Hollywood White Washing

[Leisher]

Because if it doesn't look like you, it's racist...

Lots of complaining about recent casting.

First, Marvel is getting bashed for casting Tilda Swinton as "The Ancient One".

Here's a picture:


Marvel explains they intentionally cast someone who was androgynous to remove sex from the role and they claim they didn't cast an Asian to avoid stereotyping. That second part might be BS, but it's not without merit in this world. I mean, can anyone really say that someone, somewhere wouldn't have accused them of just that?

Keep in mind that Marvel was blasted for casting Idris Elba as Heimdale because Heimdale was white in the books and Idris is black. They also cast a black actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, as Baron Mordo in the Doctor Strange film, and he's white in the book.

So now you're thinking "well clearly Marvel is adding diversity everywhere, so these white washing claims are BS" and in a logical world, you'd be right. However, this world isn't logical.

While I'm happy to see a "white role" played by a black man in the movie, Ejiofor's casting reinforces the implications of Thor, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the Iron Man movies that every white hero gets a black sidekick in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

I mean, for fuck's sake...

So if someone who looks exactly like you isn't in the main role, RACISM!

Asians are also pretty pissed that ScarJo is the lead in Ghost in the Shell. They can't figure out why this white actress was cast in the role. My response would be that they're morons. The reason is simple and it's not about white. It's about green. Quick name the world's most famous Asian actress. I'm betting a lot of you drew a blank. Some smart ass will google one and claim that's who they thought of, but the rest of you will honestly think of Lucy Liu after a few minutes and realize she's not very famous...or good.

Point being, no studio is going to greenlight a big budget film without some star power. Not anymore. If you don't like that, start going to smaller budget movies more often and vote with your wallet.

Long story short, you can't make everyone happy all the time. It can't be done. So I propose all films just become CGI and Hollywood can paint the skin color of the lead to match whatever people want to see.

"Yeah, I'd like two adult tickets to Batman vs. Superman 4."
"Do you have a preference on skin color?"
"Yes, I'd like Batman to be black and Superman to be Asian."
"What about sex?"
"Batman should be transgender, but pre-op and Superman should be a little person woman."
"Anything else?"
"Yes, I'd like the story to be heavily anti-military, guns, and have no violence at all."
"OK, that'll be $54.50. Theater 13 on your right."

[Malcolm]

Quick name the world's most famous Asian actress.

Right now? Michio Kaku.

"Yeah, I'd like two adult tickets to Batman vs. Superman 4."
"Do you have a preference on skin color?"
"Yes, I'd like Batman to be black and Superman to be Asian."
"What about sex?"
"Batman should be transgender, but pre-op and Superman should be a little person woman."
"Anything else?"
"Yes, I'd like the story to be heavily anti-military, guns, and have no violence at all."
"OK, that'll be $54.50. Theater 13 on your right."

If there's no Affleck, I might be interested.

[Troy]

Lucy Liu is my go-to Asian female actress. A quick google reminds me that she is late 40s and despite being ageless(and asian) she's too old for the part? Some discussion on that when you google Lucy and Ghost, too.

[Alhazad]

Lucy Liu is my go-to Asian female actress. A quick google reminds me that she is late 40s and despite being ageless(and asian) she's too old for the part? Some discussion on that when you google Lucy and Ghost, too.

Plus she's employed on a TV show right now.

Anime characters are rarely Asian, even if Japanese people think they're supposed to be. They're drawn as caucasians, because they need to have actual hair, eye, and skin colors for the viewer to tell them apart at a single glance. Even the Japanese think Asians look alike.

Scarlett Johansson might actually be a good choice for GitS because the protagonist is a thick bitch with action experience and so is Scarlett. Lucy Liu is a stick.

Quick name the world's most famous Asian actress.

Right now? Michio Kaku.

Hah.

[Malcolm]

Quick name the world's most famous Asian actress.

Right now? Michio Kaku.

Hah.

