Will Sam Black Crow be part of the American Gods TV show?

Sam (Samantha) Black Crow played a memorable role in the novel American Gods. Will you see the half-Cherokee hitchhiker on the Starz show?

As the hype surrounding the Starz adaptation of American Gods builds, there’s a rather conspicuous absence from the character list and cast: Samantha Black Crow. The show’s put-upon hero Shadow meets Sam hitchhiking in rural Illinois on his way to Cairo, Illinois, but the UW Madison student plays a more significant role sometime later in the narrative.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear like Sam Black Crow made the cut for the show’s first season. IMDb doesn’t list the character, and while hidden casting is not unprecedented, the show should have no twist-driven motive for hiding her involvement.

As with any book-to-screen adaptation, things are going to change. Showrunner Bryan Fuller and Gaiman himself have given plenty indication the show will expand the roles of certain gods, adding new characters and generally elaborating in new and interesting ways on novel’s narrative.

Speculation about the show’s pacing gives hope that the character of Sam Black Crow will show up in future seasons of American Gods. Some rumors have the season’s eight episodes ending before Shadow arrives in Lakeside.

If and when she joins the #GodSquad, Sam will make a welcome addition to what is already an admirably diverse cast. The character is half-Cherokee and, assuming they cast a Native American actress, would provide a dynamic role and some much-needed TV representation. It follows, too, that her inclusion opens the show up to cover the Native American myths she teaches Shadow and show off some of her better speeches.

Fuller and his fellow showrunner Michael Green are both smart men and one has to imagine they have the show’s whole arc mapped out. Here’s hoping Sam Black Crow wasn’t lost in the cut-throat world of adaptations.