I mean they could have at least used a Khoisan. ;)

Well Khoisan and Greeks aren't an important "demographic" that needs to be targeted; the producers probably didn't want Negroids to feel "excluded".

PS: If they wanted to cast a black, they should have introduced the story of Memnon, the Ethiopian ally of the Trojans.

The casting people must have read "black spark, white fire" eh.

Also I think Matt LeBlanc would be better then stallone (somebody suggested him in another thread). I'm no expert but he kinda looks sorta classical.

Matt LeBlanc does have a Greek look to him, however he's "spoiled" by being in a sitcom for so many years. And, he doesn't look very heroic

Here is a blond Greek actor that looks, well, Greek

http://users.hol.gr/~digas/photo/b40.htm

and another:

http://www.giannissavidakis.gr/photo7megalos.htm

Here is a brunet Greek actor

http://www.aleksisgeorgoulis.cjb.net/

Their only problem is they don't speak BBC English...

Well Khoisan and Greeks aren't an important "demographic" that needs to be targeted; the producers probably didn't want Negroids to feel "excluded"

That probably didn't play a part in the decision. Lord of the Rings didn't cast a single non-white in its version of European mythology and it broke all sorts of box-office records.

African-Americans are not a hard sell for the movies, if the execs needed to pander to a large demographic they would have cast Ricky Martin instead of a Turk.

I think the real reason isn't so cynical, it's just that Americans are less aesthetically (or perhaps metaphysically) disturbed by this kind of racially neutral casting. I don't think it was done to serve some nordicist or afrocentrist agenda, I just think that these actors had the look and charisma that execs thought would sell the most tickets. I can't stress this enough: Hollywood is not about "capturing history" or teaching people history. Once you learn to live with that, you won't be bothered by this kind of stuff anymore.

Personally I prefer independent cinema anyway.

Ajax of all people! Casting blonde californian muscle-builders was the usual Hollywood fantasy, but this goes too far!;-)

Is affirmative action applied in Hollywood? I mean, is there an economic/fiscal bonus for casting minorities that movie producers take advantage of? This a serious question...

By the way, who is this "Texan" character, the one played by the Turkish actor. I looked it up in an Iliad index, to no avail.

>> Lord of the Rings didn't cast a single non-white in its version of European mythology and it broke all sorts of box-office records.

Well, LOTR is a literary work that has very precise descriptions about the main characters, leaving less room for innovation.

>> Hollywood is not about "capturing history" or teaching people history. Once you learn to live with that, you won't be bothered by this kind of stuff anymore.

I know that, but Hollywood shapes people's perceptions to a great degree. Unfortunately, the Hollywood version of the Iliad is what most people will see. It may not be academic Nordicism from the past, but it's Nordicism nonetheless and much more dangerous for shaping the perceptions of people than the fossils of old Nordic racism ever were.

and much more dangerous for shaping the perceptions of people than the fossils of old Nordic racism ever were

Dienekes, how in the world is using Brad Pitt insead of this guy with an absolutely subtle and unimportant difference in facial shape dangerous in the least? Seriously?

Does it really make that much of a difference if a roofer from Peoria sees a movie that shows a black guy in ancient Greece?

Will this somehow affect some sort of American or global policy that will injure people?

I mean at least movies are honest about their artifice, unlike say religion.

uh, i assume most idiots in the audience won't think ajax was black, just like they won't believe that the bronze age greeks spoke with an american accent while the trojans spoke with a british one ;)

>> Dienekes, how in the world is using Brad Pitt insead of this guy with an absolutely subtle and unimportant difference in facial shape dangerous in the least? Seriously?

The Greek guy looks Greek. Brad Pitt does not. The difference is not very noticeable unless one has seen many Greek people.

It's of course not dangerous in the sense of threatening. My reaction is that of a man who was brought up with Homer, and who wishes that the production was a bit more "authentic".

>> I mean at least movies are honest about their artifice, unlike say religion.

Movies are conduits of ideology, including racial ideology. Being honest about their artifice does not exonerate them from their ideological content.

"uh, i assume most idiots in the audience won't think ajax was black, just like they won't believe that the bronze age greeks spoke with an american accent while the trojans spoke with a british one ;) "

Razib gives "most idiots in the audience" WAY too much credit.

I agree one thousand percent with Dienekes: Portray the ancient Greeks and Trojans as the race they were -- they weren't Nordics or Negroes.

This is one movie I definitely WON'T be seeing.

Jackie Chan is an extremely physically-fit guy and obviously an excellent "fighter," who'd without any doubt whatsoever do a GREAT job depicting any warrior in any movie about warriors that showed warrior and battle action scenes.

