The 'Fourth Wing' cast is set – and you are all behaving badly
Hardly is the cast of a book adaptation announced before the complaining begins. The latest example: Esther McGregor ("Babygirl") and Emilio Sakraya ("Warrior Nun") are playing Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson, the main characters of the "Fourth Wing" series by Rebecca Yarros. Criticism of the casting is legitimate. The hatred directed at the actors is not.
Under the post by Deadline on Instagram, most of the 6,000 comments are negative. Fans of the romantasy book series are disappointed and frustrated: "This must be a joke", "That is not Violet", "This is a disappointing announcement". Even the acting talent of the two leads is being questioned. Prime Video has since officially confirmed the casting. Under this post, the tirades are (so far) limited.
And yet, this casting criticism goes beyond the latest announcement and is something I have been observing for a while. A prominent case is the casting for the "Boys of Tommen" series by Irish author Chloe Walsh. The first two books are also being adapted for Prime Video.
"Boys of Tommen" as a prime example of the phenomenon
The announcement post for the casting has a staggering 12,000 comments. If you scroll through, you will find mostly criticism: "Did we read the same book, what is this?", "I knew this show would be bad", "I hope this is a late April Fool's joke", etc. That's not all. Fans of the series have launched several petitions to stop the adaptation, with around 3,000 signatures. It is not fundamentally about the casting for them – although they also cite that as a reason: "The fanbase has developed very specific ideas about the characters. The casting will almost certainly disappoint a large portion of the readers." The main argument of the petition is the themes addressed in the series: "Many of the books deal with sensitive topics such as abuse, self-harm, eating disorders, and addiction. There is a real danger that these topics will be sensationalized or trivialized for entertainment." I agree with the initiators regarding the sensitivity, because there is a reason why trigger warnings are included in the books. It is all the more important that sensitive topics are not portrayed in a trivializing way. But demanding a production stop because of that is going too far.
What the hype has to do with this debate
The "Fourth Wing" and "Boys of Tommen" cases have a major common denominator: the more hyped the books, the greater the outcry. The romantasy series has sold over 12 million copies, has been translated into over 40 languages, and on Goodreads alone, the four volumes have almost 10 million ratings. In short: a global phenomenon. Accordingly, there have been many fancastings, i.e., suggestions from the readership, for protagonist Violet Sorrengail and for Xaden Riorson, the so-called "Shadow Daddy": morally grey, tough exterior, (somewhat) soft interior.
Casting is more than looks
Finding the right actors goes far beyond having the right look. So it is not as simple as it seems in the comments. It is about the chemistry between the actors, acting talent, and scheduling. For multiple seasons, this means a commitment over years. I can understand that the disappointment is great if "your" cast was not chosen. Okay, no, I can't quite. It is exactly that: a fancast. Every reader has someone else in mind when reading.
Make-up, anyone?
For critics who read a fantasy series like "Fourth Wing", they sometimes lack imagination. Sure, the mullet on Esther McGregor in the Deadline post doesn't scream the brown-silver hair of Violet Sorrengail. But ever heard of make-up and hair styling? Let's remember: Emma D'Arcy and Matt Smith didn't wear blonde wigs either when they were announced as Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen for "House of the Dragon". Today, we surely agree that this casting is hard to beat.
Woe betide you if you don't get the dragons right
So, I have full confidence in the casting of the "Fourth Wing" adaptation. The dragons are what give me wrinkles. If they don't look like Syrax, Caraxes & Co. in "House of the Dragon", I will be angry. But I'll take a look at myself and say: Trust the process, it will turn out fine.
There is a human behind every role
And this is where the core lies for me. It is okay to think: "Not my favorite." It is not okay to personally attack actors because they got a role they have probably been preparing for for months. Behind the announcement, the production, and the post are real people who do not deserve hate – and neither do biting comments on social media.
Book lover and loud laugher.
This is a subjective opinion of the editorial team. It doesn't necessarily reflect the position of the company.
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