The original flamboyant redhead design is replaced by a bald Black former slave voiced by Adetokumboh M'Cormack. Directors Samuel and Adam Deats explicitly stated an active decision to ensure the story was not "just a story with just a lot of white people," prioritizing ethnic diversity over source material visuals.

This casting choice directly alters character design and representation in service of broadening ethnic presence. The season also grants prominent roles to female characters Sypha and Carmilla within the core plot without shifting the underlying premise of Dracula's conflict. These elements combine with the directors' stated intent to produce a moderate progressive influence on the adaptation. The changes remain noticeable but do not dominate every storyline or redefine the central conflict, resulting in the assigned score.