Major Sylum Update: Oh Hell No List (Must Read)

 

This is a Major Announcement!

 

We’ve had to do some major casting changes for three characters within Sylum, due because two actors ended up on our Oh Hell No List!   Ironically, this list was recently brought up, when we had a Casting Call to get some ideas for new Sylum Characters.  There were some questions and concerns about who was on, or what exactly the Oh Hell No List was, and how it impacted Sylum.

The Oh Hell No List is basically actors/actresses that stand against everything Sylum represents.  They are homophobic, racists, sexist, anti-Semitic, Islamophobic … the list goes on.   Basically, those actors/actresses that have crossed that line into areas that we can’t condone.   We actually have a list of actors/actresses that we will never use, and there are reasons why some characters were either killed off or re-cast – Jim Phelps (aka Lord Croft) and Hercules come to mind.   At the same time, we have a small list of actors/actress we keep an eye on, basically those who have a bad habit of not quite wording statements right or every once in a while doing something stupid.   We make sure the stupid doesn’t go full stupid.

Recently we’ve had two actors that have not just crossed the line, but high dived right past it.  And well, for one in particular, went straight to crazy land.

So we’ve spent the past few weeks cursing their name, doing major re-casting research, looking for actors that weren’t RDJ, JDM, Russell Crowe or Michael Fassbender (yes, when we started the research those were the top names that popped up – shocking!), and then making sure storyline could continue without too many major re-writes!

Sadly, the first character that got re-cast was someone with major influence within Sylum storyline – one we couldn’t kill off (oh we contemplated it, we were that pissed off at the situation).   So with sadness we have to announce that we’ve re-cast John Rhys.

Yep you read that right.   Mr. Rhys – the Man in the Suit, Nico’s Meridia, Assassin, Spy and Sith.

Why?  Well when we said one of the actors high dived off the cliff, dove straight past the line and right into crazy land – this was the one.   We actually got wind of behavior that was making us start to cringe, so at first we nixed any future characters from that actor, and deleted the name from the wiki.   Then three weeks ago, there was no way we could keep the actor in Sylum.  His rhetoric stood against everything Sylum stands for, and despite John Rhys being a major character we had to stand by our principles and remove the actor from Sylum.

The only reason we’re not having a beautiful storyline of Nico going utterly batshit because someone took out his sister and daughter, is because we have way too much storyline where those two are needed.  We didn’t want to piss off the Machine, and well we couldn’t do that to Harold.

So re-casting was our only option.   When we typed in ‘tall dark brooding actors’ the first two that popped up were JDM and Fassbender, but both were nixed instantly as I wasn’t even going to try to deal with those family lines connecting with Rhys & Finch.

But we found someone!

I’ll admit it wasn’t someone I would’ve guessed to play the role, but amazingly he fits the character well, and though they have other characters in the Sylum Universe it works.

So who is the new Mr. Rhys?

Click the read more to find out.

Yes, it’s Josh Duhamel.

But how does this new change tie into William Lennox and Danny McCoy?  Well you’ll just have to wait to see on that one, but it all tracks!   

Now, for some logistic changes with this new casting.   Artwork that had the previous visual of Rhys has been removed from the Archive.  The one Aesthetic will be updated with new images, and we’ll be showcasing some new Aesthetics during Advent!  There are a few edits on some stories:  Watchdog, Under the Bridge, How to Raise An American Soldier and well, I’m already working on Family.  Lastly, two videos: Michael Westen Video, and Lazarus will be coming down and re-edited in the new year.  My computer is old like ‘please keep working – I love you’ old.  I’m working to replace it by end of the year!

Now for the other re-casting announcements!

Bowen – has been re-cast with Alessandro Nivola.   He played Billy Brennan in Jurassic Park 3, who has ties to Alan Grant, so that worked out.  Nothing for the character will change, just the person ‘playing the role’.

Scott Tracy – has been re-cast with Chris Pine.  There will be ties from the Trevor family line to the Tracy family line, that will be showcased as more of Tony/Scott’s story is developed.

Jack Hall – has been removed from Sylum.

If you’re wondering why these roles were changed or removed, let’s just say we discovered that hiding behind the really crazy brother, worked for a while, until information came out on who they were supporting.  This stood against everything Sylum stands for.

We’ll also be working up some pretty Aesthetics for these newly re-cast characters for Advent too!  

Note:  All wiki images have been updated for all these characters (Lennox & McCoy got shiny new Wiki Images to round out the family with Rhys)

These are some big changes, and honestly I can’t stop how you imagine the character.   But as someone who has worked to build a safe haven within Sylum, and showcase a diverse universe filled with everyone from vampires to aliens *grins* I can’t in good conscience support an actor/actress that stands with those who have fought against my very right to exist. 

So to paraphrase what Indiana Jones said in Last Crusade: “They stood up to be counted with the enemies of everything the Grail stands for! Who gives a *damn* what they believe?”

If you have more questions on the Oh Hell No List – respond here or email me at sylumclan@gmail.com

Bj Jones aka The General