Hollywood again is being accused of “white-washing” roles originally written as Asian characters. The latest incident is on Ridley Scott’s The Martian, in which white actress Mackenzie Davis stars as Mindy Park, who’s identified as a Korean-American scientist in the book the film was based on.
“This insulting practice of white-washing has got to stop,” said Aki Aleong, President of the MediaACTION Network for Asian Americans, which has been battling the problem for decades. Alarmingly, it has been increasing in frequency.”
Indeed, it happened last year on Cameron Crowe’s Aloha, in which Emma Stone played a character identified as half Hawaiian/Chinese, and it’s happening on Marvel’s Dr. Strange, where Tilda Swinton has been cast to play “The Ancient One,” who’s identified in the comic book the film was based on as being an old Tibetan man. There’s also Ghost In The Shell, in which Scarlett Johansson is set to portray Motoko Kusanagi, a Japanese character in the popular anime series that the film is based on.
MANNA also is taking issue with the The Martian’s casting of black actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, whose parents are Nigerian, to play the role of NASA’s Director of Mars Operations — a character identified in the book as an Asian Indian. Asian actors, however, weren’t completely shut out of the film: Benedict Wong plays the role of Bruce Ng, the Director of Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Other Asian actors playing small roles in the film include Chen Shu, Yang Haiwen, Eddy Ko, Yang Liu, Xue Xuxing and Narantsogt Tsogtsaikhan.
“So few projects are written specifically with Asian-American characters in them, and he’s now changed them to a white woman and black man,” MANAA founding President Guy Aoki said of Scott’s casting choices. “This was a great opportunity to give meaty roles to talented Asian American actors — and boost their careers … This feel-good movie, which has attracted Oscar buzz, shouldn’t get any awards for casting.”
“Today’s audiences expect multi-racial casts in entertainment, as they reflect the multi-cultural environment in which they’ve grown up,” Aleong said. “In fact, three of the television series that are doing very well this television season star Asians actors:Fresh Off The Boat, Quantico and Dr. Ken.”
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I recently read this article, copied above. This is ... ironic. White people said the same thing when Aftrican-Americans played roles originally displayed by white folk - Like Annie the Movie, the Fantastic Four, and Daredevil - each had major roles filled by Aftrican-Americans that were and hae been displayed as Caucasians for decades.
Now Asians are complaining that Caucasians are taking over their roles? It's not like Matt Damon was pretending to be Asian - unlike Johnny Depp playing a Native American in The Loan Ranger movie - or the few examples the article rightly points out.
I agree multi-racial casts are great, but I disagree that just because a role was originally portrayed as one ethnicity that it can only be displayed as such in any future by that one ethnicity. Yes, casting Emma Stone played a character identified as half Hawaiian/Chinese and the other examples I disagree with. It was like watching the first 5 "Mr. Wong" films when Boris Karloff starred as the popular Chinese detective. If the role indicates on script it is a Chinese man, and you cast someone not Chinese, then change the script to reflect that. Don't repent to be Chinese when it is obvious that you are not.
Now Asians are complaining that Caucasians are taking over their roles? It's not like Matt Damon was pretending to be Asian - unlike Johnny Depp playing a Native American in The Loan Ranger movie - or the few examples the article rightly points out.
I agree multi-racial casts are great, but I disagree that just because a role was originally portrayed as one ethnicity that it can only be displayed as such in any future by that one ethnicity. Yes, casting Emma Stone played a character identified as half Hawaiian/Chinese and the other examples I disagree with. It was like watching the first 5 "Mr. Wong" films when Boris Karloff starred as the popular Chinese detective. If the role indicates on script it is a Chinese man, and you cast someone not Chinese, then change the script to reflect that. Don't repent to be Chinese when it is obvious that you are not.