Khal Heldo Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 In the books the Ironborns have Mid Eastern traits. For the show they cast the Scandinavian Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy and subsequently all other Ironborn are played by Scandinavian actors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWR Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 I never got middle Eastern from the Ironborn, maybe black Irish. I know the Greyjoy's have dark hair and eyes, but I can't recall their complexion ever being described Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandzipop Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Alfie Allen isn't Scandinavian. He's English. I never got Middle Eastern from the Ironborn either. Due to the climate I would have assumed a more Gaelic appearance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westerosi Coast Gangster Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Ironborn were never described as being middle eastern. trust me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dornishdragon Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Dornish people (Salty and Sandy Dornishman) ae the ones that have Middle Eastern traits Ironborn do not they are Western European looking but with dark hair and some with dark eyes also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khal Heldo Posted October 13, 2016 Author Share Posted October 13, 2016 4 hours ago, dornishdragon said: Dornish people (Salty and Sandy Dornishman) ae the ones that have Middle Eastern traits Ironborn do not they are Western European looking but with dark hair and some with dark eyes also. Wrong. The Greyjoys have black hair and tanned skin. These are Middle Eastern traits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonSnow4President Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 55 minutes ago, Khal Heldo said: Wrong. The Greyjoys have black hair and tanned skin. These are Middle Eastern traits. The only description available on the wiki for any greyjoy family member that could possibly refer to skin is "dark," which is inconclusive because it can be used to refer to white people with black hair and features. Find me a quote with tan skin (not tanned, as that refers to lighter people made darker by the sun) and I might believe you. asearchoficeandfire.com is a useful tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoreOrLess Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 A better point perhaps would be that as sailors the more active Ironboard should have been tanned rather than pasty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhaenysBee Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Whaaaa'? I'm pretty sure the Greyjoys/Ironborn were never supposed to be Middle Eastern. That's the Martells and some of Essos. They were probably going for a Viking vibe with fair haired actors playing the Greyjoys. And anyways, does it honestly matter? Alfie Allen and Gemma Whealan are such great actors, I wouldn't change them for the world just to have dark haired actors. But then I hate the Greyjoys and I don't give a crap about what they look like. If Khal Drogo or Oberyn were blond I would probably feel the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khal Heldo Posted October 13, 2016 Author Share Posted October 13, 2016 15 hours ago, JonSnow4President said: The only description available on the wiki for any greyjoy family member that could possibly refer to skin is "dark," which is inconclusive because it can be used to refer to white people with black hair and features. Find me a quote with tan skin (not tanned, as that refers to lighter people made darker by the sun) and I might believe you. asearchoficeandfire.com is a useful tool. From A Clash of Kings, Theon II: Quote Theon turned to give her an appraising glance. He liked what he saw. Ironborn, he knew at a glance; lean and long-legged, with black hair cut short, wind-chafed skin, strong sure hands, a dirk at her belt. Her nose was too big and too sharp for her thin face, but her smile made up for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonSnow4President Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 51 minutes ago, Khal Heldo said: From A Clash of Kings, Theon II: Yes, black hair. While my head hair is a very dark brown, my facial hair is black. My dad and grandfather have black hair, and that side of the family, at least according to those DNA tests you send in the mail, is "pure" white (Western European mutt more or less). My mom's side is similar, with a little bit above trace of African. Wind-chafed skin is more a sunburnt look, and has nothing to do with the person's natural skin color besides it being light enough to show that redness. That does NOTHING for you buddy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsug Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 why is this even a thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordImp Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 On 11. oktober 2016 at 4:40 AM, Khal Heldo said: In the books the Ironborns have Mid Eastern traits. For the show they cast the Scandinavian Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy and subsequently all other Ironborn are played by Scandinavian actors. Alfie Allen is from England. Scandinavians are from Norway , Sweden and Denmark . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockjaw of House Boltagon Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 I don't think GRRM intended for the Ironborn to be poc, but I've always thought they should've been in the show. Heck, they could've made them like they were some Rhoynar who refused to burn their ships and stay in shitty Dorne, so Nymeria told them to get fucked and they sailed to the Iron Islands and settled there. Frankly, the show could really use a LOT more diversity as it is. Back in season 2 I had hopes when they cast a black actor for Sallador Saan despite him being a white blonde Lyseni in the books, but then Thoros of Myr was white, the dude from the Iron Bank was white, Daario Naharis was white, the new Red Priestess was white. Shit, every Essos role should've gone to people of color as far as I'm concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord_Ravenstone Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 On 10/11/2016 at 6:15 AM, TWR said: I never got middle Eastern from the Ironborn, maybe black Irish. I know the Greyjoy's have dark hair and eyes, but I can't recall their complexion ever being described The Greyjoys look Southern European but the rest of the ironborn run the gamut of dark haired and fair haired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Raven Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Wind-chafed = raw, sunburned, possibly leathery or wrinkled. It says nothing about someone's ethnicity. If anything, that the skin is sunburned suggests the skin was relatively fair to start out with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoreOrLess Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 What I think the show really wanted to do was avoid going to far down the clichéd pirate route with the Iron Born, there is some of that to them of course but I think the Viking influence is stronger along with a bit of disshelved fisherman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernXY Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 On 10/12/2016 at 8:37 PM, Khal Heldo said: Wrong. The Greyjoys have black hair and tanned skin. These are Middle Eastern traits. This idiot apparently has never seen any ethnic Mexicans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annara Snow Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 First off, the Ironborn are clearly inspired by the Vikings. Secondly, the Greyjoys are supposed to have black hair, as do the Baratheons, and the Blackwoods, and a huge portion of what's known as "white people" in real life. Whoever has told you that white people are all blond and blue eyed has lied to you, buddy. Third, the Greyjoys having black hair doesn't mean that all Ironborn have black hair, just that family. Fourth, wind-chafed skin means just that. Tanned skin is not a "Middle Eastern trait", it's a trait of people who spend a lot of time in the sun. As Asha does, being a ship captain/viking equivalent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Arthur Smith Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 So having dark skin automatically makes you Middle Eastern huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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