Orlando Jones set to play a role in American Gods. The MADtv and Sleepy Hollow actor will play the character of Mr. Nancy in the Neil Gaiman fantasy adaptation from Starz.
The character, whose name is a play on the African trickster god Anansi, is an ally of Mr. Wednesday, who will be portrayed by Ian McShane. Working in league with other mythological beings and figures, Nancy and Wednesday will fight to restore their stranglehold over humanity and defeat the “new gods” of modern America:
Jones and Barnes join previously announced stars Ricky Whittle (Shadow Moon), Ian McShane (Mr. Wednesday), Emily Browning (Laura Moon), Pablo Schreiber (Mad Sweeney), Yetide Badaki (Bilquis), Bruce Langley (Technical Boy), Crispin Glover (Mr. World), Jonathan Tucker (Low Key Lyesmith), Gillian Anderson (Media), Peter Stormare (Czernobog), and Cloris Leachman (Zorya Vechernyaya).
American Gods has been translated into over 30 languages and earned numerous accolades including Hugo, Nebula and Bram Stoker Awards for Best Novel. The plot posits a war brewing between old and new gods: the traditional gods of mythological roots from around the world steadily losing believers to an upstart pantheon of gods reflecting society’s modern love of money, technology, media, celebrity and drugs. Its protagonist, Shadow Moon, is an ex-con who becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to Mr. Wednesday, a conman but in reality one of the older gods, on a cross-country mission to gather his forces in preparation to battle the new deities.
Leave your thoughts on Orlando Jones being cast as Mr. Nancy in the Starz adaptation of American Gods (via Superherohype) in the comments section below. For more American Gods photos, videos, and information, visit our American Gods Page, and consider subscribing to us by Email, “following” us on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, or “liking” us on Facebook for quick updates. American Gods is set to air on Starz in 2017.