Nico Parker On ‘How To Train Your Dragon' Backlash Over Her Casting: 'I Just Don't Care'
Nico Parker is paying no attention to the How to Train Your Dragon backlash over her casting.
In a new interview, Parker addresses the negativity surrounding her appearance in the live-action remake of the DreamWorks animated film.
More from Deadline
'How To Train Your Dragon' Won't Be Laggin' At Summer Box Office With $175M-$185M Global Start For Live-Action Redo - Preview
'How To Train Your Dragon' Review: Live-Action Take Subtly Stretches The Original's Wingspan - Annecy Film Festival
Tribeca Festival Unveils 2025 Film Lineup With Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Bryan Cranston & 'How To Train Your Dragon'
'There's some people that really love the animated movies and really want to see an exact play-by-play of that film, and I hope that you can watch [the new version] and find something that you love about it, regardless,' she told The Times of London.
She continued, 'But for the people that just hate inclusivity, hate change — when it comes to that side of things, I just don't care. If I wouldn't value your opinion on most things in life, I can't value your opinion on my hair. If I did, I would go mad.'
The controversy surrounding Parker's casting in the role of Astrid is that the actress does not have blonde hair and blue eyes like in the animated version.
'If I wouldn't value your opinion on most things in life, I can't value your opinion on my hair. If I did, I would go mad,' she added.
Parker is the daughter of filmmaker Ol Parker and actress Thandiwe Newton. The How to Train Your Dragon Star thinks her casting is a win for representation in Hollywood, as she felt that growing up, the industry lacked 'mixed race or Black icons.'
'There's still a long way to go — for women in general, in terms of new parts, original material and female-led stories,' Parker said. 'But I think that everything's changing. I'd like to think that I could contribute to that change at some point.'
How to Train Your Dragon is directed and written by Dean DeBlois and set to open in theaters on June 13. The live-action adaptation also stars Mason Thames as Hiccup, Gerard Butler, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Ruth Codd, and Peter Serafinowicz.
Best of Deadline
List Of Hollywood & Media Layoffs From Paramount To Warner Bros Discovery To CNN & More
Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds
A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Elle
an hour ago
- Elle
Why Mckenna Grace and Mason Thames Are Sparking Dating Rumors in NYC
The Handmaid Tales' Mckenna Grace, 18, and How to Train Your Dragon's Mason Thames, 17, are playing love interests in the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's Regretting You, but their off-camera rapport is sparking romantic rumors, too. Fans first questioned whether they could be dating when a TikTok of them sharing a playful staged kiss went viral in April 2025. Since then, they've been seen spending time together off set. On June 14, they were even photographed walking hand-in-hand in New York City. Although neither actor has explicitly confirmed they're romantically involved, they've spoken about the experience of working together and hanging out outside of work. Thames, in particular, had glowing things to say about his co-star: 'She is one of the most driven people I've ever met in my life,' he told Seventeen in June 2025. 'Every day I'm on set with her, I just want to be as good as Mckenna. She's such a sweet person, and getting to do this movie with her is so cool.' Here's a full breakdown of their relationship history so far: Grace and Thames made their first public appearance together at Netflix's Incoming House Party event. At the time, news had just surfaced that they would co-star in Regretting You. On April 7, Grace shared a TikTok clip of herself and Thames lip-syncing to a well-known 500 Days of Summer audio. The video ends with the two leaning in for a kiss before falling out of frame. Commenters quickly jumped to conclusions, wondering if the clip was a soft launch of a real-life romance or simply promotion for their film. On April 18, the two were spotted together at the Miami Heat vs. Atlanta Hawks NBA game at State Farm Arena. On May 5, Grace posted an Instagram carousel that included a photo of her and Thames. 'This is my jam!!🍓🎶🦈💕🎬,' she captioned it. In a June 13 interview with Seventeen, Thames addressed the viral kissing TikTok, saying, 'I didn't really know what to expect, but it was really funny. I had a lot of friends text me. It was hilarious.' He added it was Grace's idea: 'She was like, 'This is a TikTok—do you wanna do it?' And I was like 'Yeah, let's!' And we posted it, and then…Jesus.' While he didn't confirm or deny a romance, he acknowledged that the fan speculation about his love life has been strange to take in. 'I've always sort of been off the internet,' he said. 'I've always kind of kept everything to myself and been very personal. Having people speculate so much, especially having mutual friends texting me and asking…it's wild. I'm still not used to it.' He spoke a little about his adventures with Grace outside of work though, noting they once visited an aquarium. 'She has an aquarium playlist in her AirPods,' he recalled. 'So she had one in her ear, and I had one in mine while we looked at sharks.' He said that he hopes Grace has learned from his humor: 'I'd like to think I'm a funny person,' he said. 'So, you know, I'd like to think I make her funnier. Even though honestly, Mckenna is one of the funniest people I've ever met. She'll just says some stuff, and it catches me so off guard.' On June 14, Grace and Thames were photographed walking hand-in-hand through Soho in New York City, just as How to Train Your Dragon opened in theaters. The sighting further fueled dating rumors:
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Will '28 Years Later' take a bite out of ‘Elio'? Will ‘Dragon' continue to soar? Here's our box-office prediction
