Hollywood Whitewash
For a while now, I've really been interested in racial issues in the U.S., particularly in the media. I've read a lot of books, familiarized myself with concepts such as privilege and regularly read anti-racism blogs like Angry Asian Man and Racialicious. Being white, this initially made me really uncomfortable as I began to examine my own life and the interactions of people around me, but I'm beginning to repress any cliche feelings of "white guilt" and really, objectively face the issues and figure how to change my thoughts and actions and hopefully help, in some infinitesimal way, in the bigger picture. At the very least, I don't want to ignore it like so many do.
Recently, I've been exploring the issue of "Hollywood whitewash:" giving white actors roles in T.V. and movies that are based on people of color, either real or fictional. It's really interesting to me exactly what goes on in the process of casting these roles. Is it artistic license? Is it just because the white person was a better actor? Is there a motive behind it?
Two movies recently came out that really ignited the debate and caught my attention: Prince of Persia and Avatar: The Last Air Bender. Jake Gyllenhaal, as well as other white actors were given the lead roles in the former, and so on for the the latter.
Today I found an article on FOX News (on StumbleUpon; no I would never go there by choice) about Angelina Jolie possibly portraying Cleopatra in an upcoming movie. Many people in the black community felt the role should be given to a black woman (and this brings up an interesting point: were the Ancient Egyptians black? I read an article about the debate over this, and I guess my conclusion would be that our modern definitions of race probably can't be applied to those people, though I've always assumed they were Arab, and not black/Nubian).
Hollywood is about star power. I guess a prime motivation in casting Jolie might not necessarily be about race, but about the familiarity and appeal of the actress? Though this can also spark a debate about the very limited number of African American Hollywood stars, I suppose. The same goes for Jake Gyllenhaal in Prince of Persia. But is it because they're stars/good actors or because they're white? Because that would appeal more to an audience here that would probably not be interested in an albeit very thrilling Middle Eastern story, and to enhance the mainstream appeal?
Honestly, the most depressing part of this entire article were the comments at FOX. Given the reader/viewership of FOX, I'm not surprised, but it was still a little jarring, and I reported them:
Bigot Whiney Blacks from Race oriented Lives behind Racist organizations like NAACP, BET, Ebony never Cried out against Hollywood casting a Black for Jim West of Wild Wild West ( Will Smith ) or against the most OutRageous Character flaw in Arian Moutainman Conan the Barbarian, who its an important fact to the character plot that he is a White guy in the Books cast into a Black Guy in the Newest Movie, No Problem. But Angelina as Cleo NO WAY... Common Blacks Chip off the Shoulder already. Isnt making Movies about Money not Race, its Star Power that judges who gets what Role, who will make the Most Box office money...Welcome to Reality, Stop trying to force your false reality on everyone else...its called FREEDOM. Whites werent jaded when we were Your slaves in Africa for thousands of years, we learned your ways and made them our own, So Blame yourselves. History is a MoFo when you know it.
Good thing the African American Community isn't responsible for casting movies and the producers and directors are. When your creative hands are tied by others you lose your freedom to express yourself
So I guess that's where I'll end this post. I'd love to hear your opinions.
<3
j.
Recently, I've been exploring the issue of "Hollywood whitewash:" giving white actors roles in T.V. and movies that are based on people of color, either real or fictional. It's really interesting to me exactly what goes on in the process of casting these roles. Is it artistic license? Is it just because the white person was a better actor? Is there a motive behind it?
Two movies recently came out that really ignited the debate and caught my attention: Prince of Persia and Avatar: The Last Air Bender. Jake Gyllenhaal, as well as other white actors were given the lead roles in the former, and so on for the the latter.
Today I found an article on FOX News (on StumbleUpon; no I would never go there by choice) about Angelina Jolie possibly portraying Cleopatra in an upcoming movie. Many people in the black community felt the role should be given to a black woman (and this brings up an interesting point: were the Ancient Egyptians black? I read an article about the debate over this, and I guess my conclusion would be that our modern definitions of race probably can't be applied to those people, though I've always assumed they were Arab, and not black/Nubian).
Hollywood is about star power. I guess a prime motivation in casting Jolie might not necessarily be about race, but about the familiarity and appeal of the actress? Though this can also spark a debate about the very limited number of African American Hollywood stars, I suppose. The same goes for Jake Gyllenhaal in Prince of Persia. But is it because they're stars/good actors or because they're white? Because that would appeal more to an audience here that would probably not be interested in an albeit very thrilling Middle Eastern story, and to enhance the mainstream appeal?
Honestly, the most depressing part of this entire article were the comments at FOX. Given the reader/viewership of FOX, I'm not surprised, but it was still a little jarring, and I reported them:
Bigot Whiney Blacks from Race oriented Lives behind Racist organizations like NAACP, BET, Ebony never Cried out against Hollywood casting a Black for Jim West of Wild Wild West ( Will Smith ) or against the most OutRageous Character flaw in Arian Moutainman Conan the Barbarian, who its an important fact to the character plot that he is a White guy in the Books cast into a Black Guy in the Newest Movie, No Problem. But Angelina as Cleo NO WAY... Common Blacks Chip off the Shoulder already. Isnt making Movies about Money not Race, its Star Power that judges who gets what Role, who will make the Most Box office money...Welcome to Reality, Stop trying to force your false reality on everyone else...its called FREEDOM. Whites werent jaded when we were Your slaves in Africa for thousands of years, we learned your ways and made them our own, So Blame yourselves. History is a MoFo when you know it.
Good thing the African American Community isn't responsible for casting movies and the producers and directors are. When your creative hands are tied by others you lose your freedom to express yourself
So I guess that's where I'll end this post. I'd love to hear your opinions.
<3
j.