--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There has been a big debate about it: can…" description: "\"There has been a big debate about it: can a black man play a Nordic character?\" — Idris Elba" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b0/idris-elba-3366_black_there-has-been-a-big-debate-about-it-can_2357196.png" --- # There has been a big debate about it: can a black man play… ![“There has been a big debate about it: can a black man play a Nordic character?” quote by Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b0/idris-elba-3366_black_there-has-been-a-big-debate-about-it-can_2357196.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b0/idris-elba-3366_black_there-has-been-a-big-debate-about-it-can_2357196.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b0/idris-elba-3366_black_there-has-been-a-big-debate-about-it-can_2357196.png) > “There has been a big debate about it: can a black man play a Nordic character?” [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote questions the controversy over whether a Black actor can portray a traditionally Nordic role, highlighting issues of representation and cultural expectations. **In simple terms:** It questions casting norms and racial stereotypes in media. Key Takeaway Challenge casting stereotypes. Themes representation diversity media identity culture Mood thoughtful critical Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - film casting - theatre casting - advertising - video game voice acting Key Concepts race typecasting authenticity inclusion Questions to Reflect On - How do casting choices affect cultural perception? - What criteria should guide role assignments? A Different Perspective Casting decisions also depend on audience expectations and narrative context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-man/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Debate Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate-black-5760147/) [Nordic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nordic/) [Nordic Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nordic-character-5760145/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Nordic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-nordic-5760146/) ## Related quotes > [I cannot lie on the beach or by a swimming pool. I think I'm too Nordic to like a lot of relentless sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandi-toksvig/i-cannot-lie-on-the-beach-or-by-a-swimming-pool-i-think-i-m-too/) [Sandi Toksvig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandi-toksvig/) > [Im an actor. The fact that Im involved in Jigsaw, I dont approach Jigsaw any differently than I approached The Nordic in The Firm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobin-bell/im-an-actor-the-fact-that-im-involved-in-jigsaw-i-dont-approach/) [Tobin Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobin-bell/) > [From the Latin word "imponere", base of the obsolete English "impone" and translated as "impress" in modern English, Nordic hackers have coined the terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/from-the-latin-word-imponere-base-of-the-obsolete-english-impone-and/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [“The backbone of western civilization is racially Nordic, the Alpines and Mediterraneans being effective precisely to the extent in which they have been Nordicized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-lothrop-stoddard/the-backbone-of-western-civilization-is-racially-nordic-the-alpines/) [T. Lothrop Stoddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-lothrop-stoddard/) > [The Amorites founded Jerusalem, they formed the Nordic weft in later Galilee, that is, in the "pagan region" whence some day Jesus was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-rosenberg/the-amorites-founded-jerusalem-they-formed-the-nordic-weft-in-later/) [Alfred Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-rosenberg/) > [“I consider myself a Nordic author. But I do not know exactly what that is. I think it has something to do with time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-saabye-christensen/i-consider-myself-a-nordic-author-but-i-do-not-know-exactly-what-that/) [Lars Saabye Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-saabye-christensen/) > [America has about three times as many abortions as they have in Norway, or Sweden, or Nordic countries, and they don't have any laws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/america-has-about-three-times-as-many-abortions-as-they-have-in/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Of what is lost, irretrievably lost, all I wish to recover is the daily availability of my writing, lines capable of grasping me by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/of-what-is-lost-irretrievably-lost-all-i-wish-to-recover-is-the-daily/) [Roberto Bolano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/) > [Y is for YGGDRASIL. The legendary Nordic ash tree with its three roots extending into the lands of mortals, giants, and Niflheim, the land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-ellison/y-is-for-yggdrasil-the-legendary-nordic-ash-tree-with-its-three-roots/) [Harlan Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-ellison/) > [Standing in the nordic nook of the kitchen, I can gaze down at the flimsy-limbed joggers heading south towards the Park. It's nearly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/standing-in-the-nordic-nook-of-the-kitchen-i-can-gaze-down-at-the/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [Paris, hours in the café, a certain spirit of rebellion, one side a bit too stubborn, the sea, the true, in Bretagne, the walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clemence-poesy/paris-hours-in-the-caf-a-certain-spirit-of-rebellion-one-side-a-bit/) [Clemence Poesy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clemence-poesy/) > [I am myself so exceedingly Nordic, as far as physical constitution is concerned, that I can enjoy almost any weather except what is called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/i-am-myself-so-exceedingly-nordic-as-far-as-physical-constitution-is/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Eugenics was central to the entire Nazi enterprise, joined with romantic nativist and racist myths of the pure-bred Nordic. The emphasis on 