Despite two high-profile film releases this weekend, How to Train Your Dragon won't be slayed at the box office. Universal's live-action adventure will remain on top of the June 20-22 box office, adding over $40 million to its $113 million domestic gross so far. How to Train Your Dragon has earned $227 million worldwide since it debuted last week. More from GoldDerby 'Jaws' turns 50: Steven Spielberg's caught-on-camera Oscar snub still smarts - and shows need for Best Director reform All the 'Abbott Elementary' Season 4 Emmy predictions, including those 'Sunny' guest stars Ryan Murphy and the JFK Jr.-Carolyn Bessette controversy, explained: Why 'American Love Story' Instagram post got so much hate Sony's highly anticipated 28 Years Later, directed by Oscar winner Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), and Disney/Pixar's Elio will face off in a close battle for second place — both are projected to earn around $30 million. 28 Years Later will easily become the franchise's biggest debut, surpassing 2002's 28 Days Later ($10 million) and 2007's 28 Weeks Later ($9.8 million). Beyond its promising start, it won't take much for 28 Years Later to become the highest-grossing installment in the trilogy, a title currently held by 28 Days Later, which earned $75 million worldwide. With strong anticipation and a legacy behind it, the film is set to breathe new life into the acclaimed zombie franchise. Set nearly three decades after the contagious rage virus devastated the world, 28 Years Later follows a group of isolated survivors who journey to the mainland, only to discover that a dangerous mutation threatens to decimate the remaining population. This latest installment will launch a new trilogy from director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland. The film was shot back-to-back with its sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, slated for release in 2026. Meanwhile, a third entry — and the fifth installment in the franchise — is already in development, ensuring that the iconic series continues to expand its terrifying legacy. Directed by Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian, and Domee Shi, Elio tells the story of an 11-year-old who unexpectedly forms a unique bond with eccentric aliens after being mistakenly identified as Earth's official intergalactic ambassador. With a production budget of $150 million, the stakes are high for Pixar, which has faced challenges in recent years. Three of its recent original movies — Turning Red, Luca, and the Oscar-winning Soul — were released directly to Disney+ instead of full theatrical runs, raising questions about the studio's box office strategy and its ability to deliver theatrical hits in a competitive marketplace. Last year, Inside Out 2 delivered a record-breaking $1.69 billion worldwide for Pixar, reaffirming the studio's success with sequels, which have consistently proven to be more profitable than original concepts. Early projections suggest Elio could earn the unfortunate distinction of being the studio's worst theatrical debut ever — a title currently held by 2023's Elemental, which opened to a modest $29.6 million in North America. All eyes will be on the weekend numbers to see if Pixar can defy predictions and turn things around. Also debuting this weekend is Magenta Light Studios' Bride Wars, a universally panned action-comedy starring Rebel Wilson as a secret agent who will stop at nothing to save her best friend's wedding. Gold Derby readers predict that How to Train Your Dragon will win the June 20-22 weekend with between $25 million and $50 million domestically. 28 Years Later is the runner-up selection of our oddsmakers. NEW RELEASES Director: Danny Boyle Distributor: Sony Pictures A group of survivors of the rage virus live on a small island. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors. The horror sequel, starring Alfie Williams, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes, has a running time of one hour, 55 minutes, and is rated R. 28 Years Later is certified "fresh" with a 92 percent score per the aggregated critic reviews at Rotten Tomatoes; "generally favorbale" reviews compiled by Metacritic resulted in an overall score of 76 percent. Director: Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian, and Domee Shi Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be. The animated adventure, featuring the voices of Zoe Saldaña, Yonas Kibreab, Remy Edgerly, and Brad Garrett, has a running time of one hour, 39 minutes, and is rated PG. Elio is certified "fresh" with a 86 percent score per the aggregated critic reviews at Rotten Tomatoes; "generally favorable" reviews compiled by Metacritic resulted in an overall score of 66 percent. Director: Simon West Distributor: Magenta Light Studios When a mercenary group takes a lavish wedding hostage, they have no idea what they are in for as the maid of honor is actually a secret agent ready to rain hellfire upon anyone who would ruin her best friend's wedding. The action-comedy, starring Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Anna Chlumsky, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, has a running time of one hour, 45 minutes, and is rated R. Bride Hard is certified "rotten" with a 27 percent score per the aggregated critic reviews at Rotten Tomatoes; "overwhelmingly negative" reviews compiled by Metacritic resulted in an overall score of 15 percent. BOX-OFFICE PREDICTIONS How to Train Your Dragon shows no signs of slowing down, expected to stoke the box-office flames with $40 million in its second weekend. In the highly competitive battle for second place, projections suggest 28 Years Later will narrowly edge out Elio, with the latter facing stiff competition for the younger audience still captivated by Dragon. Each are expected to earn around $30 million. Speaking of younger audiences, Disney's Lilo & Stitch remake is likely to secure fourth place this weekend, bringing in another $8 million domestically. The film has already proven to be a massive success, grossing $864 million worldwide to date. Rounding out the top five will likely be A24's Materialists, a rom-com from Celine Song starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal. However, it faces fierce competition from Tom Cruise's action-packed Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning. Paramount's blockbuster continues to draw audiences, amassing $509 million globally so far. It wouldn't be surprising if Cruise manages to overtake Materialists in the final rankings. Here are Gold Derby's predictions box-office rankings for the top five: 1. How to Train Your Dragon 2. 28 Years Later 3. Elio 4. Lilo & Stitch 5. Materialists Do you agree or disagree with those rankings? Make your predictions right now — it's fun and easy! Join the box-office discussion in our forums. Best of GoldDerby Tom Cruise movies: 17 greatest films ranked worst to best 'It was wonderful to be on that ride': Christian Slater talks his beloved roles, from cult classics ('Heathers,' 'True Romance') to TV hits ('Mr. Robot,' 'Dexter: Original Sin') 'It almost killed me': Horror maestro Mike Flanagan looks back at career-making hits from 'Gerald's Game' to 'Hill House' to 'Life of Chuck' Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘The Bear' Season 4: The plot, returning cast members, release date and more. Where Carmy, Sydney and the restaurant go from here.
