While Avatar-gate is just the most recent example of white washing, it's got me thinking about the whole phenomenon ( Read more... )

http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/12/10/first-look-the-cast-of-the-last-airbender/

It's actually even worse than I was expecting. I mean, even most of the commenters to that article are appalled.

( Pictures behind the cut )

Paterson Joseph to be first Black Dr. Who.

Who's bringing the popcorn?

ETA: I have already seen Oh well, I was hoping it wold go to a woman this time comments.  Art imitates life once again?

Chiwetel Ejiofor (Serenity) and Don Warrington (Red Dwarf and Doctor Who) were both awarded OBEs in the latest honours list (source).

What's an OBE? S/he is an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (no, I don't have an opinion on whether people should accept the "Empire" label although, for the record, some people such as Benjamin Zephaniah ( Read more... )

The Guardian has a short article on the recent reassessments of Anna May Wong's film career, including biographies and a documentary. (Via daegaerAnna May Wong (1933): "Why is it that the screen Chinese is nearly always the villain? And so crude a villain. Murderous, treacherous, a snake in the grass. We are not like that. How should we be, with a ( Read more... )

Primeval, the British skiffy series which Russell T Davies accused of being too white, has cast Naomi Bentley (a photo of her on stage), reputedly as one of two new regulars, for its second season. (Bizarre and unrelated Bentley article in the ScotsmanBearing in mind the overwhelmingly white casting of the first series and the roles poc were cast ( Read more... )

pam_noles_blogpoints out that bury my heart at wounded knee has been adapted for a tv movie. and also points out the following quote about how this adaptation was made:

But the fact that Mr. Brown’s work has been translated into 17 languages and has sold five million copies around the world was not enough to convince HBO that a film version would draw a ( Read more... )

pam_noles_blog had mentioned an article by a hollywood producer who wasnt able to get funding for a film because of the POC he wanted to cast in the main leads. Today she posted a link to the original article, along with some clues about who the mysterious writer actually was.

The orginal article is more than a little fascinating, because stuff like this:

The ( Read more... )

pam_noles_blog has timely post on race and casting, with links to other good pieces. Including this brief one, which i'm posting here:

I would like to know why some of the most talented filmmakers are not working-and that includes camera, sound and wardrobe people. At workshops and in casting sessions I have seen people who are incredible actors impress the ( Read more... )

The piece I posted about a while back is available online in pdf format. There is a four page brief about it available from the UCLA Chicano Studies webpage, or you can download the entire Casting and Caste-Ing: Reconciling Artistic Freedom and Antidiscrimination Norms-- all 74 law review pages (waves at karnythia).