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Summary
The casting choices for the film adaptation of "Children of Blood and Bone" have drawn criticism from Nigerians, who expressed displeasure that the cast is predominantly non-Nigerian actors despite an open casting call aimed at local talent.
In a wave of reactions on social media, Nigerians have voiced their displeasure over the casting of the upcoming film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s renowned novel, “Children of Blood and Bone.”
Tomi is a Nigerian-American author who is known for her popular book, “Children of Blood and Bone” which was first released in Mar. 2018. The book, the first in a trilogy called “The Legacy of Orisha,” has gained popularity and has bagged the author several awards, including the 2019 Hugo Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book.
Despite an open casting call aimed at Nigerian actors, the lead roles have been awarded to a predominantly non-Nigerian cast, igniting a heated debate about representation in the film industry.
On Jan. 22, 2025, it was announced that Thuso Mbedu, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, and Tosin Cole would star in the film, which is set to be released on Jan. 15, 2027. This decision has been met with scepticism, especially given that the open casting call, issued in Nov. 2024, aimed to highlight talent residing in Nigeria. However, critics have expressed discontent.
User @stillnotziora tweeted, “So these are the results of the alleged open casting call that prioritised continental Nigerians. 2/4 are British Yoruba, 1 South African and a biracial… okay.” Another user, @__dabira__, echoed similar sentiments, stating, “This author does not just care, to be honest. She has never cared about representing Nigeria or Yoruba people in her work.”
Some X users also advocate for a shift in how such stories are brought to life. User Melo remarked, “The casting for Children of Blood and Bone is a perfect example of why I advocate for more fantasy projects to be animated. Black female characters are rarely cast correctly in these projects, and animation would have avoided all these issues.”
As of the time this story was written, Tomi Adeyemi has yet to respond to her critics on social media.
