Should this Anglo-Saxon drama have a diverse cast?

A new eight-part TV series co-produced by the BBC about England in 1066, entitled King and Conqueror, has diverse actors playing Anglo-Saxons. Elander Moore will reportedly play the real historical role of Morcar, an Earl of Northumbria who fought against Viking and Norman invaders.

At first sight there might be plausible precedents for the choice of black actors to play leading parts in this kind of historical drama. But looking more closely you have to wonder whether ‘my truth’ is taking over from ‘the truth’ and generating false views of the past.

More than 30 years ago, a much-praised film of Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing featured the black actor Denzel Washington as Don Pedro, prince of Aragon. His casting worked very well, even though there were no black princes of Aragon. One reason it worked was that Washington’s physical distinctiveness could be seen to signify his special social status, as a royal prince visiting Sicily.