Iron Fist EP Explains Why Finn Jones Is Perfect for Danny Rand

Back in February, "Game of Thrones" star Finn Jones was announced for the role of Danny Rand in "Marvel's Iron Fist." The casting news followed on the heels of rumors that Marvel and Netflix met with Asian-American actors for the lead role and after a series of arguments made both for and against and for an Asian-American Danny Rand. At New York Comic Con, executive producer Scott Buck explained why the studio ultimately chose Jones for the part.

"You know, we saw him and I think we all just knew immediately this is our guy," he recalled. "He's a slightly younger character than the other Marvel heroes, and there's a youthful optimism to him that Finn himself seems to generate, but -- underneath that all -- there's some serious badass attitude that can come out. He just seemed to be able to display all that when needed and sometimes all at once, so he was very capable and flexible as he brought the character to life."

Jones also recalled how he landed the role, saying, "I was on the last day of '[Game of] Thrones' and I was in the airport on the way back and I was thinking, 'Fuck, I just had a job for six years, I'm now unemployed.' I was scared! I was an unemployed actor. This audition comes through, and I'm checking my e-mail, and I'm like, 'Ooh!' It's got this codename, I'm not allowed to say the codename, but it's got this codename. I'm like, 'What the hell is this? Is this a football show? What's going on?' And I open it and I'm like, 'Oh, it's a Marvel Netflix show!'"

RELATED: Loeb Describes Iron Fist as ‘a Very Hard Look at the One Percent’

"I sent off a self tape back in London, and that was in November," he continued. "This audition came through as I was in the airport leaving 'Game of Thrones.' It was funny how things just flow into each other, you know? Like it was kind of meant to happen, like it was a destiny thing. Very strange! And then I sent off the self tape, and I didn't hear until after Christmas when I was in LA and then they called me to audition in the room and I went through a couple of series of screentests and then eventually I got the part after two weeks of grueling… back-and-forth, going in to meet studio heads, testing with various actors."

"Afterwards, I went immediately into training for like a month and a half, I think. I was training for like five, six hours a day. Three hours of martial arts, then about one-and-a-half, two hours of weight training, as well as getting to grips with all the mythology of the show and Buddhist philosophy. I really wanted to get into the head of that character. So it's been kind of non-stop since February!" he concluded.

Starring Finn Jones as Danny Rand, "Iron Fist" arrives March 17, 2017 on Netflix. The series also stars "Star Wars: The Force Awakens'" Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing, Carrie-Anne Moss as Jeri Hogarth, David Wenham as Harold Meachum, Jessica Stroup as Joy Meachum, Tom Pelphrey as Ward Meachum and more.

Paramount Animation Debuts First Logo and Mascot Character

More in TV