How Many POC Characters From Popular Franchises Has Hollywood Whitewashed?

[aeka]

For those of you who have been following news for the Avengers 2 has probably heard that Irish actress Saoirse Ronan was originally in the running for Wanda Maximoff (aka Scarlet Witch), which she ultimately turned down. We later heard that Elizabeth Olsen (yes, Mary-Kate and Ashley's younger sister) was up next for the role and it looks like she

Comments

[batgurl10]

you forgot the Avatar movie. and its sequel.

[aeka]

Avatar: The Last Air Bender or James Cameron's Avatar? I'm assuming you mean the former since Cameron's movie is not based on an existing franchise (though that too had problems with casual racism). I do have to admit to not being at all familiar with the premise for Air Bender as I have watched neither the cartoon series nor the movies to properly comment on it.

You are, however, welcome to add to this list. I did state in the post itself that the above examples were not the only examples of whitewashing in Hollywood and that there is likely to be tonnes more that I missed.

[batgurl10]

i was referring to the Avatar the last air bender. In the cartoon its set in a Euro-Asia type world. All the characters are Eurasian but when M.Nite made the long awaited movie--they were all Caucasian actors. Very disappointed although that wasnt the only gripe with the movie by far.

[batgurl10]

p.s. give the cartoon a shot. Its well worth it. Great story telling and I love the characters. Great world building too.

[philippos42]

It says something about me that I seriously was wondering where you got the idea that Ricardo Montalban was English and blue-eyed.

No, in a list like this, it's horrendous, and what they did to the entire Nolan Bat-trilogy is pretty clearly racist.

[aeka]

Yeah I probably should have specified in the post that I was referring to the new movie franchise as I was specifically discussing Benedict Cumberbatch's casting into the role of Khan. He's a brilliant actor and did the role justice, but he also does not look like someone who originates from India. Ricardo Montalbán, while still qualifies as white, at least didn't look characteristically Anglo.

[luxshine]

Ricardo Montalban does not qualify as "white", at least not in the sense of privilege to get roles in Hollywood. In fact, I'm sure he was always clear on the matter, that he was not white.

[cleome45]

One problem is the way some of these characters are traditionally drawn. Right or wrong, the Maximoffs don't look much like what pop culture imagines either Jews or Romani would "normally" look like. Even though their ethnicity was retconned in after the fact, I don't recall it influencing how they were visually depicted in any significant way.

Also, I doubt that the money people in Hollywood or casting directors sit down with volumes and volumes of Marvel comics before deciding how much of the story underpinning (and sometimes not reflected by) the visuals they want to take or leave. They think of what (allegedly) brings in the most money, and that's traditionally attractive, young, sknny Anglo-looking White performers.

Personally, I'd be highly amused tomorrow to wake up in a world where teenaged versions of Cathy Ladman and Richard Lewis were the models for Wanda and Pietro in the comics. But that ain't gonna' happen anytime soon. DX

[stubbleupdate]

What about Nico Minoru?

Quick Question plz

[theidolhands]

Can we have an anything goes Tuesday (that was the correct day, yes?)

I need to vent about something...

Re: Quick Question plz

[aeka]

I just posted one:

http://noscans-daily.livejournal.com/592539.html

Vent away, mate!