First looks at Jason Momoa as Conan...

[Ceridwen]

I stand corrected. I always thought that all the muscle mass would be unwieldy. Of course this doesn't solve the problem about flexibility and stamina.

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but flexibility need not be affected by musculature either. Tom Platz, a bodybuilder with enormous legs, could do full splits. I tried looking for a video of it... maybe I'll find it.

Of course, in the case of the Conan films specifically, iguana_tonante is absolutely right. Schwarzenegger had to lay off is work out routine for a while because when he was first hired for the role, his arms were too big for him to properly wield his sword.

 

[barnaclelapse]

(Shrugs)

Meh...I guess it looks cool.

 

[The Wormhole]

It's weird seeing Momoa without a goatee. Probably a good thing he got rid of it, don't want us Stargate fans being reminded too much of Ronon.

 

[Jimmy Bob]

Personally I find it interesting how often maori and polynesian actors get cast in these non-maori and non-polynesian roles. Native american actors always have to hope for some stereotypical two-line roles at best, but these polynesian guys get a lot of love.

Keisha-Castle Hughes, maori, as Virgin Mary in Nativity Story.
Manu Bennet, maori, as Crixus in Spartacus.
Temuera Morrison, maori, in Star Wars as stormtroopers and that bounty hunter guy.
Dwayne Johnson, samoan, as the Rock in many films.
Jason Momoa, polynesian something, as Conan.
Kevin Smith, mixed tongan, as Ares in Xena and Hercules.
Jay La'Gaia was in Legend of the Seeker's season 1 as Richard's friend, and also in Xena.

Maori and polynesian actors don't seem to share the same problem with native american actors, who never get cast as non-natives and their native roles usually are very sad and stereotypical. But here are them polynesians as mothers of Jesus, gladiators of Rome, fantasy characters and ancient greek gods.

Cool.

I'm glad that maori and polynesian actors get cast so often in such diverse roles. I'd wish the same was true for Graham Greene too, he was awesome in Maverick - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_nYT8WhFjk

Selma Hayek, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lopez, EDWARD JAMES OLMOS.

What are you trying to say by that? That Jessica Alba is a maori? Or native? She ain't neither. And J-Lo is a puerto rican, which is more of a black-white mix thing. Not all brown people are native americans. See Taylor Lautner for example.

Salma Hayek and Edward James Olmos are mexicans, but mexican doesn't equal native. For example, Hayek is of lebanese descent.

By native I meant guys like Graham Greene, Gil Birmingham and Wes Studi.

My post is still true, and I can't see why it warranted such a dismissive short response. Polynesian actors get it better than native american actors. Which is cool, but I wish native actors were as lucky. Maori's can play Virgin Mary's, but a native will never be cast as Hamlet, because for "indians only indian roles." That was what I said.

 

[Tulin]

Just a thought but are there more ethnic(see your listing above, it's too late here and I'm too tired to list them all)actors from non-American Indian backgrounds than there are AIs?

That might explain their prevalence in films over the smaller handful of Native Americans.

 

[iguana_tonante]

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but flexibility need not be affected by musculature either. Tom Platz, a bodybuilder with enormous legs, could do full splits. I tried looking for a video of it... maybe I'll find it.

Yeah, I think I've seen it. But doing splits is kind of a special case, because there are not major muscles interfering with it. I was thinking more about reaching for something behind their back, or keeping their arms close to their bodies, for example due to an hyper-developed latissimus dorsi.

 

[Jimmy Bob]

Just a thought but are there more ethnic(see your listing above, it's too late here and I'm too tired to list them all)actors from non-American Indian backgrounds than there are AIs?

That might explain their prevalence in films over the smaller handful of Native Americans.

Sigh.

I'm not talking about prevalence. All I really wanted to say that it's awesome that Jason Momoa is Conan, and that he is polynesian. The rest was just musing.

But what I mused about wasn't prevalence, but the fact that polynesians play non-polynesian roles - they play white europeans, first century jews, egyptian warlords, carthage kings, greek gods, roman gladiators, ancient celts, etc.

Whereas a native actor will always have only a native role, if there is a need for a native character, otherwise no acting for him. And sometimes, even the native roles will have non-natives cast into them - like Taylor Lautner.

Doesn't have to do with population. Just sucks.

 

[Sean_McCormick]

Selma Hayek, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lopez, EDWARD JAMES OLMOS.

What are you trying to say by that? That Jessica Alba is a maori? Or native? She ain't neither. And J-Lo is a puerto rican, which is more of a black-white mix thing. Not all brown people are native americans. See Taylor Lautner for example.

Salma Hayek and Edward James Olmos are mexicans, but mexican doesn't equal native. For example, Hayek is of lebanese descent.

