Another week begins

[bigboobedcanuck]

This week's blog topic is the Mr. Rochester trope in fiction, inspired by seeing the new Jane Eyre movie this weekend. Would love to hear your thoughts!

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In other news, how awesome is The Amazing Race this cycle? I swear CBS must be hiring people to fake heart attacks and break planes, because there have been so many unexpected reversals of

Comments

[bigboobedcanuck]

Yay, look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Herr Fassbender is very attractive, but I didn't find him too pretty. Then again, I'm not one to complain about too much prettiness. ;)

Yeah, "olive skin" could suggest mixed race, but considering her mom and sis are blonde and blue-eyed, I don't think so. Not to say there aren't blondes who are of mixed race! But I don't think Katniss was biracial. I can see how it could be open to interpretation, which is totally fine, but to say that this is a "racefail" sitch is unfair.

[bigboobedcanuck]

Genetics are totally unpredictable sometimes! I do think they should have seen non-Caucasian actresses for the role, and then made the choice based on who was the best fit. But they also asked for underfed, and frankly, Jennifer will have to drop a few pounds for that look! (Not that she's overweight in any way, but I wouldn't call her "underfed.")

But because I think LeGuin's books are less of the moment popular (though they are classics!) and online fandom wasn't involved to the degree that it is with Collins's books, I don't remember such a huge controversy.

Yeah, I've never heard about it. And I agree, that is a racefail right there.

[chelseafrew]

I am OK about Jennifer Lawrence being cast. I was pro-Hailee Steinfeld, but I now have to get over that. The only place I think there was, perhaps, racefail, was in the casting call for Katniss, where they asked for "caucasians." I look forward to seeing what Jennifer does with the part, and only hope she looks and acts 16, since that was my main concern about her, was that she was too old.

I do not know Hunter Parrish's work, but as long as he can act and, again, look 16, that's fine with me. I don't really have myself invested in anyone for Peeta. Just *not* Alex Pettyfer. He can act, but I do not think he can act *that* well (not well enough to handle the 3rd book, at any rate). Plus, I think he's too pretty for the part, and also, he does not look like a teenager anymore.

Agreed about TAR. Loving this season. I share your love for the Cowboys, but not the Globetrotters. Just as I did last time, I find them arrogant. To each their own... *G* Ron needs to go away, though. Ugh.

And I have not yet been able to see the new Jane Eyre

[bigboobedcanuck]

Yeah, I love Hailee, but I think in the end she was just a bit too young. Jennifer is only 20, and she definitely seemed young enough in Winter's Bone. I think she'll be great.

The only place I think there was, perhaps, racefail, was in the casting call for Katniss, where they asked for "caucasians."Agreed! They should have seen actresses of all races

[charley_ryan]

The Globetrotters and the Cowboys are great. I think they must be the nicest guys ever.

[bigboobedcanuck]

Yeah, I really like their positivity and good natures. It's nice that there are no teams left on this race that I hate.

[shipperx]

Since when is olive skin a conclusive indicator of bi-racial? I was really confused by that one when I first ran across it in some of the casting posts. I've never interpreted that way (I consider my neice and nephew to have olive skin-- predominately because of their Greek heritage-- while my middle nephew, like myself is a blue-eyed blonde). I was WTF with where this was coming from. While I wouldn't have any issue with Katniss and Gale being bi-racial or cast as bi-racial, I never saw anything in the description in the books that makes that a pre-requisite (Whereas I really would be bothered if Rue's and Thresh's racial heritage were erased. That was explicit in the books, and I think quite important in the portrayal of various districts. Katniss and Gale? Not so much -- and from interviews, it seems that Suzanne Collins views it in sort of the same way

[bigboobedcanuck]

While I wouldn't have any issue with Katniss and Gale being bi-racial or cast as bi-racial, I never saw anything in the description in the books that makes that a pre-requisite

Yes, exactly. Thank you for putting that into words, since I was struggling to put my finger on it. I never thought they were bi-racial since there are many Caucasians who fit the "olive skin" description. And I have no problem with them being interpreted by some as bi-racial, but to say that they definitely were and get up in arms about it is wrong-headed, IMO.

And yeah, so much goes into casting. Acting skill, appearance, availability, etc., etc., etc. I think Jennifer will be great. And yes, Hunter definitely has the "boy next door" quality. He's a little too pretty for Peeta, but that's okay. I think he'd be great.

[shipperx]

Well, it's Hollywood. The chances of their erring on the side of pretty are devestatingly high.

(One thing I read about Lawrence that I liked is that she's originally from Kentucky, which would make her familiar with the area that is more or less District 12).

[liz_w]

I suppose this is an example of me being an oblivious white person, but when I heard people were bitching about Katniss being played by a "white" actress, I totally went, "Huh? Isn't she supposed to be from West Virginia? Why wouldn't you think she was white?" Last time I checked, West Virginia was not one of the more ethnically diverse areas of the country...

[bigboobedcanuck]

When I was thinking about it, I questioned whether it was my white bias/worldview that lead me to see Katniss and Gale as Caucasian, but I really don't think it was. With Prim and the mom being blonde and fair, I had no reason to think Katniss was bi-racial. She and Gale just had darker colouring. Thresh and Rue and their district were clearly depicted as black, and I had the impression that different districts had different major ethnic/race groups. As you said, Virginia isn't known for racial diversity. At least that's my impression.

[spicedrum]

I haven't read the books, but a friend of mine who was disappointed with the casting said this character is part of a subgroup in the books that seems to be analogous to the Melungeon groups of Appalachia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melungeon

???

(Like I said, I haven't read the books. I'm following the discussion because there was a post on my friendslist right after BBC's that has the exact opposite viewpoint. Comment stalking both posts has been interesting this morning. *g*)

[bigboobedcanuck]

Hmm, interesting! I've never heard of the Melungeon group before, and from a glance it seems very limited, population-wise. It's entirely possible, but since Katniss' sister and mother are blonde and fair, it seems kind of unlikely to me. Katniss has her father's darker features, but I never had the impression he was of mixed race. I'll have to go back and read those passages to be sure.

But to me, the bottom line is that Suzanne Collins is happy with the casting, and if she had intended Katniss to be a specific racial group, I think she would say so (and would have been specific in the book). I don't think having olive skin and dark eyes and hair is definitive enough. I would have no problem whatsoever with a mixed-race actress playing Katniss, and I think Caucasian is equally valid in this case.