After facing enough turmoil behind the scenes going into the second season, the third season of American Gods was running smoothly with the assembly of an ensemble cast and production already underway, but now it’s hit a snag as fan-favorite Orlando Jones and Mousa Kraish are not set to return to the series, according to Slashfilm.
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Jones took to Twitter to reveal the news, in which he claims he was fired from playing the character of Mr. Nancy for racist reasons by current showrunner Charles Eglee while Kraish thanked season 1 showrunners Bryan Fuller and Michael Green as well as author Neil Gaiman while leaving out season two’s Jesse Alexander and Eglee. Freemantle, the production company behind the series, released a statement following Jones’ accusation stating he wasn’t fired but rather his contract wasn’t picked up as Mr. Nancy didn’t fit in for the plot of the third season.
Danny Trejo, who is best known for his long working relationship with Robert Rodriguez beginning 1995’s Desperado, is set to portray one of the many forms of the villainous Mr. World, who is primarily played by Crispin Glover (Back to the Future). Dominique Jackson (Pose) was also previously cast to portray another of World’s forms in the upcoming season.
Julia Sweeney has signed on to star as Ann-Marie Hinzelmann, the warm one-woman welcomer for Shadow Moon upon his arrival in Lakeside, Wisconsin, and the owner of a small convenience store, a world-famous fishing lure crafter and the self-appointed mayor of the town. Wale has signed on to portray a silver-tonged Orisha named Chango, an important link to Shadow’s unexplored past.
The upcoming season will also be featuring new guest stars including Marilyn Manson as Johan Wengren, and Herizen Guardiola as Oshun with Ashley Reyes signing on as a series regular.
American Gods season 3 follows Shadow as he attempts to break away and assert himself as his own man, setting down roots in the idyllic snowy town of Lakeside, Wisconsin, where he’ll uncover a dark secret while exploring questions of his own divinity. Guided on this spiritual journey by the gods of his black ancestors, the Orishas, Shadow must decide exactly who he is—a god seeking veneration or a man in service of the “we.”
Emmy winner Blythe Danner (Huff) will also be making an appearance for a guest-starring role as Demeter, the Greek goddess of harvest who has an unresolved romantic history with Ian McShane’s Mr. Wednesday, aka Odin, but the old god must attempt to break her out of a mental asylum in order to earn her assistance for the coming war.
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American Gods stars Ricky Whittle (The 100, Austenland) as Shadow Moon, Ian McShane (Deadwood, Ray Donovan) as Mr. Wednesday, Emily Browning (Sucker Punch, Legend) as Laura Moon, and Pablo Schreiber (Orange is the New Black) as Mad Sweeney. Other cast members include Yetide Badaki (Aquarius, Masters of Sex) as Bilquis, Bruce Langley (Deadly Waters) as Technical Boy and Crispin Glover (Back to the Future) as Mr. World.
The series is adapted from Gaiman’s award-winning novel. Gaiman serves as an executive producer on the series, which is produced by FremantleMedia. The Walking Dead alum Charles “Chic” Eglee was brought on board as showrunner for the third season.
