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What are your thoughts on casting non-white actors in roles portrayed as white in comic books?

Bridgerton made me think of this. I’m not even a comic book or superhero movie fan.

by Anonymousreply 79March 2, 2021 9:01 AM

Whites should play whites! It disgusts me when minorities try to pass themselves as a normal white man.

by Anonymousreply 1February 20, 2021 8:36 PM

F&F

by Anonymousreply 2February 20, 2021 8:36 PM

I don't care, as long as the performers are good.

by Anonymousreply 3February 20, 2021 8:37 PM

Elle Fanning IS Rosa Parks!

by Anonymousreply 4February 20, 2021 8:38 PM

OP is concerned about who plays COMIC BOOK characters??

What thread are they trying to bury.

by Anonymousreply 5February 20, 2021 8:47 PM

Have there been any Supermen or Batmen of color who have been cast(ed)?

by Anonymousreply 6February 20, 2021 9:03 PM

Only if they are true to the source material. A black Green Lantern is okay if it’s Jon Stewart. A black Green Lantern if it’s Hal Jordan, no way! Just like no way on a white Black Panther or a black Superman or Johnny Storm.

by Anonymousreply 7February 20, 2021 9:07 PM

When I first heard Michael Clarke Duncan was cast as Kingpin I was very annoyed.but only took minutes to realize he was uniquely qualified physically for the role. The same can hardly be said for Nick Fury or Jimmy Olsen.

by Anonymousreply 8February 20, 2021 9:12 PM

No problem with the Nick Fury casting since that was based on Marvel Ultimate where he looked exactly like Samuel L. Jackson. The black Jimmy Olsen casting is an abomination though since he’s nothing like Jimmy Olsen except in name only. Not Jimmy’s personality or essence.

by Anonymousreply 9February 20, 2021 9:16 PM

Casted

by Anonymousreply 10February 21, 2021 12:21 AM

Oh, who cares?

by Anonymousreply 11February 21, 2021 1:41 AM

A video and Twitter thread about the "Mexican" Superman.

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by Anonymousreply 12February 21, 2021 3:21 AM

It's SJW madness and it's getting SO tiresome.........!!

by Anonymousreply 13February 21, 2021 3:49 AM

I still want to see Tracy Jordan's Jefferson, where Tracy plays Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings, King George, and all other parts.

by Anonymousreply 14February 21, 2021 3:55 AM

This thread is kinda stupid

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by Anonymousreply 15February 21, 2021 3:58 AM

They shouldn’t cast a non-white Superman.

by Anonymousreply 16February 21, 2021 3:59 AM

I’d prefer them not to change the ethnicities of any character. This includes the use of non-Asian people in movies based on Asian IP (e.g., Ghost in the Shell, a Death Note, Aloha).

by Anonymousreply 17February 21, 2021 4:00 AM

Comic books sometimes change who the person is who goes by a superhero name. A superhero may originally have been a white character in “real life” and then later they might have a different person, perhaps of a different race, use that same superhero name. That’s fine. However, that’s very different than taking a white character like Kal-El or Bruce Wayne and changing their race. If Warner were to want a black Batman, for example, they should go for it. Just create a new black character as the secret identity and have him call himself Batman.

by Anonymousreply 18February 21, 2021 4:06 AM

Black Panther proved that you can have a successful authentic black superhero. That’s the way to do diversity. Create great black characters living black lives instead of faking it with inauthentic casting.

by Anonymousreply 19February 21, 2021 4:14 AM

R19 PREACH......as usual.......

by Anonymousreply 20February 21, 2021 4:26 AM

"What are your thoughts on casting non-white actors in roles portrayed as white in comic books?"

I think the last time I enjoyed one of the comic book movies was at least over a decade ago. CGI spectacle doesn't entrance me as much as it used to and there seems to be an undercurrent of pro-military/ pro-law enforcement without consequences propaganda to it all. The Tony Stark comic book began as a right wing propaganda tool during the Vietnam war era. It's pretty disgusting.

And why is it that every time a female superhero gains extraordinary powers it's indicative of some kind of mental illness or loss of control?

Having said that, there's no reason to exclude minorities from the money making machine that is the "Superhero Industrial Complex" for want of a better term. Nor should the comic book "canon" be canonized. Comic books more often than not have sketchy origins. It's not like comic book writers don't have their own fucked up agendas.

