Home > Cultural & Political, Movies > Hollywood is Racist… but you knew that.

Hollywood is Racist… but you knew that.

Friday, March 20, 2009 Leave a comment Go to comments

I think I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

avatarcast

avatarcast21

These both depict the main characters from the popular TV show Avatar – one from the original cartoon, and one from the feature film due to be released in 2010.

[Insert Asian outrage.]

If this gets to you, here’s a link to the petition protesting the Avatar casting.

Thank you.

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  1. betsy
    Friday, March 20, 2009 at 7:55 pm

    Oh lolz. The one ethnic guy they cast…is of the wrong ethnic group. Oh lolz.

  2. Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 1:10 am

    This is so utterly ridiculous. I don’t have any problems with the actors themselves – they’re not at fault at all for having been selected to their roles. But seriously, Hollywood, would it really kill to step away from the pasty-pale stereotypical Caucasian actors and actually respect the ethnic variety of LIFE? Gahhhhhh. How frustrating. I want to facedesk so hard right now. 😦

  3. chococrepes
    Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 1:21 pm

    so apparently zuko was going to be played by jesse mccartney but then they replaced him with i have no idea who that guy is. It’s just frustrating that they are going to make the show into a movie >.>

    but it’s being directed by m nigh shyamalan and jackson rathbone is in it…so i probably will go see it xD but they really should stop with hollywood-anizing everything.

  4. Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 2:32 pm

    eh? They were going to make them *all* white? Now I don’t know which one is worse…

    Oh, and the “official” Zuko is the protagonist from “Slumdog Millionaire” (fantastic movie, by the way)… I believe his name is Dev Patel.

  5. daheefanel
    Monday, March 23, 2009 at 1:42 am

    Oh yes. There have been a lot of protests and letters written to the execs behind this. It hasn’t done much other than make them cast people of colour for the villains and smaller roles, though. The main cast are still white, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change.

    I am totally boycotting this movie when it comes out. And I’m pretty sure a lot of other people will do the same. Hollywood really sucks.

  6. Devi
    Friday, April 3, 2009 at 11:53 am

    damn…that is pretty racist. but i don’t know what’s worse. that my favorite dusky but currently in a hit movie making slump director M. Night Shyamalan is directing this film or that Dev Patel, coming off his slumdog millionaire brilliance, actually auditioned for and took up the role. -inserts confused/puzzled/&slightly angry indian expression-

  7. Fireglyder
    Friday, April 17, 2009 at 9:08 am

    zuko will turn good in book 3

    • sevenses
      Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 9:24 pm

      Ack, spoiler!

  8. Is Jesus Asian?
    Friday, June 26, 2009 at 5:23 pm

    Hey what most people fail to see is pure logic…They are either being fooled or want to believe on ideals that doesn’t add up.
    An Asian world…..with characters with Asian names…where everyone dress in Asian atire….Writing in Asian language…Practice Asian marital arts…Believe in Asian gods and monsters Philosophy….Buildings and houses are all Asian…. Food they eat are asian styled….Asian features such as black hair balck eyes….. All these seems pretty clear. Is characters nationality White or Asian is pretty clear.

    Because American entertainment is a Caucasian fantasy world (most heroes are white). If People believe the characters nationality are european or white decent contradicts with the very series and setting of avatar.

    I mean what role does a european or white nationality play in this?

    Aside from what I said so far what makes this racist is…….
    A European or white descent dressing Asian clothing and rating food with chopsticks and refer him or herself as an Asian is mocking the Asian culture! If Hong kong made a film about Jesus can he be Asian? is very similar as see an Asian person as jesus christ.

    Can people accept an Asian as Jesus Christ if so I can accept White people acting as Asians.

    • Ospherius
      Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 7:28 pm

      Actually, Jesus was neither black or white. A fact that has been proven over and over again genetically, biologically and geologically. While i support your point you are making, inducing another issue of whitewash like that of Jesus make your argument not only have a weak point, but also makes it disingenuous.

  9. Bramhesh
    Sunday, August 30, 2009 at 4:37 pm

    I always thought in Kill Bill Vol 1, the younger Lucy Liu would have done well in the lead role (not that i don’t like Uma Thurman). But, cutting some slack to Hollywood, i think this blinding “whiteness” might be justified by commercial considerations – non-white leads might not go down well with “white America”, but then there have been movies (like the “Rush Hour?”, “Harold and Kumar”) that have done well. But seriously, i think every colored child consuming these “white fantasy” movies risks serious harm done to his/her sense of self-respect/dignity, so parents beware!.

  10. J. McMillan
    Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 12:39 am

    Hollywood and its executives have always been part of a very racist film industry. America has rarely accepted an Asian, Black, Latino or other non-white in a major role.
    Economically, these pictures usually do poorly because White America will seldom accept non-whites in leading roles. Sidekicks, Comedy relief and Cannon Fodder are the norm for non-whites. Often its very subtle and hardly noticible but its still there. Rarely does a non-white star in any film production unless its done by a non-white film company.
    The best way to combat this insult is to simply stop supporting the film instituion financially. Just stay away from the movie theatres. Don’t buy anything that funnels money into Hollywood.
    It may not make much of a impression but it will give one the satifaction of knowing that ones money wasn’t used to perpetuate the biased garbage that comes out of the film industry today.

    • Ospherius
      Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 7:32 pm

      True that!

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