'Every second counts,' and that's made no clearer than on FX's The Bear. Returning on June 25, the Emmy-winning series will transport audiences back to the chaotic fine dining restaurant helmed by tortured culinary genius Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White). FX quietly renewed the series for a fourth season in March 2024. The latest season was filmed back-to-back with season 3, Deadline reported. Ahead, we break down everything you need to know before The Bear returns. The season three finale ends with a foreboding 'to be continued' on the screen. In the final scene of the season, Carmy looks down at his phone to see that the Chicago Tribune review of his restaurant has posted — and that he has a number of missed calls from both Cicero (Oliver Platt) and the Computer (Brian Koppelman). We don't get a close enough look at the review to fully know whether it's positive or negative, though fans have tried to decipher what it says. Carmy angrily exclaims 'motherf***er' after reading it — if that's any sort of indication. And if the review is bad, Cicero will stop funding the restaurant. Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), meanwhile, has a tough decision to make: Will she sign the partnership agreement and stick it out with the Bear or jump ship and take up former Ever chef Adam Shapiro's offer as his new chef de cuisine? Carmy's strict list of non-negotiables and toxic pursuit of culinary excellence could be enough reason for Sydney to cut ties with him and start new elsewhere. In the Season 4 trailer, Carmy seems eager to turn his attitude and the restaurant's morale around, though it may be too late. 'Look, we could do this. We could take care of people. We could make it calm. We could make it delicious. We could make people happy,' Carmy says. Thankfully, we won't have to wait for weekly episode drops. All 10 episodes of the fourth season will be available to stream on Hulu starting June 25 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. It wouldn't be The Bear without the group of chefs — or Jeffs — responsible for running it. Fans can rest assured that the entire kitchen staff, including the fan favorites below, are reprising their starring roles: Jeremy Allen White (Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto) Ayo Edebiri (Sydney Adamu) Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Richard 'Richie' Jerimovich) Liza Colón-Zayas (Tina Marrero) Lionel Boyce (Marcus) Abby Elliott (Natalie 'Sugar' Berzatto) Matty Matheson (Neil Fak) While there's no word on whether or not we'll be meeting any new faces, we will be reunited with familiar ones, like Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis), the volatile, unstable matriarch of the Berzatto family. Platt as Cicero and Molly Gordon as Claire Dunlap will also be returning this season. The Bear has previously featured a noteworthy roster of guest stars like John Cena as Sammy Fak and Josh Hartnett as the fiancé of Richie's ex-wife Tiff (Gillian Jacobs), who were both introduced in the third season. Jon Bernthal, beloved for his role as Carmy and Sugar's big brother who passed away, and Joel McHale as David Fields, Carmy's abusive old boss from New York, also appear in flashbacks throughout the series. Will Poulter as chef Luca and Olivia Colman as chef Terry emerged as fan favorites during the show's second season. Neither has outright confirmed they're returning, but Poulter's made his adoration of the show common knowledge. 'I really hope so,' Poulter told the Los Angeles Times in April of whether he'd be returning to The Bear. 'I love that show so much. The fact I get to be in it is crazy. When I'm on that set, I'm like, 'Oh, they've let a fan on set.' I literally feel like a competition winner.' The cast has remained pretty mum on details surrounding the Emmy-winning series' fourth season. What we do know, though, is that Edebiri, who made her directorial debut with Season 3, Episode 6's 'Napkins' on The Bear, also cowrote an episode for Season 4 with Boyce. 'Each season I've gotten to do different things,' Edebiri told actor-director Ramy Youssef for Cultured magazine. 'Last season I directed for the first time and this season I've written an episode. It's been a minute since I've written for TV, and I've learned so much since the last time — even something as simple as knowing what it's like to shoot an overnight. So, my episode will be taking place during the day.'
