HBO’s ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ Season 2 is already stirring conversation among fans of George R.R. Martin’s world. And this time, the debate centers on a casting decision tied to a notable character from the source material, ‘The Sworn Sword.’
Reports about how the show plans to portray Ser Bennis of the Brown Shield have sparked discussions across the fandom. And now, many viewers are questioning whether the adaptation is doing a disservice by changing the character’s race.
Who Is Ser Bennis In ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’?
The controversy began after HBO confirmed that Babou Ceesay will portray Ser Bennis of the Brown Shield in the upcoming season of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘. The plotline after ‘The Hedge Knight‘ follows Martin’s novella ‘The Sworn Sword.’ Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg, go on adventures and happen upon another combat in it. The show has already achieved great ratings with its Trial of Seven. Fans are definitely looking forward to more.
Dunk’s past connects him to Ser Bennis. They met while Dunk was squiring for Ser Arlan. Brutal stories were commonplace about the man. Their paths crossed again in the service of Ser Eustace Osgrey (Peter Mullan), and eventually, the main conflict happened over a dam commissioned by Lady Rohanne Webber (Lucy Boynton).
Related: How Dunk And Egg’s Trip To Dorne Raises The Stakes For ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Season 2
Now, Martin’s original novella never directly specifies Ser Bennis’ race, the character has appeared visually in other versions of the story. For example, in the graphic novel adaptation, he appears as a white character.
At the same time, Martin’s text focuses far more on Ser Bennis’ unpleasant appearance and foul personality rather than on any racial description. The author paints a vivid picture of a knight who appears extremely dirty, poorly kept, and too smelly to be around. Hence, he is nicknamed “Bennis the Brown.” He wore the same clothing every day: brown breeches, a rough, shapeless tunic, and horsehide boots. Whenever he put on armor, he covered his rusted mail with a loose brown surcoat.
In fact, Martin compared the knight’s head to a shriveled melon they had passed on the road earlier. Meanwhile, his teeth appeared brown beneath the red stains left by chewing sourleaf. Yet amid all that grime and discoloration, his pale green eyes were the ones that caught attention.
Babou Ceesay’s Casting Divides Fans
Soon after the casting news spread, fans began debating the change across social media. Many pointed out how the actor’s casting differs from how Ser Bennis has traditionally depicted in the books and graphic novel adaptations.
Several posts on X highlighted the reaction. One user wrote, “Hiring a black man for the name Ser Bennis of the Brown Shield sounds a bit racist.” Another fan joked about the change by saying, “Alright, we’re going to need at least two black characters then, you can’t have Ser Bennis be the only black dude in the season.”
This is reminiscent of the time when Steve Toussaint, who plays Lord Corlys on ‘House of the Dragon’ opened up about racist abuse from fans who couldn’t accept him as the powerful character and the richest man in Westeros.
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Many fans also began connecting the decision to Warner Bros. Discovery’s broader push for inclusion and representation across its productions. The company maintains a department dedicated to Inclusion initiatives. Their goal? Ensuring all the content reflects a wide range of voices and perspectives by working closely with productions during development and filming. Their role includes advising on casting breakdowns, reviewing scripts and storyboards, and examining early edits of projects.
With the ‘Game of Thrones’ universe expanding, many hope things change for the better, and Babou Ceesay doesn’t have to face diversity challenges going ahead.
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