I assumed he meant "the western world."

[Alhazad]

I'm laughing because Michio Kaku is male and not an actor.

The most popular Asian actress in the whole world is probably one of China's 'Four Dan' actresses. I like Zhao Wei.

[Malcolm]

Ok, that was unintentionally funny. I got his name crosswired with Rinko Kikuchi.

[TPRJones]

I was going to offer up Yuen Qiu.

[Leisher]

Who? (To the entire list...)

[GORDON]

The first two I thought of were the chick from Crouching Tiger, Michelle Yeoh, and Ming-Na Wen from SHIELD, who is like 50 and still super hot.

[GORDON]

As for the whining about white washing, I am getting more and more annoyed by sensitive people. I stopped following Sulu a long time ago when half of everything he posted was just him being a whiny old bitch about how unfair everything is.

Constant complaining becomes exhausting for those subject to it.

[Leisher]

Constant complaining becomes exhausting for those subject to it.

Complaining is fine.

One sided, "it's my way and I will accept nothing else" whining is what annoys me.

Back to the topic at hand, I think there are folks who want diversity and I think there are folks who want to take over.

Another question I often wonder is: How diverse is the Asian cinema or Bollywood?

[Malcolm]

Who? (To the entire list...)

Rinko Kikuchi is the Japanese chick from Pacific Rim and her career is on a major upswing at the moment. Shu Qi (the Chinese kidnapping victim from the first Transporter) is also a marketable casting choice.

How diverse is the Asian cinema or Bollywood?

Many of India's biggest films are western-style adventure movies and formulaic big-ass musicals. Asian cinema is, has, and will forever be dominated by action/drama preferably with fuckloads of kung fu.

As for cast diversity: Nicolas Cage, Adrien Brody, Halle Berry, and John Cusack were all major characters in huge Chinese blockbusters last year. Bollywood does much the same. They grab a few big names or a lot of mid-level talent.

[GORDON]

This reminds me of a fucked up little picture I saw once:

"Why do women want to be equal to men? They should want to be better. Women should have more ambition, like men. This is why men get paid more."

[Alhazad]

Back to the topic at hand, I think there are folks who want diversity and I think there are folks who want to take over.

Can't speak to that, but there is a pronounced bias against Asian leads in American video. I don't think there's been an Asian sitcom since Margaret Cho's show tanked. I could be wrong -- I don't really keep track of TV.

Another question I often wonder is: How diverse is the Asian cinema or Bollywood?

How diverse are Asia and India? Do they even have enough white people to get upset that there are no whites in cinema?

[TheCatt]

Back to the topic at hand, I think there are folks who want diversity and I think there are folks who want to take over.

Can't speak to that, but there is a pronounced bias against Asian leads in American video. I don't think there's been an Asian sitcom since Margaret Cho's show tanked. I could be wrong -- I don't really keep track of TV.

Another question I often wonder is: How diverse is the Asian cinema or Bollywood?

How diverse are Asia and India? Do they even have enough white people to get upset that there are no whites in cinema?

1 - What about Mindy Kaling? Or do you mean non-Indian Asian?

2 - There's plenty of white people in their cinema from American movies they import.

[Alhazad]

1 - What about Mindy Kaling? Or do you mean non-Indian Asian?

See, I have no idea who that is. You'll have to ask other Asians if an Indian represents them satisfactorily. I have my suspicions.

2 - There's plenty of white people in their cinema from American movies they import.

What you're telling me is that whites are over-represented compared to the population.

[Leisher]

2 - There's plenty of white people in their cinema from American movies they import.

What you're telling me is that whites are over-represented compared to the population.

Like black people in the U.S.

[GORDON]

2 - There's plenty of white people in their cinema from American movies they import.

What you're telling me is that whites are over-represented compared to the population.

Like black people in the U.S.

I was thinking "like gay people." This is why some people think 10% of the population is gay.

[GORDON]

That's it. Where's the fucking word filter setting.