Why not hire him to portray Ajax?

Hiring this other gentleman makes about as much sense.

This movie is définiement à ne PAS voir -- je regrette beaucoup ...

I am shocked that Jennifer Aniston Brad Pitts Greek American wife was NOT considered .She is very Greek looking.Perfect for the role as Helen.

Also Sylvester Stallone is much more Grecoroman looking Matt La Blanc he would be perfect for the role as One of the Achean Hero's.Also Stallone is a warrior action hero.

Alex Karras a well known Greek American NFL great defeinsive lineman and actor could of played one of the roles as a older Achean hero perhaps Agememnon .

Olympia Dukakis as Hera.

Not only is the casting a little odd but the Dramatis Personae as well.

Where is Diomedes?(Diomedes fights the gods, Diomedes duels and almost kills Hector, Diomedes and Odysseus raid the Trojan camp at night, Diomedes duels Ajax in the funeral games for Patroclos), a major, major charachter in the Illiad?

Where is Aeneas, the foremost of the captains of the Trojan army after Hector, and a major literary figure in his own right?

Who the hell is Texan? I just finished re-reading the Illiad and do not remember anyone by that name? They could have used Sarpedon son of Zeus and another major characther if they needed to fill out the Trojan ranks.

And the Gods? They form a major part of the story line in the Illiad. Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Ares, and to a lesser degree Hephesteus, Xanthus, and Artemis.

Just to clarify my post above about Jackie Chan, a post which I now see might be interpreted as calling for the producers to seriously consider him for the Ajax role: What my post meant to say was that a Chinaman and a Negro are BOTH one-hundred percent inappropriate for that part and, in fact, ridiculous -- every bit as inappropriate and ridiculous as would be, for example, casting a blond-haired, blue-eyed, pale-skinned Nordic to play Mahatma Gandhi, Othello, or, say, the life of Nelson Mandela.

"Well, LOTR is a literary work that has very precise descriptions about the main characters, leaving less room for innovation"

Maybe so, but it is still a literary work that is not quite in the league of the Iliad.
It is outrageous that the LOTR producers made sure that the LOTR film would be as accurate as possible, since they would be under intense scrutiny of Tolkien fans, whereas the Troy producers feel they can get away with anything. It shows how little respect they have for classical culture. Or what little respect the public has for higher culture...

Recently I saw a movie from the 1970s called "The Norseman," in which the black NFL football player Deacon Jones was cast as one of the Viking warriors...

http://www.mikegardnerart.com/Deacon%20Jones.jpg

the 1958 movie "the vikings" caste the swarthy tony curtis as a viking. also, kirk douglass was the second lead, perhaps more plausible, but also, like curtis, of jewish origin. kind of funny.

I tend to agree with Jason. I won't be seeing this movie, anyway. Anything with that non-actor Brad Pitt is pretty low on my to rent list.
Aside from that, I put forth that the myths on which these Hollywood blockbusters are based may be seen as valid in that they recreate a myth that may be said to resonate, in some form, through many different cultural traditions. (Campbell and Jung). Was Star Wars a re-enacted myth? IMHO, certainly. But because it was set in a "Galaxy far, far, away...", Lucas avoided this whole racial/ethnic type-casting problem.
This bulky, ultra-masculine looking black actor may not resemble the "real" Ajax, "but then again, who does?" In my mind, an Ajax is just that, "an Agax". Just as a Loki is a Loki.

Actually Memnon in greek mythology is an Ethiopian king so if the movie cast a black for this part it is actually being accurate the Greeks actually came to visit Memnons statue in ancient times it is found in Africa(Egypt).....I think if anything hollywood incorrectly places white actors in many of the wrong roles historically...A white guy playing the role of Imhotep in the Mummy...thats a stretch...I admire the ancient Greeks they were so nonracist the Greek father of history Herodotus considered the Ethiopians the most beautiful people on the planet Homer in the Iliad considered them the most just whom the Gods loved...which makes me ask has anyone on here read the Iliad?

Are you suggesting that Mr. Duncan is playing Ajax? Tyler Mane is, you silly sausage! But there WERE "Ethiopian" servants/mercenaries etc. in the Helladic forces, such as Odysseus' best mate Eurybates, so if the big D's playing him then that's fantastic. I was really annoyed that the Haradrim in Peter Jackson's appalling LotR films were played by Caucasian actors. It left me angry and depressed and I often rant and rave about it at people when they innocently ask me whether I like LotR. Now everyone suspects I'm an insane axe-murderer. If only they knew...

Eurybates was not a Negro, he was Greek.

I've never met him, so sure, he is if you say so. Believe whatever makes you happy, I respect that.