Meet Xaro Xhoan Daxos

[Westeros]

HBO’s opening the floodgates (well, cracking them open a wee bit, in any case!) with casting news. Hot on the heels of EW getting the confirmation on Asha Greyjoy (renamed “Yara” for the show), HBO’s given us wee scoop: the indentity of Qartheen merchant-prince Xaro Xhoan Daxos, who will provide Daenerys shelter and support in the ancient, decadent city of Qarth…

For a price.

Cast in the role is British actor Nonso Anozie (Facebook page), a noted theatre actor who set a record for the youngest actor to play the part of “King Lear” in a professional production (at the age of 22 or 23), and won the Ian Charleson Award in 2005 for his performance in the titular role in the Cheek by Jowl production of “Othello”. The first Charleson award winner? Jennifer Ehle, who played the part of Catelyn Stark in the pilot. Fine company! And for that matter, we see over at IMDB that Anozie has also appeared in the forthcoming Conan the Barbarian 3D film with Jason Momoa, aka Khal Drogo. I wonder if he had a chance to talk with Momoa about the show?

Below, see Anozie in a trailer for the film Cass, in which he plays the title role, and an interview with the actor:

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[Condesln]

This is what happens when you sell the rights to a series. No doubt someone, somewhere, threw a big hissy that there aren't enough black people in the show. This is a *major* visual change, and it's only going to get worse.

[Frumpus]

This is what happens when you sell the rights to a series. No doubt someone, somewhere, threw a big hissy that there aren't enough black people in the show (I wouldn't know, as I haven't watched it).

Really wish they had just put Jalabhar Xho in the show instead of change a character that likely had asian features into one with african features.

I hope they don't change Daxos's sexuality either. That was another defining trait of him.

[Ran]

Re: "features", I don't know what "features" the Qartheen have in the novels, but the one they do have is extreme paleness, which makes one thing rather Caucasian, not Asian.

I don't mind the change provided he is the best actor for the role among those who auditioned. And I don't see why George would give a damn about the casting, or regret having sold the rights because of the casting. Nonso Anozie is a very talented actor, and any production would be proud to have him on board.

[Linda]

Between this and the changing of Asha's name, I can't say I am thrilled so far with the casting for next season.

And I am very suspicious this is all about giving into complaints about too few black characters. Next up, I guess we'll get a sex change on a character. Maybe Pyat Pree will be a woman instead.

[The Lost Lord]

This is what happens when you sell the rights to a series. No doubt someone, somewhere, threw a big hissy that there aren't enough black people in the show (I wouldn't know, as I haven't watched it).

Or Benioff & Weiss could have decided that it's easier to film a city full of black people than a city full of ghostly pale people...

[howland_reed]

This is what happens when you sell the rights to a series. No doubt someone, somewhere, threw a big hissy that there aren't enough black people in the show (I wouldn't know, as I haven't watched it).

The better quesion is why are YOU throwing a hissy that they decided to make a foreign character in a foreign land black?

[Linda]

Its entirely reasonable to strongly dislike such a major visual change.

[howland_reed]

Well, maybe I don't care as much since I find Xaro Xhoan Daxos to be an extremely minor character in the scope of things. If the Red Viper and the rest of Dornishmen were turned black, I'd probably be more concerned.

But Xaro Xhoan Daxos is a minor character from a foreign land that is described to be of a warmer climate than Westeros. As such, I think casting darker-skinned actors for those roles makes thematic sense, even if that's not exactly how they're described. Similar to those who originally championed the idea of casting an asian for Melisandre.

And you had to figure the show needed more diversity...If we go by the book, we wouldn't have seen any diversity in ethnicity until ADWD, and Jalabar Xho, if he's ever cast in the series, would come off as even more like the "token black guy" than he does in the books.

[Brienne the Beauty]

Really wish they had just put Jalabhar Xho in the show instead of change a character that likely had asian features into one with african features.

