MovieChat Forums > The Dark Tower (2017) Discussion > Technically, Roland being black...

Technically, Roland being black...

posted 9 years ago by johnnyrj
37 replies | jump to latest

might not be that big of a deal. For people who actually read the books, you'll remember that Odetta/Detta's biggest beef was with Eddie Dean, not Roland. Yes, she and Roland went round and round in the Drawing of the Three, but not nearly as much as she and Eddie did. Eddie hasn't been cast and I'm assuming they'll cast Eddie as white which would make sure that the racial element that made the books so good would still be there.

As far as Odetta/Detta's dialogue with Roland, are we suggesting that no black person has ever used a racial slur against another black person? Or white against white?

Casting Roland as a (great) black actor could actually work. I was skeptical but the more I look at the interactions between Roland and Odetta/Detta, and then her and Eddie, the more I'm convinced casting Roland as a black actor could actually work.

There's no disputing Idris' acting abilities. I'm curious to see who Eddie Dean is going to be.

🐈 High Their!

[–] wiseowl103 9 years ago

I'm still holding out hope that Aaron Paul gets to play Eddie Dean. He wants the part, he's a good fit for the part, and he has the considerable range and ability to play it well. I say give it to him!

As for Roland, I agree with you. Detta's animosity was by and large directed at Eddie because she was scared of Roland. To her, Roland was "the really bad man" - and black or white he still is. I think it's a small thing to really get in a twist over. I'm honestly just relieved they found an actor capable of playing Roland convincingly.

"Long days and pleasant nights!"

[–] perceiveclothing 9 years ago

Refreshing to see some sensibility towards this topic on here! I completely agree with both of you... Im just glad they cast a talented actor for the part and I have a feeling he will knock it out of the park.

[–] scoup 9 years ago

To Odetta, Roland is the bigger threat as a whiteman devil which is why she interacts more with Eddie. Roland as strong powerful black man would be her HERO...story is completely changed.

Hopefully Elba can save this from being a total wreck.

[–] Captain_Wesker 9 years ago

by scoup

Roland as strong powerful black man would be her HERO

You mean she can't distrust/loathe him because he has an intimate knowledge of her secret dual persona (via "raping" her mind), is a lawman (with a lawman's bearing), behaves in a manner foreign to people of her county/state of her Earth in her time period, collaborates with Eddie in a fashion that could make him out to be an "Uncle Tom", is a threat to her because of his experience/willingness to use violence, etc?

If anyone were in her way - regardless of their melanin content - I doubt Detta would just roll over and let them have their way.

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It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] johnnyrj 9 years ago

Great points. Detta isn't taking any crap from anyone, regardless of color. A black Roland can work. I'm not giving up yet. If Aaron Paul is Eddie Dean I'm IN no matter what.

🐈 High Their!

[–] scoup 9 years ago

Congratulations on proving my point. 

[–] Spider198 9 years ago

Elba is the main reason this will be a trainwreck.

[–] rkburgess-36073 9 years ago

I wonder how many people that think having a black guy is a great move actually at any time thought "yeah, wonder if they'll have a black guy playing Roland"

Just sat here quietly in the corner of Stephen Kings imagination.

[–] lisfayte 9 years ago

I'm still holding out hope that Aaron Paul gets to play Eddie Dean. He wants the part, he's a good fit for the part.....

Aaron Paul is almost 40 years old, he doesn't look like the 23 year old college aged kid that Eddie Dean is! The only qualifications he has is that he has played a junkie before. Here is a 24 year old actor that would be good for the part, http://www.vogue.com/873739/eye-on-the-prize-logan-lerman/ and you can't say Aaron Paul looks anywhere near this young. Well I guess it doesn't matter, it's not like they care about the characters anyway.

= = = =

“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” ee cummings

[–] GuyNCognito 9 years ago

But we already saw Aaron Paul play Eddie for six years... Wouldn't that just be type-casting?

Grant discovered raptor eggs in Jurassic Park

[–] kaskait 9 years ago

I honestly don't care if Roland is portrayed as a Black man. He is always reincarnating anyway, so it doesn't matter.

What I do care about is having to watch another Brit actor cast as an American then having to suffer through their craptastic "American" accents. I already suffered Elba's facsimilie in Prometheus.

So if they insist on this casting, then let Elba speak in his own accent.

[–] johnnyrj 9 years ago

You obviously didn't watch The Wire. Nobody had an idea he was British until they looked it up or heard him do interviews.

🐈 High Their!

[–] kaskait 9 years ago

I watched him in Prometheus. His accent was horrific. None of the clips of him in The Wire change my opinion one bit.

Horrible accent.

The story is a fantasy. Let him use his own accent instead of insulting the intelligence of film goers.

[–] Pericles3614 9 years ago

None of the clips of him in The Wire change my opinion one bit.

Sure, because you'd made up your mind before watching/listening to the clips.

[–] kaskait 9 years ago

I sat through a whole film with him and his awful "American" accent. He used the same in The Wire clips. Don't need to hear more of it. But unfortunately we all will.

[–] Pericles3614 9 years ago

He used the same in The Wire clips

Sure he did. Good research.

[–] Hancockenstein 8 years ago

they were 2 different American accents. Gunslinger's supposed to be very stoic, flat American which is closer to his accent in The Wire. which almost no one complained about, if they weren't shocked it wasn't his natural accent.

Plot hole - Aspect of a film that is misunderstood or missed while using your smart phone.

[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

I believe Elba is going to affect a flat, old-world, and formal Midwestern accent for his role of Roland Deschain.

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It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

Bump.

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It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

Bump.

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It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] Captain_Wesker 9 years ago

by kaskait

What I do care about is having to watch another Brit actor cast as an American

Roland Deschain is an American? Roland Deschain has an "American accent"?

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It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] Spider198 9 years ago

Yes it is a big deal.
No it won't work.
Yes you can dispute one note Elba's acting ability.

[–] johnnyrj 9 years ago

Yah, yawn. You've been trolling this forum for a while now. Go back to the X-Men and Captain America posts.

🐈 High Their!

[–] Spider198 9 years ago

Funny how wanting them to actually make a film of the book and not some PC PG13 in name only trainwreck makes someone a troll. Don't think you know the meaning of that word, maybe look it up before using it again so you don't look so stupid next time.

[–] moonglum9 9 years ago

I'm not sure if I want to watch it now if she cant call Roland a whitebread voodoo honkey mofo.

[–] scoup 9 years ago



[–] Anakin_McFly 9 years ago

I'm not sure if I want to watch it now if she cant call Roland a whitebread voodoo honkey mofo.

She could call him a honkey loving mofo.

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It's the question that drives us. I know the answer is 42.

[–] jerryhammond38 9 years ago

I have two problems with the casting. One is that I have not just been reading and rereading the books for years, but also looking at those beautiful illustrations as well. That is how we know what Roland looks like.

My second problem is that once you change one thing, you have to change another. There have been too many changes already.

[–] nfiz 9 years ago

You know that Jesus was black right?
Lol all those whitewashed pictures over the years.

[–] jerryhammond38 9 years ago

Jesus was black. Roland is white. Elba should be playing Jesus.

[–] InkedInBlood 9 years ago

You know that Jesus was black right?

No, Jesus was a middle eastern Hebrew.

I don't like the way blood money spends.

[–] seaninboise 9 years ago

this has to be the dumbest casting ive ever seen in any movie ever

[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

.

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It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

.

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It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

Hey look: "They need to die" has returned.

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It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]