Despite great success in its first season, American Gods has suffered a troubled production history, resulting in the departure of several key members of the cast. Over the course of its three-season run, the show has had three different showrunners, which has led to inconsistent storytelling and conflict both on set and off. Creative differences between Starz, production company Fremantle, and members of the cast and creative team notably caused significant delays in the completion of the show’s second season, and subsequent firings or casting changes have been the topic of much discussion online.
With new showrunners at the helm of each season, American Gods has struggled with maintaining consistency in terms of plot, character, and production. The departure of original showrunners and creators Bryan Fuller and Michael Green is said to have been facilitated by disagreements about the show’s budget and conflict with author Neil Gaiman, who wanted a more faithful adaptation of his book. Gillian Anderson notably cited Fuller and Green’s departure as the reason she left the show, and Kristin Chenoweth expressed similar feelings. After the initial shake-up, production on season 2 began with some major casting changes. Unfortunately, the problems did not stop there.
Season 2 showrunner Jesse Alexander was, according to THR, “sidelined” from production mid-season amidst high tensions on set and continued creative differences between the network and production. Actors also began rewriting scripts, resulting in cast member Orlando Jones being officially recognized as a writer and producer. With no clear showrunner for a significant chunk of season 2, American Gods took on yet another showrunner for season 3, Charles H. Elgee. This frequent shifting of leadership has also resulted in a fair number of changes to the overall plot as the series redirects its attention away from previous seasons’ arcs. While this feat has managed to keep the show afloat, many fans have expressed disappointment at the lack of consistency and American Gods season 2 suffered from a ratings drop. Here is a list of every actor who left the show and why.
Gillian Anderson
Gillian Anderson appeared in season one of American Gods as the New God “Media.” Appearing as pop culture icons Lucille Ball, David Bowie, and many others, Media acts as a representative for the New Gods. Her ability to control things like television screens and the news media itself gives her the immense power of mass communication, which serves both as a means of keeping tabs on the Old Gods and a way in which to amass more and more believers. Anderson worked previously with Bryan Fuller on his NBC series Hannibal, playing Dr. Bedelia DuMaurier. She announced her departure from American Gods after it was reported that Fuller and Green would not be returning to the project.
Kristin Chenoweth
Like Anderson, Kristin Chenoweth also worked with Bryan Fuller on a previous project: the television series Pushing Daisies. Chenoweth, like Anderson, chose not to return to the series after Bryan Fuller and Michael Green’s departure was announced. Chenoweth played Ostara, also known as Easter, the goddess of the dawn and of springtime, an Old God that Wednesday recruits for the impending war against the New Gods. Though Ostara initially agrees to fight with Wednesday, her character is written swiftly out of the show in the beginning of the second season, citing a falling out over a petty argument.
Orlando Jones
Orlando Jones’s departure from American Gods was perhaps one of the most controversial, not only because Jones was a fan favorite, but because the actor took to social media to express his frustrations with production and his feeling that he was wrongfully fired. Jones’s character, Anansi, also known as Mr. Nancy, allowed American Gods to discuss the ever-present topic of racism in America, with Jones himself stepping into a writer/producer role for the series’ second season.
Jones stated in a video posted to Twitter that he was fired because the season 3 showrunner (whom he did not name) believed the character of Mr. Nancy sent “the wrong message for Black America.” He continued to express his gratitude to Neil Gaiman, Bryan Fuller, Michael Green, and to the show’s fans. A spokesperson for the series stated that Jones’s role would not be reprised simply because the character of Mr. Nancy is not in the section of the book explored in season 3. Regardless of the reason, Mr. Nancy’s absence in season 3 of American Gods will be deeply felt.
Kahyun Kim
After Gillian Anderson’s departure from American Gods, Kahyun Kim was cast in season 2 as a reincarnation of Anderson’s “Media” called “New Media.” New Media encompasses modern media conventions, such as viral marketing, data mining, and the seeming omnipresence of social media. These topics were not prevalent in 2001 when Gaiman’s original novel was published, and the update was a clever way to proceed with the character after Anderson’s departure. While it is unknown why Kim will not be appearing in the third season, it is possible that the character’s lukewarm reception discouraged writers from continuing with her arc.
Mousa Kraish
Another fan favorite, Mousa Kraish’s gay ifrit Jinn departed American Gods after season 2. The actor revealed on Twitter that he was not asked to reprise his role in the series’ third season, but, like Orlando Jones, expressed love and gratitude for former showrunners Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, author Neil Gaiman, his castmates, and the show’s fans. He has, however, expressed interest in reprising his role in future seasons. Fans of the Jinn may be in luck, as Gaiman replied to Kraish’s tweet saying, “Hoping very much to see you back in Season 4!” While this is a far cry from any official confirmation, it keeps the door open for Kraish’s possible return.
Chris Obi
Like Gillian Anderson and Kristin Chenoweth, Chris Obi departed American Gods after its first season. Obi played Mr. Jacquel, a character with a significant role in season 1. Fans of the book will know that Mr. Ibis and Mr. Jacquel co-run their funeral parlor, which plays a more significant role in season 2 despite Mr. Jacquel’s notable absence. It is unknown why he left the show, but fans were certainly disappointed by the loss.
With other actors like Pablo Schreiber (Mad Sweeney) and Cloris Leachman (Zorya Vechernyaya) completing their character arcs on the show, American Gods has seen a great many casting changes. Crispin Glover, too, seems to be taking a scaled-back role in the show’s currently-airing third season, as he has gone from being a main cast member to being credited as a guest star. Whether or not this is a result of the show’s introduction of Mr. World’s new persona, Ms. World, is unclear, but it does reaffirm that the landscape of American Gods is constantly changing. Whether such frequent change is a display of strength in the face of adversity or a major stumbling block is ultimately up to the viewer. If all goes well with season 3, hopefully, American Gods will see smoother sailing in the future.