Jalabhar Xho was such a minor character he's barely there even in the books. I'm not surprised he was cut.

I'm going to charitably assume for now that everyone complaining about a black actor being cast is just typical fan complaining about any pitifully small diversion from the books, rather than the usual wails of "tokenism" whenever a non-white actor gets a role that does not absolutely require a non-white actor.

[bens]

Jalabhar Xho was such a minor character he's barely there even in the books. I'm not surprised he was cut.

I'm going to charitably assume for now that everyone complaining about a black actor being cast is just typical fan complaining about any pitifully small diversion from the books, rather than the usual wails of "tokenism" whenever a non-white actor gets a role that does not absolutely require a non-white actor.

I don't think you can construe this is as racist. People seem to have been expecting the Qartheen to appear vaguely East Asian. (Although I think the only significant appearance description we have is that the Qartheen are "pale", which always seemed odd given their climate but I suppose probably was meant to mean East Asian.) Witness, too, the annoyance from most of the same people at the lack of Jalabhar Xho or Chataya/Alayaya (not in this thread in particular, but in general) in the show.

Personally, I don't care that much; I just hope the Ghiscari don't end up looking too Middle Eastern in combination with their negative portrayal in the books (certainly the red-hair-and-olive-skin of the books is just not possible to cast).

[Linda]

howland reed,

Xaro is not _that_ minor. Not to mention that changing him so radically has wider implications. Is Qarth going to be a mix? So much for Pureborn. Or is everyone black? That is a bigger change than just one character.

The fact that there's limited ethnic diversity in the book is not something that the TV show should see any need to "correct". I find that a pretty appalling idea, actually.

Brienne the Beauty,

I don't call it a pitifully small diversion and I find it rather rude when complaints are brushed off like that. And, as far as I am concerned, adapting a book where people are clearly described means that the roles do require actors that look at least somewhat similar. Yes, being hung up on a nose is ... a bit much, unless said nose is a plot point. But height, build and skin colour? Not small things. Otherwise you can just start ignoring gender as well.

[Brienne the Beauty]

I don't call it a pitifully small diversion and I find it rather rude when complaints are brushed off like that.

Oh, sorry. I did not mean to cause offense. I'll back off.

[Padraig]

I don't call it a pitifully small diversion and I find it rather rude when complaints are brushed off like that. And, as far as I am concerned, adapting a book where people are clearly described means that the roles do require actors that look at least somewhat similar. Yes, being hung up on a nose is ... a bit much, unless said nose is a plot point. But height, build and skin colour? Not small things. Otherwise you can just start ignoring gender as well.

Like nearly everything, you can't generalise. Height may or may not be a small thing. Similarly skin colour. Similarly gender. It really depends on what the character does. You couldn't make the Mountain a small man but you could change the height of one of his men. You couldn't change the gender of a principal character but a random innkeeper? Why not?

How does changing his skin colour (and the colour of the rest of the people in the city presumably) have any effect on the story? GRRM could easily have made them black himself and nobody would have batted an eyelid. Why can't the Pureborn be black too? (If the Pureborn are even in the story).

So I have no issue with people brushing off complaints. I think its a fair response. There is little point getting hung up with relatively small changes that don't effect the actual plot.

We don't know why they choose this actor. He could have been the best person they auditioned. Or they may have wanted to give Qarth a very different look, in the same way that KL looks a lot more different from the North than described in the book. We'll definitely know we are in Qarth rather than KL now. And I can't see why anyone would see something wrong with that. Its a visual medium and we need visual clues for what is going on.

Although I think the only significant appearance description we have is that the Qartheen are "pale", which always seemed odd given their climate

I think GRRM took Istanbul as the basis for his idea.

Oh, sorry. I did not mean to cause offense. I'll back off.

I wouldn't worry about it. Its a message board. People disagree all the time. :)

[The Lost Lord]

Or is everyone [in Qarth] black? That is a bigger change than just one character.

