Cast Nightwing the Romani Way

Trigger Warning: This article discusses historical discrimination, ethnic erasure, and issues of cultural whitewashing affecting the Romani community and other marginalized groups.

Superhero narratives have a profound impact on cultural imagination, dictating who possesses power, who deserves protection, and whose stories are celebrated as heroic. With the new DC Universe (DCU) being developed by James Gunn and Peter Safran, following the expected success of Superman: Legacy (2025), the studio has a crucial opportunity to fill a significant representational void: by casting a Romani actor as Dick Grayson/Nightwing, one of DC's most beloved figures.

This is not merely a call for surface-level diversity; it is driven by the need for comic accuracy, historical responsibility, and an urgent response to the persistent whitewashing that continues to erase ethnic minorities from mainstream media. For the Romani community—among the most marginalized and misrepresented ethnic groups globally—such a casting decision would be restorative, far surpassing mere symbolism.

We will explore the importance of this moment, how Dick Grayson's canonical background supports this casting choice, and the vital lessons the DCU can draw from past representational failures within superhero media.

Dick Garyson’s Romani Heritage: A Canonical Identity Worth Honoring

Dick Grayson is a widely celebrated DC hero, known variously as the first Robin, leader of the Teen Titans, and ultimately, Nightwing. He is characterized as a compassionate, highly skilled, and emotionally grounded figure whose legacy continues to grow.

However, a crucial element of his identity—his Romani heritage—is often overlooked or intentionally disregarded in adaptations, despite being firmly established across many modern comic continuities.

While Dick Grayson's ethnicity wasn't explicitly defined in early Golden Age comics, later writers, particularly in the 1990s and 2000s, developed his backstory by delving into the cultural and familial origins of his mother, Mary Grayson. These narratives firmly link the Flying Graysons to Romani lineage, placing Dick's childhood within a diaspora of traveling performance communities.

This heritage is more than just a footnote; it deepens the emotional complexity of Dick’s story. It shows him as a child shaped not only by personal tragedy but also by a rich tradition of familial artistry, community solidarity, and profound resilience.

Consequently, to cast Nightwing in the DCU without honoring his Romani heritage would be a disservice, undermining the character’s modern identity and neglecting the community he canonically represents.

Why Representation Matters: The Reality of Romani Erasure

The Romani people have faced centuries of racial persecution across Europe and globally, often inaccurately labeled with the slur “gypsy.” They remain one of the most stigmatized ethnic groups worldwide, experiencing pervasive discrimination in areas like housing, employment, education, and the media.

Authentic Romani representation in media is crucial and corrective, not merely cosmetic. Historically, portrayals in film and television have been rare and typically reinforce harmful negative stereotypes—such as criminality, deceit, mysticism, or exoticism. These depictions contribute to real-world prejudice and compel Romani individuals to hide their heritage to avoid harm.

Casting a hero like Nightwing authentically would powerfully counter this pattern. He would offer a complex, multidimensional Romani figure: someone moral, empathetic, athletic, strategic, and emotionally intelligent. This would broaden public understanding beyond worn-out tropes and show to a global audience that Romani people belong in narratives of dignity and heroism.

The DCU: A Once-in-a-Generational Opportunity

The DCU, under James Gunn, has shown a commitment to honoring comic book origins while embracing bold, creative reinterpretation, as shown in Superman: Legacy. This approach means past casting decisions or historical lack of representation do not restrict the studio.

Nightwing has never been depicted in a major live-action film, which offers a blank slate without pre-existing audience expectations for his appearance. With the eventual integration of the Bat-family into the new continuity, introducing Dick Grayson is a certainty.

This unique opportunity allows the DCU to make a casting choice that is:

• Authentic to the comics.
• Culturally respectful.
• Responsive to current demands for genuine representation.
• Creatively beneficial.

Far from being a constraint, authenticity is a creative advantage. Casting a Romani Nightwing would enrich the storytelling with additional dimensions—such as cultural heritage, family traditions, and the emotional complexity of identity—all without detracting from the core arc of Gotham's famous acrobat-turned-vigilante.

Learning from Marvel’s Whitewashing Controversies

Studios frequently disregard the Romani identity found in source material, opting instead for generic, racially neutral backstories that lack cultural specificity. This pattern of erasure is clear in the MCU, which previously removed the Romani-Jewish heritage of Wanda and Pietro Maximoff.

As I argued in my earlier Vocal article concerning Marvel's portrayal of Romani characters, this practice is harmful. It perpetuates the invisibility of a real ethnic group with a rich, underrepresented history. Furthermore, it denies Romani performers roles that should rightfully be theirs, continuing a cycle where marginalized stories are recast with non-marginalized actors.

The July 2024 announcement that Robert Downey Jr. will play Doctor Doom—a character canonically of Romani descent—in Avengers: Doomsday (2026) is the latest example of this legacy of erasure. While Downey is an undeniable talent, this casting choice once again marginalizes an ethnic identity central to the character's creation.

What Authentic Representation Should Look Like

To achieve authentic representation, casting a Romani performer as Nightwing (Dick Grayson) is only the first step. True authenticity requires a deliberate, collaborative approach.

A Framework for Responsible Romani Representation:

• Casting a Romani Actor as Dick Grayson: This is crucial not only for accuracy but also to provide meaningful visibility for a historically excluded community.
• Involving Romani Writers and Consultants: Cultural nuances must be integrated carefully throughout the process, not merely added as afterthoughts.
• Avoiding Harmful Tropes: The character must be free from criminal stereotypes, mystical motifs, and exoticist costuming. Nightwing is a hero, not a trope.
• Embedding Cultural Texture over Tokenism: The character can be enriched through subtle linguistic cues, family traditions, and community-oriented values without the culture dominating the main narrative.
• Building a Broader Ecosystem of Representation: Any related Romani communities or institutions within the DC Universe, such as Haly’s Circus, should also be cast and written authentically.

When handled with care and intention, representation expands narrative possibilities and deepens emotional stakes. When mishandled, it risks repeating the very harms it intends to correct. The difference between the two outcomes is a matter of deliberate, informed action.

A Moment for Leadership

The introduction of Nightwing into the DCU represents a defining moment in franchise-building. The casting choice made now will profoundly shape the next decade of superhero storytelling, resonating far beyond a single film or series.

Casting an actor of Romani heritage to play Dick Grayson is essential because it:

• Honors Canonical Identity: Respects the established Romani heritage of the character, Dick Grayson.
• Championed Representation: Represents a significant step forward for representational justice in media.
• Elevates Narrative Depth: Enriches the overall narrative texture and authenticity of the DCU.
• Signals Core Values: Sends a simple message to audiences that authenticity is a fundamental priority, not an option.

This is not just an opportunity for the studio; it is a critical responsibility to the source material and the audience.

Nightwing Deserves Accuracy–The Romani Community Deserves Visibility

Superhero narratives are essential in shaping our cultural myths, determining who belongs. Given the historical stereotyping and erasure of Romani people for generations, the symbolic importance of authentically casting a hero like Nightwing cannot be overstated.

Dick Grayson is canonically Romani, and Romani actors are available. Therefore, authentic casting is not only workable and ethical but will also significantly enrich the narrative.

The DCU has a pivotal opportunity to make the right decision. Where Marvel has fallen short, James Gunn’s DC universe can lead the way. If the new DCU is committed to fidelity to the source material, casting a Romani Nightwing is the only logical choice.

This time, the hero must reflect the community from which he originates. This time, Nightwing must be Romani.