By native I meant guys like Graham Greene, Gil Birmingham and Wes Studi.

My post is still true, and I can't see why it warranted such a dismissive short response. Polynesian actors get it better than native american actors. Which is cool, but I wish native actors were as lucky. Maori's can play Virgin Mary's, but a native will never be cast as Hamlet, because for "indians only indian roles." That was what I said.

I meant to list actors with native-american background that are not typecast into stereotypical roles. I admit not checking on Jennifer Lopez's background (because i was sure, i knew) and erring there, but the other three are of native mexican heritage. And to me, mexico appears to be on the american continent.

[Edit:] One points to add:
A great deal of the actors you list were cast in those roles in productions made in Newzeeland or Australia (Hercules/Xena and Star Wars Eps. 2 and 3). So it is not that surprising, that a relatively big number of actors of local nativity appears there.

 

[Tulin]

"Uh oh"

*Backs out of thread*

 

[Jimmy Bob]

[Edit:] One points to add:
A great deal of the actors you list were cast in those roles in productions made in Newzeeland or Australia (Hercules/Xena and Star Wars Eps. 2 and 3). So it is not that surprising, that a relatively big number of actors of local nativity appears there.

Still, you have to agree with me on this: polynesian actor are not tied to their ethnicity when getting roles (and it's great), but native actors (mostly) are (which is sad).

Also I'd like a proof to your claims of their nativeness. My mind just refuses to go Jessica Alba=native american.

Those asutralian/new zealand productions could go like the american ones with "oh, sorry we don't need any ethnic indigenous faces at the moment, no roles for you." Sort of what I was musing on. But then again, australian aborigene actors are tied to their ethnicity. There's just something everyman in polynesian looks I guess.

"Uh oh"

*Backs out of thread*

And this reaction I can't understand at all. All I see is a peaceful discussion and verification of claims.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Also I'd like a proof to your claims of their nativeness. My mind just refuses to go Jessica Alba=native american.

the other three are of native mexican heritage. And to me, mexico appears to be on the american continent.

I think you two have different degrees of inclusivity when it comes to "Native American". However, I must say I've never heard of Mexicans being considered Native American.

 

[backstept]

as far as I know Jason is hawaiian

 

[Tulin]

"Uh oh"

*Backs out of thread*

And this reaction I can't understand at all. All I see is a peaceful discussion and verification of claims.

I guess I was just reacting to the plethora, these days, of overly sensitive whiny PC crybabies. Since I don't know you or how you react to situations, I was just anticipating an overly reactive PC comeback.


I LOATHE with the fires of hell the PC movement. It is actually dangerous and STIFLES productive discourse, making people with GENUINE questions about others different to them feel like they are "racist". The overly-used catchcry of "YOU'RE RACIST!!!" makes the hair on the back of my neck go up.

When I hear that now, my instant reaction is, "You are most likely ignorant and wish to cover something up with a reactionary catchcry".

I cannot stress enough how much I loathe and hate the damned PC movement.

 

[Nardpuncher]

"Uh oh"

*Backs out of thread*

And this reaction I can't understand at all. All I see is a peaceful discussion and verification of claims.

I guess I was just reacting to the plethora, these days, of overly sensitive whiny PC crybabies. Since I don't know you or how you react to situations, I was just anticipating an overly reactive PC comeback.


I LOATHE with the fires of hell the PC movement. It is actually dangerous and STIFLES productive discourse, making people with GENUINE questions about others different to them feel like they are "racist". The overly-used catchcry of "YOU'RE RACIST!!!" makes the hair on the back of my neck go up.

When I hear that now, my instant reaction is, "You are most likely ignorant and wish to cover something up with a reactionary catchcry".

I cannot stress enough how much I loathe and hate the damned PC movement.

I know what you mean Tulin.

It's not your problem at all Jimmy Bob but if you've been on this board a while, innocuous statements like yours (which I agree with) can get other people to say that you're being prejudiced or some other crap.
It doesn't happen a lot, but it has been known to happen.
Even what i just said could possibly become the basis for 3 more pages of back and forth about race in movies. Ugh. Lets' see.

 

[A beaker full of death]

My mind just refuses to go Jessica Alba=native american.

Probably would've been more convincing than having her play the uber-anglo Sue Storm.

 

[Jimmy Bob]

as far as I know Jason is hawaiian

Hawaiian=Polynesian

It's a collective name for all those pacific islander people. Thus tongans, samoans, maoris and hawaiians are polynesians.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polynesians

 

[Jimmy Bob]

I guess I was just reacting to the plethora, these days, of overly sensitive whiny PC crybabies. Since I don't know you or how you react to situations, I was just anticipating an overly reactive PC comeback.


