing it. There is a clear double standard. I love how you dodged all of my examples. Heimdall is fictional. Angelina Jolie played a real life mixed-ethnicity person. Where is your indignation for that? I don't see anyone caring about Fred Armisen playing Prince and Barack Obama, even though Armisen is not black. Also, the Marvel version of Thor has little to do with the actual Nordic myth. Who is to say that Marvel's Heimdall is even related to Sif? Loki isn't evil in Norse mythology (at least not until he aids in the murder of Balder) and he certainly isn't Thor's brother, not even his step brother. Why doesn't that upset you?

Heck, why aren't you upset that Thor is blond in this movie? In the myth, he is red headed. Loki is a Midgard giant in the myth, not a Frost Giant. Why isn't that annoying you? You are cherry-picking one inaccuracy, that has to do with race, and ignoring a host of other inaccuracies that have a greater impact on the character relationships. Also, if you can accept Thor and Loki as brothers in this film (inaccurate to the myth), even though Loki is really a BLUE Frost Giant, then why can't Heimdall be the black brother of a white Sif (assuming that Marvel's Heimdall is related to Sif)? Can't Heimdall be adopted/step just like Loki is to Thor? What does that tell you about your "indignation?" Are you concerned about faithfulness to the source or are you concerned about race?

For the record, I hate this modern globalist liberal agenda. I don't buy into the "global citizen" garbage that people are forcing down our throats as of late. I am happy to be an American. I think it is fine for people to love their heritage and to revere it and to embrace their ancestry for all that means. Be it slaves rising to freedom or ancient epic heroes. However, I take issue with selective indignation on an issue. If you hate inaccurate ethnic casting, don't just be upset when it comes to white characters. Be upset when it comes to any out of character casting. Call shenanigans on Ben Kingsley as Ghandi. Become livid at the thought of Jake Gyllenhaal playing an Arab. I am not upset by these ethnic inaccuracies, because I personally care more about better acting than accurate aesthetics. However, if you are concerned about accurate aesthetics and not the acting, then don't be a hypocrite.

Hello, I'm new to this board. So new that I don't even have an avatar yet, but I wanted to say that I couldn't agree with you more. I just saw Thor today and Idris was excellent as Heimdall. He looked and sounded amazing.

 

[Timstuff]

Watching the movie made it pretty obvous why Elba was chosen for the role. Heimdall is a huge intimidating wall of a man who you would think twice about crossing, and Elba is perfect for that. Seeing him in the role, I could care less whether or not he looks Scandinavian.

 

[Nemi]

That is the thing, Branagh has already said that he wanted to work with Elba on this project. It wasn't am racially motivated decision to some how market to minorities/blacks. In fact, Heidmall's role, though important, is small. Branagh simply appreciates Elba's talent as an actor.

http://**************.com/fansites/rorschachsrants/news/?a=33979

This is a movie about a Marvel super hero, inspired by old Scandiavian legends. There is no real way to market that to minorities. Either they will see it (as I did), or they will go spend dollars on the next Tyler Perry vehicle or some other stereotypical schlock that is actually marketed toward blacks/minorities.

I do agree with you however on the matter of a white actor having been able to fulfill the role. Still, given Branagh's comments about the authority of Elba's voice, I can see why he chose Elba, rather than relying on ethnic look alikes. He wanted somebody you would believe would instill obedience when he denies you access to the Bifrost.

I believed it.

 

[Arach Knight]

Hello, I'm new to this board. So new that I don't even have an avatar yet, but I wanted to say that I couldn't agree with you more. I just saw Thor today and Idris was excellent as Heimdall. He looked and sounded amazing.

Welcome to the forums. I hope you stick around for more than just the summer movie season. This is a pretty friendly place. Also, I am glad to see that I am not alone in my thinking.

 

[ladyloki]

when i was watching this movie I didnt see the color of the actor , I didnt care .. all I thought about was man this is one badass dude I would not want to cross. He was great , wish there was more of him .

 

[SuperSoldier985]

He better be in all of the future Thor movies.

Everyone seemed to really enjoy the character and Idris did a great job...

 

[Shazam]

You're wrong. It's because Heimdall "looks" white and Elba doesn't. It's because Elba looks nothing like his "blood sister" Jaimie Alexander. It's because Kirby never drew a black Heimdall.


You're trying to elevate this to racism and it's not. Well not for me anyway.

Well said!

 

[Asteroid-Man]

I stayed away from Thor news and just watched trailers on Marvel's youtube page. I saw the movie and thought it was absolutely fantastic. As I slowly started going through older posts here, and recent news on other sites, I have seen that there is backlash over Idris Elba's casting as Heimdall. In the year 2011, when we understand how diverse the planet is. When we understand that ethnic variation is about environmental factors (darker skin to protect from the sun, lighter skin to absorb more sun in clouded environments). When many countries are no longer homogeneous. People are still this caught up on race?

