I just have to get this off my chest.
I have to put it out there into the universe.
If I don’t, I might not sleep tonight. That’s how bitterly annoyed I am right now.
According to the NY Post, Christian Bale is the frontrunner for playing Roland Deschain, the gunslinger protagonist in Stephen King’s Dark Tower saga. Earlier reports had Viggo Mortensen and Javier Bardem in the lead. Last week, I made a poll Which Actor Should Play Roland Deschain? and many of you weighed in. Most had great ideas about who should play Roland, and while I didn’t think of Christian Bale I find it interesting. He still has the wrong eye color, but he’s dark. He has the voice. And he has proven himself in the saddle.
In short, I’ve been super excited about this project and Bale could work. The movie itself still hasn’t been greenlit but with the right actors on board, it undoubtedly will be.
Christian Bale would be one of those actors.
No, my apprehension doesn’t come from who Ron Howard & Company might cast as Roland.
No, I am concerned about another character.
Two, in fact.
Odetta Holmes and Detta Walker.
Odetta Holmes is a black woman living in the 1960’s who survives head trauma at the age of five by creating a secondary personality, Detta Walker. Odetta and Detta are complete opposites, both wholly unaware of the other, each possessing their own strengths and weaknesses. Odetta believes in passively participating in the civil rights movement; Detta is a racist who hates all white people and will use even sex to hurt them. When their legs are amputated after a train accident, Detta becomes even more prevalent, leaving a very dangerous woman unleashed.
While Roland is a complex character, Odetta Holmes and Detta Walker are far more so, requiring an actor of superb caliber to bring both personalities to the fore in a realistic way.
Apparently Jennifer Carpenter of Dexter fame is up for the role.
A white woman.
I love Dexter. It’s one of my favorite shows. And I like Jennifer Carpenter as Dexter’s foster sister. But there are at least a dozen black actors in Hollywood able to bring the complexity and power of both Odetta and Detta to life. At least a dozen. Yet Ron Howard is considering putting a white woman in the role of one of the best African American characters ever written.
Why, Ron Howard? Why?
To be honest, I can’t fathom it. Not from an adaptation point of view. Not from a story point of view. What makes Susannah Dean such a wonderful character is the strength she gains through her 1960’s experiences—during turbulent times. No white character could ever be as complex with the same backstory set during the same time. Ron Howard might as well rewrite the character with a whole new backstory.
Because it will only be Odetta Holmes and Detta Walker in name. Not in character.
Are you a Dark Tower fan? How do you feel about this?
Of course, the NY Post article could be bunk. But if it isn’t…
Ron Howard, I hate to say it.
You are losing me.
PS: Apparently people are reporting that Javier Bardem has secured the line on Roland Deschain. Personally, I don’t see it. Brown eyes and he’s too thick to play the gaunt Roland… Grr! Perhaps now I’m lost all the way!
If they cast a non black woman as Susannah Dean, then Ron Howard and all movies are dead to me. Though really I shouldn’t be surprised at this…
I actually think that Javier as Roland might work, but if Detta is played by a white actress, then Mr Howard is truly on thin ice. Personally I’d have loved to see Gena Torres from Firefly as Detta.
This is just heartbreaking. The Dark Tower is an epic story and initially I was thrilled that Ron Howard would be at the helm. But these casting choices are starting this enormous adventure in the wrong direction.
Bardem, while an outstanding actor is so not Roland. We’ve all seen Christian Bale play intense, haunted and yes gaunt.
After looking at the suggestions you rec’d: Josh Hartnett in 30 Days of Night was suitably intense; Timothy Olyphant was great in The Crazies, Sam Worthington would be great.
What about going outside the norm: Liev Schreiber, he’s got an incredible intensity. Or Joe Anderson who was surprising in The 27 Club and The Crazies.
I believe that Ron Howard would have enough clout to choose actors that fit the roles rather than actors that fit the popularity profile. I’m a Dexter fan but Jennifer Carpenter is no more Susannah Dean than Jennifer Beal. Howard might as well cast the actors from Twilight. Roland could sparkle on the beach.
Susannah Dean needs a strong Black actress to bring her/them to life. To do otherwise is an insult to the story and the audience. Some suggestions: Sophie Okonedo from Hotel Rawanda or Naomie Harris from 28 Days Later or Aunjanue Ellis from Ray.
Fingers crossed that cooler voices prevail and the casting doesn’t sink this project.
Wow. If Detta is played by a white woman, I will forgo seeing the films and just keep to the books. I love this series far too much to watch some Hollywood-anglicanized bastard version brought to the silver screen.
On the other hand…this is The New York Post we’re talking about here. So, I’ll reserve my full judgment until I hear it reported elsewhere.
I have to agree, choosing a white woman for this role is an epic fail. I was excited about this project but im getting worried now. If they change the race of Odetta, they are fools and obviously have no idea of what this story is about. There are too many competent black actress’s out there capable of pulling this role off as King wrote it. I will not go see this movie if this is the direction it is going in.
The only bright spot in all of this is that nothing is confirmed yet.
The problem with that though is the rumors were spot on apparently about Javier Bardem and Viggo Mortensen, especially since this morning Stephen King confirmed Bardem was offered the role. There is no reason to believe the rumors are wrong about Jennifer Carpenter and Ghita Tazi, both white women up to play Susannah Dean.
So that makes me sad. As I said, Howard is losing me.
They’re saying over at io9 that Jennifer Carpenter might be playing Susan, Roland’s girlfriend, not Suzannah.
Then that doesn’t make sense either, to be honest. Susan is 16 or 17, at the most. Jennifer Carpenter is 31. Add to that Susan has blond hair and blue eyes, if I remember correctly, and that’s even more a cluster screw up in my opinion. haha
You’re right about the age thing, but they case Emma Stone for Gwen Stacy in the new Spider-Man. Go figure.
22 to 17 I can believe. 31 to 17? Not so much.
This movie has been lost to me ever since they explained how they would be producing the movies. I think the only way they could be properly captured would be at the least, the multiple-movie format (Harry Potter 7), at best, some mini series for each book. But whatever, Hollywood will find its way to a goose, and when they find it has no gold, they’ll live off of silver.
Cant believe they finally are making this movie. My vote is for the black girl from cold case. I see both odetta and dettas change in this actors face over and over. She is both beautiful ugly and scary all in one. So many times I have thought of the dark tower when I see her.
From what I am reading, this movie is heading downhill fast. I am not a casting director by all means, but the fact that Javier is even being considered for the role of Roland is heartbreaking. The only actor that comes to mind when reading the books, is Clint, yet sadly, he is too old to play the part. I don’t even think Viggo is right. At this point, it should be an unknown. I say this, because I read another comment elsewhere stating that it should be an unknown rather than a known actor as homage should be played to the story not the actor. Been thinking about who should play Detta/Odetta, and I think Taraji Henson could pull it off. She has the potential. Definitely not a caucasian.
What I want to know is how would a white woman swing the whole passive civil rights supporter vs. rabid racist facets. You can’t have the former (there never having been a WHITE civil rights movement in America besides the KKK), the latter would just turn her into a raving sociopath rather than a TRAGIC raving sociopath. Shame on you Howard!
On a happier note, I’m VERY glad Javier Bardem is slated to appear as Roland. To all you naysayers…go watch ‘No Country for Old Men’ before you make your decision.