#taika okay cool you want his number
So from what I’ve gathered from interviews, it seems like before anyone had been cast in Our Flag Means Death aside from Blackbeard, David and Taika were talking about the role of Stede and David said something like “He should have the same vibe as Murray from Flight of the Conchords, who could we possibly get?” and Taika was “Literally there’s nothing stopping you from calling Rhys.” Meanwhile, Rhys knew about the project and was like “Wow that sounds great! I can’t wait to see it :)” and was surprised to get the call, doubly surprised when it was for the lead. David and co. auditioned more than just him, but the other actors, while talented, all played Stede in a way that was kind of unlikable? Before taping his own audition, Rhys called Taika like “I really want this, do you have any advice?” and Taika was like “Calm down it’s literally perfect for you.” So he did, and the rest is history.
