Ang Can Stay Asian And Still Save The World

[Dusty Ayres]

The Last Airbender is set to release July 2010. And the tagline should read: In an Asian world, only three white heroes can save the world.

The film, a live-action adaptation of the hit animated television series AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, is part of a franchise widely advertised in 2005 by Nickelodeon executives as set in a “fantastical Asian world.” Despite the show’s overt use of elements from Asian cultures and concepts—including Asian religions and martial arts—initial casting calls indicated a preference for Caucasian actors, and ultimately only Caucasian actors were cast in the lead protagonist roles. Conversely, all casting sheets for background roles and non-speaking extras have requested actors of specific East Asian, Asian, Hispanic and Middle Eastern nationalities.

Fans were outraged by the December 9th, 2008 casting announcement and immediately mobilized, writing over two hundred letters protesting the ‘whitewashing’ of the movie to producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, and director M. Night Shyamalan. Although the production has since cast actor Dev Patel (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) as antagonist ‘Prince Zuko,’ minority actors have again been relegated to supporting and villain roles. The cast of THE LAST AIRBENDER does not reflect the cultural diversity of the source material and instead evokes the infamous and archaic Hollywood practice of “yellowface,” where white actors are ‘made up’ to play Asian characters.

In addition to "yellowface", Paramount Pictures' casting of THE LAST AIRBENDER perpetuates the Hollywood stereotype to portray the heroes as white and the villains as darker-skinned. In the animated series, the Inuit-based nation (Water Tribe) and Tibetan-based nation (Air Nomads) are the heroes. In the movie, both the Water Tribe and Air Nomads will be completely white-washed and populated with white actors. Conversely, the genocidal, evil Fire Nation will be entirely populated with darker-skinned actors, who actively oppress and destroy all other Nations.

The Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) and the East West Players have both taken action to discuss and work with Paramount Pictures. Also, a variety of newspapers and online magazines have since reported on this issue, questioning Paramount Pictures for their racial bias when casting roles for this children's film.

Paramount is trying to put a bandaid on this problem by casting Asian actors in minor, background and villainous roles, in a world that will still be saved by three white heroes. For fans, now is the time to tell them that that isn't good enough.

Ang Can Stay Asian And Still Save The World

 

[Rii]

In the movie, both the Water Tribe and Air Nomads will be completely white-washed and populated with white actors. Conversely, the genocidal, evil Fire Nation will be entirely populated with darker-skinned actors, who actively oppress and destroy all other Nations.

I like that. Genocidal, comma, evil, as if genocide itself is a morally ambiguous act.

Oh, right. SPOILER.

Paramount is trying to put a bandaid on this problem by casting Asian actors in minor, background and villainous roles, in a world that will still be saved by three white heroes.

Whitey's gonna get uppity with all these absurd tales, start thinkin' he runs this shit.

 

[theenglish]

This reminds me a little bit of The Wizard of Earthsea series a few years back that made everybody white.

 

[Anwar]

They also changed it so that the main character's sorcerer name was his real one and his real name was his sorcerer one.

 

[miraclefan]

EPIC FAIL!

 

[sojourner]

Wow, over 200 hundred letters. stunning. I think that is epic fail as well.

 

[ancient]

We UR in UR asain WRLD SAVIN ur PPL. ALL UR WRLD R BELONG TO US.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

TOPH SHIT!

(Just wanted to say that) While I'm not overly surprised with the water tribe, it would be strange to have a white Aang.

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

I've only seen a few episodes of Avatar, but enough to know that making all the main characters white is a kind of weird decision. What's eye opening is the rather blatant manner of it.

They got handed a property in which the main characters were minorities, there was no need to "token cast" minorities, it was all right there in the source... and the fact that they cast the background players as asian, but insisted on white actors, the call sheets specified caucasion!!! It wasn't even like, they auditioned lots of people and the white actors just happened to be the best ones... it is just unusually blatant.

 

[Dusty Ayres]

I've only seen a few episodes of Avatar, but enough to know that making all the main characters white is a kind of weird decision. What's eye opening is the rather blatant manner of it.

They got handed a property in which the main characters were minorities, there was no need to "token cast" minorities, it was all right there in the source... and the fact that they cast the background players as asian, but insisted on white actors, the call sheets specified caucasion!!! It wasn't even like, they auditioned lots of people and the white actors just happened to be the best ones... it is just unusually blatant.

It's blatantly stupid, is what it is

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

This reminds me a little bit of The Wizard of Earthsea series a few years back that made everybody white.

Except for Danny Glover.