When Angelina Jolie was cast to play an Afro Cuban in "A Mighty Heart," most people didn't care. When Angelina Jolie played Fox, a character who was originally Black in the comic book version of Wanted, no one even batted an eye. White people have played Egyptians. 300 is revered as a movie about the bravery of the Spartans, even tough it made Persians look like mutants, demons and monsters. Heck, Jake Gyllenhaal played the Prince of PERSIA. He certainly isn't an Arab. Ben Kingsley, a white Briton, played Ghandi, an INDIAN. It seems clear to me that the issue here isn't ethnic casting and unfaithfulness to the source, but rather seeing a Black man occupy a role for which racists have high esteem. If it is a minority being portrayed by whites, even if they are historical people, or poor representations of minorities on screen, then no one cares. If minorities fulfill roles of traditionally white characters, then suddenly it is a horrible assault on white culture.

Sure Norse mythology is a cultural staple for Scandinavian people, but I don't see anyone of these people complaining about the inaccurate representations of zombies, which believe it or not, are religious in origin. Zombies come from the African/Haitian syncretic religion of Voudoun. However, most zombmie movies are about viral outbreaks rather than Voudoun priests. No one complains about how the Native American Wendigo is treated as if it were a werewolf like creature, which is an inaccurate representation of Native American cultural heritage. If it's good for the goose, it is good for the gander. Either no one changes any cultural history when reimagining/reinterpreting it or everyone is free to reinterpret it.

This was almost completely an intelligent post... but Persians and Arabs are NOT the same - ethnically, Persians are of the same decent as Europeans; Aryan. Culturally, linguistically and historically they are completely different. Arabs come from the same ancestry as Israelis.

 

[Iron_Stark]

I stayed away from Thor news and just watched trailers on Marvel's youtube page. I saw the movie and thought it was absolutely fantastic. As I slowly started going through older posts here, and recent news on other sites, I have seen that there is backlash over Idris Elba's casting as Heimdall. In the year 2011, when we understand how diverse the planet is. When we understand that ethnic variation is about environmental factors (darker skin to protect from the sun, lighter skin to absorb more sun in clouded environments). When many countries are no longer homogeneous. People are still this caught up on race?

When Angelina Jolie was cast to play an Afro Cuban in "A Mighty Heart," most people didn't care. When Angelina Jolie played Fox, a character who was originally Black in the comic book version of Wanted, no one even batted an eye. White people have played Egyptians. 300 is revered as a movie about the bravery of the Spartans, even tough it made Persians look like mutants, demons and monsters. Heck, Jake Gyllenhaal played the Prince of PERSIA. He certainly isn't an Arab. Ben Kingsley, a white Briton, played Ghandi, an INDIAN. It seems clear to me that the issue here isn't ethnic casting and unfaithfulness to the source, but rather seeing a Black man occupy a role for which racists have high esteem. If it is a minority being portrayed by whites, even if they are historical people, or poor representations of minorities on screen, then no one cares. If minorities fulfill roles of traditionally white characters, then suddenly it is a horrible assault on white culture.

Sure Norse mythology is a cultural staple for Scandinavian people, but I don't see anyone of these people complaining about the inaccurate representations of zombies, which believe it or not, are religious in origin. Zombies come from the African/Haitian syncretic religion of Voudoun. However, most zombmie movies are about viral outbreaks rather than Voudoun priests. No one complains about how the Native American Wendigo is treated as if it were a werewolf like creature, which is an inaccurate representation of Native American cultural heritage. If it's good for the goose, it is good for the gander. Either no one changes any cultural history when reimagining/reinterpreting it or everyone is free to reinterpret it.

To be fair, Ben Kingsley was born Kirshna Pandit Bhanji and his dad is Indian. But yeah I. Don't see what the big deal is about Heimdall, he played a good part.

 

[SuperFerret]

Heimdall is Persian now? Someone get Leonidas!

 

[Nathan]

Dude was effin' badass. Loved him talking.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Heimdall was badass. He had just enough of screentime. I think his screentime benefited his character. When he spoke I felt this was an ancient and powerful being.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

If your only problem with Thor was them casting a good black actor as a white character you didn't see the film.

The actor was fine and I didn't think about his race once.

 

[Still A ThorFan]

Idris was so great with a small role. That shows how good of an actor he is. I loved him as Heimdall.

 

[The Morningstar]

Yea, he had a great, commanding presence. And a nice, droll sense of humour.

Also, did anyone else notice the reflection of the SHIELD complex in his eye when it has that close up of him after Thor fails to lift Mjolnir? Thought that was really well done.

 

[Bren]

Honestly, I was one of the people who was a bit nonplussed with Elba as Heimdal. I was thinking, in both comics and myth he's commonly seen as a white dude, so why change it.
I was more irritated by some people calling racism for anyone who disagreed with the casting, but that's a different issue.

Now, I can see why they chose him, he was flipping brilliant. Well done guys, I should have given you the benefit of the doubt.

 

[conaniscool]

I thought the actor did a great job. My only problem, and the one thing that ruined it for me, was that he was black.

 

[jacobed]

Elba was great as Heimdall and he was f'n scary just standing there

 

[Nathan]

The spillreview was hilarious. "They cast a black guy in the movie and what do they make him? A doorman!"