I LOATHE with the fires of hell the PC movement. It is actually dangerous and STIFLES productive discourse, making people with GENUINE questions about others different to them feel like they are "racist". The overly-used catchcry of "YOU'RE RACIST!!!" makes the hair on the back of my neck go up.

When I hear that now, my instant reaction is, "You are most likely ignorant and wish to cover something up with a reactionary catchcry".

I cannot stress enough how much I loathe and hate the damned PC movement.

I know what you mean Tulin.

It's not your problem at all Jimmy Bob but if you've been on this board a while, innocuous statements like yours (which I agree with) can get other people to say that you're being prejudiced or some other crap.
It doesn't happen a lot, but it has been known to happen.
Even what i just said could possibly become the basis for 3 more pages of back and forth about race in movies. Ugh. Lets' see.

Sorry for frightening you. I mostly hang out in the provincial Trek forums, so I didn't know about this.

So, what did everyone think of the previous Conan movies? Milius Barbarian, while not REH, was a very impressive piece of mythic storytelling imo.

I have a feeling this one will be more mundane in comparison. But I remain optimistic that it won't be completely uninspired.

 

[Pauln6]

Meh I'm not bothered that Nick Fury is black. Sue Storm could easily use spray tan. Famke Jannsen didn't have green eyes and that didn't bother me a bit (although wtf happened to her hair? It looked great in X1 and got worse in stages).

It does depend on the character though. I'd feel more nervous if Captain America was cast as a black actor (partly because Cap goes on to have a black partner and partly because it affects his history as a WWII icon during a time of pretty appalling segregation).

If anything I'm slightly more mystified by Jake Gyllenhall and Gemma Arterton (the latter of whom is as pale as the average Brit) instead of any actors who actually look 'persian'. Sometimes the decision to go for bigger 'names' in a movie makes the casting look stranger. If Gemma was really dedicated she'd have had her skin tattooed a darker colour instead of that dodgy spray tan.

After the pretty lame effort in Planet of the Apes (and how do cave-dwelling women manage to highlight their hair?) I too am not hopeful that this remake will be anything other than meh. It will be hard to equal the first movie - nobody makes films like that any more.

 

[Sean_McCormick]

Still, you have to agree with me on this: polynesian actor are not tied to their ethnicity when getting roles (and it's great), but native actors (mostly) are (which is sad).

[...]

Those asutralian/new zealand productions could go like the american ones with "oh, sorry we don't need any ethnic indigenous faces at the moment, no roles for you." Sort of what I was musing on. But then again, australian aborigene actors are tied to their ethnicity. There's just something everyman in polynesian looks I guess.

Well, i was more arguing the point, that there are actors which i count as having ingenious american heritage, who are not tied to ethnic roles. Your initial post was more strictly worded, so with this i can agree.

Also I'd like a proof to your claims of their nativeness. My mind just refuses to go Jessica Alba=native american.

the other three are of native mexican heritage. And to me, mexico appears to be on the american continent.

I think you two have different degrees of inclusivity when it comes to "Native American". However, I must say I've never heard of Mexicans being considered Native American.

Not all mexicans are ingenious, but some are descendants of the people, that lived there before being invaded by europeans (what started the whole mess ).

Jessica Alba was, according to her wikipedia article, genetically tested last year and the results proofed her to have ingenious american ancestors.

OLMOS i saw at a convention last year, and he talked in great detail about his heritage. He named three groups of native americans of which he is descended (Yaqui, Nichita and Olmeci). Unfortunately, i don't find anything on that online, so short of linking you to a place, where you can buy his appearance on DVD, i cant give you proof of that.

 

[RAMA]

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but flexibility need not be affected by musculature either. Tom Platz, a bodybuilder with enormous legs, could do full splits. I tried looking for a video of it... maybe I'll find it.

Yeah, I think I've seen it. But doing splits is kind of a special case, because there are not major muscles interfering with it. I was thinking more about reaching for something behind their back, or keeping their arms close to their bodies, for example due to an hyper-developed latissimus dorsi.

Bodybuilders do splits on stage during posing routines all the time...flexibility is more limited by individual body mechanics rather than muscle. Robby Robinson ran a 10 flat 100 meters when the record was still in the upper 9s. Lats don't keep BBs from keeping their arms at their sides, its usually an attitude thing, not physical. My friends and I call it being a "suitcase"..since it looks like they are carrying them. Being "muscle bound" is usually a myth.

As for the Conan casting...ugh! Horrible! Couldn't they get a European bodybuilder? This guy looks kind of unimpressive compared to Arnold too. I don't think I'll be watching this.

RAMA