 

[miraclefan]

So, does this mean NO white actors in this movie?

 

[siskostemper]

Was tempted to give this flick a shot but now probably not.

 

[StarTrek1701]

The Last Airbender is set to release July 2010. And the tagline should read: In an Asian world, only three white heroes can save the world.

The film, a live-action adaptation of the hit animated television series AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, is part of a franchise widely advertised in 2005 by Nickelodeon executives as set in a “fantastical Asian world.” Despite the show’s overt use of elements from Asian cultures and concepts—including Asian religions and martial arts—initial casting calls indicated a preference for Caucasian actors, and ultimately only Caucasian actors were cast in the lead protagonist roles. Conversely, all casting sheets for background roles and non-speaking extras have requested actors of specific East Asian, Asian, Hispanic and Middle Eastern nationalities.

Fans were outraged by the December 9th, 2008 casting announcement and immediately mobilized, writing over two hundred letters protesting the ‘whitewashing’ of the movie to producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, and director M. Night Shyamalan. Although the production has since cast actor Dev Patel (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) as antagonist ‘Prince Zuko,’ minority actors have again been relegated to supporting and villain roles. The cast of THE LAST AIRBENDER does not reflect the cultural diversity of the source material and instead evokes the infamous and archaic Hollywood practice of “yellowface,” where white actors are ‘made up’ to play Asian characters.

In addition to "yellowface", Paramount Pictures' casting of THE LAST AIRBENDER perpetuates the Hollywood stereotype to portray the heroes as white and the villains as darker-skinned. In the animated series, the Inuit-based nation (Water Tribe) and Tibetan-based nation (Air Nomads) are the heroes. In the movie, both the Water Tribe and Air Nomads will be completely white-washed and populated with white actors. Conversely, the genocidal, evil Fire Nation will be entirely populated with darker-skinned actors, who actively oppress and destroy all other Nations.

The Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) and the East West Players have both taken action to discuss and work with Paramount Pictures. Also, a variety of newspapers and online magazines have since reported on this issue, questioning Paramount Pictures for their racial bias when casting roles for this children's film.

Paramount is trying to put a bandaid on this problem by casting Asian actors in minor, background and villainous roles, in a world that will still be saved by three white heroes. For fans, now is the time to tell them that that isn't good enough.

Ang Can Stay Asian And Still Save The World

Big fucking deal. It's an American production with American movie companies making it. We'll do whatever the fuck we want.

 

[miraclefan]

Big fucking deal. It's an American production with American movie companies making it. We'll do whatever the fuck we want.

Isn't that the same attitude ''We'll do whatever the *&%^ we want'' that got G.W.Bush in hot water??

 

[firehawk12]

Why make Avatar then? If they just want to have white people doing weird fantasy things... just make another Hobbit movie or something.

Oh yeah, I just remembered the whole Prince of Persia thing... like, why make a Prince of Persia film if you're just going to cast a generic white dude? Just call it Lord of the Rings 2 or something.

 

[hyzmarca]

However, the original was also American. It was made by Americans (two white guys with Italian and Germanic family names, in fact) for an American network aimed at American children. And it has a startlingly large adult following because it was just that good. It didn't simplify, pander, or patronize. This does all three.

WTF M. Night? Did you forget that you were Indian or something?

I have a brilliant idea, lets make a movie about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and have everybody but James Earl Ray white actors.

 

[Rii]

Big fucking deal. It's an American production with American movie companies making it. We'll do whatever the fuck we want.

Nobody is suggesting abrogating your right to be retarded.

 

[Daedalus12]

WTF? Nickelodeon? Fuck I haven't tuned into that channel since I was 6.

 

[FordSVT]

Big fucking deal. It's an American production with American movie companies making it. We'll do whatever the fuck we want.

Nobody is suggesting abrogating your right to be retarded.

I'd also point out that his use of the word "we" is laughable as "he" has absolutely no say in the matter.


I can't say I'm not worried about this movie though. I love TLA, as do millions of others of all ages, male and female. It's not stupid, it doesn't pander, it's well written, it's exciting, well directed and paced. And despite it's influences it's rather original. IMHO, you could practically take season 1 and edit out some of the side crap and have a storyboard for a movie. I'm almost positive they'll change just enough stuff to fuck this up. Suits will decide the cartoon needs to be changed this way and that to make it "more appealing to a broader demographic", and none of those suits will have a clue that it already does so without any tampering at all. The fact that MNS is directing doesn't fill me with glee either, he's totally hit or miss, seeming to miss more and more as time goes on.