Orlando Jones has been fired from American Gods. The Starz series adapts the novel American Gods by Neil Gaiman, following gods both new and old as they vie for power and the mortals caught up in their conflict. There have so far been two seasons and a third is on its way, though no official release date is currently known. While popular, American Gods has not been a particularly smooth production for Starz, changing showrunners with each season.
Originally, the series was developed by Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, and the pair served as showrunners for American Gods season 1. They then left the show and in season 2, Jesse Alexander became showrunner. During production on season 2, however, Gaiman was brought on as a co-showunner and Alexander was soon removed. Without a full-time showrunner, the reins were handed over to producing director Chris Byrne and line producer Lisa Kussner, and even with their best efforts, American Gods season 2 clearly suffered from the chaos behind the scenes. It was also during season 2 that Orlando Jones’ Mr. Nancy/Anansi went from a recurring to a main role, but it now appears he will no longer be a part of American Gods come season 3.
In a video shared on his personal Twitter account, Orlando Jones announced he had been fired from American Gods on September 10th, 2018. Why the news is only come to light now isn’t explained, but Jones does go on to share his frank and honest opinion about his firing. He also notes the timing of his being let go comes alongside the hiring of new showrunner, Charles Eglee, who will oversee American Gods season 3. As well as some candid thoughts about those involved in the series, Jones also, of course, gives thanks to his ever supportive fans. Check out the video, below:
In the video, Jones says that Eglee wasn’t a fan of the Mr. Nancy/Anansi character, in particular not believing the character’s angry attitude sent a good message to black America. By his tone it’s pretty clear that Jones doesn’t at all agree with that assessment nor does he appreciate being told what is and isn’t a good message for black Americans, especially not from his white boss. Jones is obviously passionate about the character and his work on the show, and he’s also very appreciative to the show’s original developers Gaiman, Fuller, and Green, thanking them for the opportunity. Still, it seems the final decision whether to keep Jones and his character on the show came down to Eglee, and very early on in his tenure as showrunner (the initial firing date Jones gives in the video is six months prior to the announcement of Eglee’s hiring), he chose to get rid of them both.
The Mr. Nancy character isn’t a new creation for the show but originates in Gaiman’s American Gods book, and this version of the African god, Anansi, was actually an idea Gaiman had before writing American Gods. That idea would later become the book, Anansi’s Boys, which Americans Gods has also pulled inspiration from. It’s unclear what the future is for Mr. Nancy/Anansi on Starz’s American Gods, or if there even is one. Jones comments suggest it’s the character most of all that Eglee disliked, and would mean they will not seek to recast the role as they did with Media, replacing Gillian Anderson with Kahyun Kim for season 2. The racial context given by Jone’s for his firing will also garner attention, building on an already ongoing debate about marginalized voices in popular media. Removing the character all together may not have been the best way for American Gods to address concerns over Jone’s Mr. Nancy/Anansi character, and it seems likely fans won’t take this news - or the way Jones himself felt the need to share it - well at all.
Next: What To Expect From American Gods Season 3
Source: Orlando Jones/Twitter
