“I just don’t care”: Nico Parker breaks silence on the backlash about her casting as Astrid in How to Train Your Dragon

How to Train Your Dragon is the upcoming live-action remake of DreamWorks' namesake animated film. Written and directed by Dean DeBlois, the film is slated to be released on June 13, 2025, by Universal Pictures. Prior to that, it was screened at the CinemaCon.

Recently, Nico Parker, who plays Astrid Hofferson in the film, spoke about the backlash she has received for her casting. Responding to the same, the actress said, "I just don't care."

Nico Parker talks about backlash she received for her How to Train Your Dragon casting

Nico Parker, who plays Astrid Hofferson in How to Train Your Dragon, recently gave an interview to The Times of London. She spoke about the backlash she received for her casting:

“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. But for the people that just hate inclusivity, hate change — when it comes to that side of things, I just don’t care.”

She added,

“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.”

Parker had received heat on the internet as her character did not have blonde hair and blue eyes like the character in the original animated film.

Parker, who is the daughter of actress Thandiwe Newton and director Ol Parker, also said,

“There’s still a long way to go — for women in general, in terms of new parts, original material and female-led stories. 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 produced by Marc Platt, Adam Siegal and Dean DeBlois. Its synopsis reads,

"As an ancient threat endangers both Vikings and dragons alike on the isle of Berk, the friendship between Hiccup, an inventive Viking, and Toothless, a Night Fury dragon, becomes the key to both species forging a new future together."

The cast members of How to Train Your Dragon include,