With the live-action remake trend, another common trend has taken shape. If a cast member of a different race than the original character is chosen, a lot of angry internet comments follow. It happened with Halle Bailey being chosen to lead The Little Mermaid, Rachel Zegler for Snow White, and more recently when Nico Parker was cast as Astrid in How To Train Your Dragon. Now that the live-action movie has become a big hit, the director has shared his thoughts on the initial backlash.
Twenty-year-old Nico Parker is of mixed British-Zimbabwean heritage, which some fans took issue with since How To Train Your Dragon’s characters are Vikings (who are generally considered to be people from the Scandinavian region). But it’s also a fantasy movie about dragons, so what’s the big deal if it’s not completely period accurate? Here’s what director Dean DeBlois had to say about the backlash to Variety:
I mean, it bothered me in the beginning, and now I think that’s fading away, as I expected it would. Once people start seeing Nico Parker in the role, it just becomes obvious she is excellent as Astrid. She was cast because she was the best that came in, and within the context of this movie, and sort of the expanded mythology of the tribe, the whole idea that Astrid has to be white and blue-eyed and blonde goes away. It’s unfortunate that she had to hear any of that.
its opening weekend box office and it’s been receiving praise among audiences and critics alike (check out our How To Train Your Dragon review), so clearly the love is already outweighing the hate, and that also counts for Nico Parker as Astrid.
worries the Toothless design wouldn’t translate or if audiences would question why it even exists, but following the positive reaction, the director can rest easy. He’s even already working on the live-action sequel following all the love for the movie that’s set to come out in the summer of 2027.
Along with the movie now playing in theaters, you can watch our own How To Train Your Dragon cast and director interviews while you’re here.