Why Black Sails Recast Dufresne After Season 1

Summary Jannes Eiselen left Black Sails because he had brain cancer.

Following Eiselen's exit, Roland Reed took over as Dufresne in Black Sails season 2.

Some were unhappy with the recasting as they believed that it changed Dufresne's character too much.

Black Sails features an ensemble cast (many of whom play characters based on real people, like Captain Flint and Blackbeard), but one of the stars left the show after season 1, leading to their character being recast. The Starz historical adventure television series, created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, serves as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's popular 1883 book Treasure Island and consists of four seasons and 38 episodes. Jannes Eiselen portrayed Dufresne in the first season, but the actor passed the baton to Roland Reed for the rest of the character's time on the show.

Dufresne is introduced as the accountant of the Walrus during the pilot of Black Sails. His job is to keep track of the pirate ship's stolen goods and ensure the money is fairly distributed among the crew members. Later in the Starz historical adventure series, Dufresne becomes the Quartermaster (a high rank on a pirate ship) of the Walrus, the Spanish Man O' War, and the Orion. However, "Long" John Silver, played by Luke Arnold, brutally kills Dufresne in Black Sails season 3, episode 7, "XXV."

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Original Dufresne Actor Jannes Eiselen Reportedly Left Black Sails After Season 1 For Medical Reasons

Roland Reed Took Over The Role In Black Sails Season 2

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Recasts happen all the time on television, whether due to an actor wanting to leave a series, the producers wanting to go in a different direction, or a different extraneous factor. As for the recasting of Dufresne in the Black Sails cast, Jannes Eiselen exited the historical adventure show due to his previous brain cancer diagnosis, leading to his recasting. Co-creator Jonathan E. Steinberg subtly mentioned Eiselen's departure while discussing the possibility of recasting Zeus in Percy Jackson and the Olympians during an interview with Variety in January 2024. Steinberg said:

"The way we tried to approach it in the past is that you are both trying to honor his performance and the character that he helped define and create, and also to make space for someone new to do the same thing, and to have some room for their voice to come through as well. It's difficult to have two different human beings inhabit the same character. But life happens, and sometimes that's where you are."

Jonathan E. Steinberg is the co-creator and co-showrunner of Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+, which has been renewed for season 2.

Sadly, Eiselen died from the disease on September 23, 2016, at the age of 36 in Johannesburg, South Africa. His battle with brain cancer lasted for six years after he was diagnosed in 2010, and while Eiselen was evidently able to continue acting while dealing with his tumor, it forced him to leave Black Sails after season 1. Eiselen's final acting role was as Dufresne in Black Sails.

Related Jack Rackham & Anne Bonny’s Black Sails Fate Is Much Better Than What Happened In Real Life Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny from Black Sails are based on real-life pirates, though their fates in the show are much happier than reality.

How Dufresne's Character Changed After Black Sails' Season 2 Recast

The Recast Seemingly Altered Dufresne In Black Sails

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Roland Reed assumed the role of Dufresne following Jannes Eiselen's exit, starting in Black Sails season 2, episode 1, and some immediately noticed a difference in the character. Many believe that Dufresne became much more unlikable after Reed began playing him, whereas Eiselen's portrayal was made to be much more sympathetic. Nevertheless, Reed only starred as Dufresne in Black Sails for two seasons before he departed the show toward the end of season 3.

Black Sails Cast Character Toby Stephens Captain James Flint Hannah New Eleanor Guthrie Luke Arnold "Long" John Silver Jessica Parker Kennedy Max Tom Hopper Billy Bones Zach McGowan Charles Vane Toby Schmitz Jack Rackham Clara Paget Anne Bonny Mark Ryan Hal Gates Hakeem Kae-Kazim Mr. Scott Sean Cameron Michael Richard Guthrie Louise Barnes Miranda Barlow Jannes Eiselen/Roland Reed Dufresne

Black Sails Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Acting as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, Black Sails chronicles the story of Captain James Flint, detailing how Flint turned from a British Naval officer to a notorious pirate and his adventures with his crew in the Caribbean. Toby Stephens stars as Flint, and the series features many fictionalized versions of real-life pirates such as Anne Bonny and Blackbeard. Cast Toby Stephens , Hannah New Release Date January 25, 2014 Seasons 4 Showrunner Michael Bay

Source: Variety