Like I said above, I suspect this is the case for logistical reasons (filming a city of black people vs. one of ghostly pale people). We all know that many compromises have to be made because of the show's limited time and resources (Dany's eye color). Personally I think this is a totally innocuous change. D&D can give the Qartheen black, white, yellow, or green skin for all I care so long as Qarth looks effective on screen and the written material remains substantially the same.

[howland_reed]

But height, build and skin colour? Not small things. Otherwise you can just start ignoring gender as well.

I'm sorry, but I completely disagree with this last statement.

Changing skin color/ethnicity, even height and build, are small things, as long as it doesn't affect the character's attributes and personality. If one's height and build is absolutely essential to that character's persona, such as Brienne, the Mountain, Hodor, etc., then absolutely they should not be changed. But otherwise, the show can and has taken liberties with other characters, like making Robert shorter, Catelyn older, Lysa thinner, etc. Changing gender is always a monumental change, and practically never done in an adaptation.

This is not to mean that any of the above characters can be swapped with a darker-skinned character, as skin color and ethnicity, especially in "historical fiction" does denote a different origin.

But that's not an issue for Xaro, and in fact, changing his skin color/ethnicity is an easy way for the producers to tell casual viewers that this man is foreign, not just to the Dothraki, but foreign to Westeros as well. Ask yourself this -- will much be lost in Xaro's character if he's made black, instead of pale skinned? Other than losing what you had pictured in your imagination, Xaro will still be the same Xaro from the books; Qartheens will still be Qartheens.

[FatCatOberyn]

Between this and the changing of Asha's name.....

WHAT THE :smileysex: ?

They changed Asha's name... WHY WOULD ANYONE DO THAT :shocked: ?! What did they decide to call her?

If it was one of those "we changed a character's name so he/she wouldn't be confused with another" thing, I'm losing faith in the series. Fact is, if you're smart enough to follow the plot of ASOIAF, you're smart enough to notice a difference in two names. :angry2: :tantrum:

And it's one thing when you do it to a boy who shows up 5 times during the entire series, and another when you do it to a major character.

And I think that making Xaro black was a bad idea, and racism has nothing to do with it.

[Corvinus85]

Oddly enough, I always imagined Xaro black, despite the general description of the Qartheen. That being said, I don't approve of this simply because it's another divergence from the books.

But I must admit, I wasn't happy when Mark Addy was cast as Robert, but the man quickly changed my opinion. So I hope my opinion will be changed again.

He better know how to weep like a proper civilized person. :P

[Popinjay]

He looks to me like a very capable actor.

But - I just hope the showrunners do not now decide to cast all the Slaver's Bay ethnicities as dark-skinned, while anti-slavery Westerosi remain predominately Caucasian. Especially after the criticism the show earned for its depiction of the Dothraki, that would be a huge mistake.

[Padraig]

And I think that making Xaro black was a bad idea, and racism has nothing to do with it.

Then why? The book is holy and can't be changed?

Sure, its another change but I would have hoped people would be more willing to accept changes now that we've had a whole season of it. Did they really think things would stop changing after S1?

As for Yara/Asha. The logic is more "the show is confusing enough. Lets not make it anymore confusing". I admittedly got Asha/Osha mixed up when I read the books originally. (I would never do that now of course. I know them way too well). I don't particularly care if the producers want to smooth things over.

But - I just hope the showrunners do not now decide to cast all the Slaver's Bay ethnicities as dark-skinned, while anti-slavery Westerosi remain predominately Caucasian. Especially after the criticism the show earned for its depiction of the Dothraki, that would be a huge mistake.

Well, there is no reason why Qarth and the Slaver's Bay have to have people with the same skincolour. They are a long way from each other.

I do wonder how much of Qarth we'll actually see though. We didn't see much of Pentos for budgetary reasons and I could see them showing little of Qarth also.