A couple of days ago, Creed star Tessa Thompson confirmed that she has started filming her parts for Thor: Ragnarok. In the November 3, 2017 release, she will be portraying the Asgardian superhero Valkyrie. But there are many fans who aren't happy with her casting, but not because she replaced Natalie Portman's Jane Foster as the Odinson's new love interest!
Valkyrie is a relatively popular Marvel Comics character, who has not only served as a supporting character to Thor, but also has been member of superhero teams like The Defenders and Secret Avengers. But in the comic books, the character is depicted as a white female with blonde hair.
So, Marvel Studios' decision to cast Tessa Thompson for the role in Thor: Ragnarok has made a lot of fans upset, as Tilda Swinton’s recent casting as The Ancient One in Doctor Strange did.
But, Taika Waititi doesn't think there’s anything wrong with picking Tessa to portray Valkyrie in his movie. In a recent interview with Comic Book Resources, the director explains why the 32-year-old actress is the right choice for the role in Thor: Ragnarok.
According to the Kiwi director, they wanted to "diversify the cast" right from the very outset. He jokingly says that it's difficult to do that when someone is working with Vikings!
He says that they wanted to be "more inclusive" and offer "a broader representation", for which they had to look at the source material as "a very loose inspiration". He adds:
And then take it from there and go with your gut. Say, "You know what? None of that stuff matters. Just because the character was blonde and white in the comic book. That doesn't matter. That's not what [that character] is about. People forget that. Die-hard fans will say, "That's not really authentic to the comics." But as soon as they watch the movie, and they're involved in the story, and actually what's happening, everybody forgets.
According to the Thor: Ragnarok director, the fact that such conversation keeps coming up again and again is "ridiculous" because "we keep forgetting". He further adds:
Unless it's the topic of the film, it just shouldn't even be "” what do we even care? I think the story is king, and you want the best person for the job. And Tessa tested against "” we cast a very broad net, and Tess was the best person.
During the interview, Taika Waititi is also asked about pitching Thor: Ragnarok to big names like Karl Urban, Cate Blanchett, and Jeff Goldblum.
In his response, the director claims that superhero movies are no longer regarded as "really ridiculous, cartoony things" and taking on a superhero movie role is not a "career-ending move" for an actor these days.
Taika says that due to Marvel’s excellent reputation, and the "very high quality" of the movies they make, numerous actors are willing to be part of the universe. And since these actors share with him a common desire for telling "good stories", they are working together in Thor: Ragnarok today!
