Like everyone else, we were disappointed to hear that actor Sean Harris had dropped out of Starz’ TV series of American Gods. Having been memorable and unpredictable in everything he’s done (from films like Prometheus and Macbeth, all the way through to TV roles in The Borgias and Jamaica Inn), we were looking forward to seeing him lend his credentials to Mad Sweeney, who is undoubtedly one of the most memorable characters in Neil Gaiman’s novel. Happily, however, Starz has moved swiftly to find a replacement in the form of Pablo Schreiber.
Yes, Pornstache himself has landed yet another TV role. By ‘Pornstache’, of course we mean George Mendez from Netflix’s brilliant Orange Is The New Black, in which he has cemented himself as one of the most repugnant – and ultimately scene-stealing – characters on the entire show. While we were worried about Harris’s departure and who could possibily fill his shoes, the appointment of Schreiber more than makes up for it, and we couldn’t be happier to see him in the role.
As a refresher for those who have read the books (and an introduction for thise who haven’t), Mad Sweeney is a hyperactive soul to encounters lead characters Shadow Moon and Mr Wednesday in a bar, where he quickly leaves an impression. While we won’t give away exactly what he does, his actions have great ramifications for the story further down the line.
Schreiber joins a cast that already includes the likes of Ricky Whittle, Ian McShane, Emily Browning, Bruce Langley, Peter Stormare, Yetide Badaki, Cloris Leachman, Jonathan Tucker, Crispin Glover, Christopher Obi and Mousa Kraish. Bryan Fuller is showrunning alongside Michael Green, who is also co-producing the series.
American Gods will air on Starz in 2017. For more news about the biggest movies, pick up the new issue of SciFiNow.