'blood' called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-thompson/eugenics-was-central-to-the-entire-nazi-enterprise-joined-with/) [Alison Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-thompson/) > [“great Nordic race. It is characterized by a fair white skin, wavy hair with a range of color from dark brown to flaxen, light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-lothrop-stoddard/great-nordic-race-it-is-characterized-by-a-fair-white-skin-wavy-hair/) [T. Lothrop Stoddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-lothrop-stoddard/) > [Iceland is capitalist social democratic, rather like the Nordic countries generally. The capital had a mayor who is an anarchist, but the city has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/iceland-is-capitalist-social-democratic-rather-like-the-nordic/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Idris Elba > [Apparently, Daniel Craig said I'd be a great Bond. Daniel, why did you say that? Dropped me right in it! What an honor it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/apparently-daniel-craig-said-i-d-be-a-great-bond-daniel-why-did-you/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [It's weird because my parents don't really understand my business. I get fan mail all day long, but if a piece happens to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/it-s-weird-because-my-parents-don-t-really-understand-my-business-i/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [As an actor, you're trained to do the right thing, be politically correct, say your lines, say the right thing about the people you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/as-an-actor-you-re-trained-to-do-the-right-thing-be-politically/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [There's the argument that you can relate to someone who's completely unrelatable. In the way that a director shows you his imagination on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/there-s-the-argument-that-you-can-relate-to-someone-who-s-completely/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [Why work so hard to have a life...But kill ourselves to earn a living?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/why-work-so-hard-to-have-a-life-but-kill-ourselves-to-earn-a-living/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I just played indoor football for the first time since tearing my Achilles playing the same game...I'm HEELED!!! Get it!!??.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-just-played-indoor-football-for-the-first-time-since-tearing-my/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I was really ambitious, so I was innovative. I was one of the first DJs to do live calls, 'cause I found this phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-was-really-ambitious-so-i-was-innovative-i-was-one-of-the-first-djs/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [If I was gonna go to jail, I don't want to go to jail for stealing a bottle of water. I'll steal that $20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/if-i-was-gonna-go-to-jail-i-don-t-want-to-go-to-jail-for-stealing-a/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [My Father always told me that a fool at 40 is a fool for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/my-father-always-told-me-that-a-fool-at-40-is-a-fool-for-life/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I'm rebelling against being handed a career, like, 'You're the next this; you're the next that.' I'm not the next anything, I'm the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-m-rebelling-against-being-handed-a-career-like-you-re-the-next-this/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [The people that matter to me don't mind who I am and the people that mind, don't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/the-people-that-matter-to-me-don-t-mind-who-i-am-and-the-people-that/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [As much as it's nice to step into that massive world of Hollywood and be a big, famous actor, I prefer the career of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/as-much-as-it-s-nice-to-step-into-that-massive-world-of-hollywood-and/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I've always had ambition, and the acting was successful and put my name on the map, but it was never the plan to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-ve-always-had-ambition-and-the-acting-was-successful-and-put-my/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [It's actually quite criminal how 'The Wire' was systematically ignored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/it-s-actually-quite-criminal-how-the-wire-was-systematically-ignored/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I have one of these bodies. When I was younger, I could never put weight on, and now that I'm a little older, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-have-one-of-these-bodies-when-i-was-younger-i-could-never-put/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) [Explore all 132 Idris Elba quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) [Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There has been a big debate about it: can a black man play a Nordic character?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Idris Elba" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/there-has-been-a-big-debate-about-it-can-a-black-man-play-a-nordic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Black" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/there-has-been-a-big-debate-about-it-can-a-black-man-play-a-nordic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b0/idris-elba-3366_black_there-has-been-a-big-debate-about-it-can_2357196.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b0/idris-elba-3366_black_there-has-been-a-big-debate-about-it-can_2357196.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b0/idris-elba-3366_black_there-has-been-a-big-debate-about-it-can_2357196.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There has been a big debate about it: can a black man play a Nordic character?” — Idris Elba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Idris Elba", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There has been a big debate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/there-has-been-a-big-debate-about-it-can-a-black-man-play-a-nordic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/there-has-been-a-big-debate-about-it-can-a-black-man-play-a-nordic/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```