And after decades of Hollywood white washing ethnic characters with white actors, I think it's time for equanimity. To nitpick about how they achieve equanimity is just a stalling tactic by white men holding on to their unearned privilege.

But comic book incels are going comic book incels.

by Anonymousreply 21February 21, 2021 4:34 AM

I am a sci-fi and fantasy fan but have no interest in these comic book films at all.

by Anonymousreply 22February 21, 2021 2:57 PM

I have no problem with new characters being diverse but if the characters are Already established as a certain way then let it be that’s the way the creators meant it

by Anonymousreply 23February 21, 2021 4:59 PM

i'm a grownup, so I don't give a flying fuck. I haven't gone to see a superhero movie since I was a kid. Despite what the Big Bang Theory preached, if you're old enough to be on Datalounge and you're still obsessively fixated on superheroes, you have a problem that goes beyond racism. Maybe we should start a thread comparing superhero dick sizes as a pathway to wean you off your childhood fantasies?

by Anonymousreply 24February 21, 2021 5:09 PM

I going to write what I always write in these threads.

Instead of just changing the races and ethnicities of established characters, why not hire more creatives of color to create, write for, direct, and produce original characters of color.

My other take on this is if you are going to change the race/ethnicity of a character, then you have have to do the work and give that character a believable experience and backstory of someone of that race and/or ethnicity.

I always point to the example of Veronica Lodge on Riverdale. They decided to remake one of the waspiest comic characters in the history of comics as a Latina, without ever explaining why a Latin family would have the waspy surname Lodge.

I applaud the efforts to diversify our screens, but at least to me, it seems like they always just take the easy way out. A bunch of white people sit around a writers' table and decide that so and so is going to be changed to be diverse.

by Anonymousreply 25February 21, 2021 5:24 PM

"Diversity" only applies to blacks. No other minorities need apply.

by Anonymousreply 26February 21, 2021 5:28 PM

[quote] Instead of just changing the races and ethnicities of established characters, why not hire more creatives of color to create, write for, direct, and produce original characters of color.

Don't be silly.

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by Anonymousreply 27February 21, 2021 5:30 PM

It really doesn't bother me. I think it would be weird for certain contexts--it would be really strange to have a person of color play, for example, Scarlett O'Hara, because race is so important to that story, or to play a well-known historical figure who is rarely portrayed on TV like Pat Nixon or Betty Friedan. But I didn't even have a problem with a black Anne Boleyn since almost every white major British actress gets to play Anne Boleyn at some point in her life anyway.

With comic book characters it doesn't bother me at all, although I think a black Batman or a black Superman (not Steel, but the actual Clark Kent Superman) or a black Wolverine would seem strange. But I didn't care at all when Perry White or Iris Allen or Jimmy Olsen were played by African-American actors.

The only exception to this I've seen so far was when they had Kate Mara play Sue Storm and Michael B Jordan play her brother Johnny in the recent awful reboot of "Fantastic Four"--had they both been black, it actually would have been fine with me. But since they had to add a backstory that Sue was adopted it was just too weird. But that was far from the most jarring thing about that movie, which may be the worst of all Marvel movies.

by Anonymousreply 28February 21, 2021 5:58 PM

Ridiculous, absurd, racist.

by Anonymousreply 29February 21, 2021 8:17 PM

Could there be a white member of the dreams in the movie or show called dreamgirls?

by Anonymousreply 30February 21, 2021 8:45 PM

I don't give a rat's ass, give me a good actor and I'm happy!

We opera-goers are used to this, we've had color-blind casting for ages. White Choi-Chio Sans, black Gildas, twins Siegfried and Siglinde played by singers of different races...

by Anonymousreply 31February 21, 2021 9:28 PM

[Quote] Have there been any Supermen or Batmen of color who have been cast(ed)?

The closest we ever got was the MBJ rumours. But a black Superman does exist, so they wouldn't be pulling it out of their ass.

[Quote] The black Jimmy Olsen casting is an abomination though since he’s nothing like Jimmy Olsen except in name only. Not Jimmy’s personality or essence.

Wasn't really a big deal since they already had Winn for that.

by Anonymousreply 32February 21, 2021 10:07 PM

I think DC has covered itself with the whole multiverse thing, so they can make changes to characters and not disrupt canon.

I remember this Sony requirement about Peter Parker being white and straight.

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by Anonymousreply 33February 21, 2021 11:52 PM

If it’s fiction, especially comic books who cares?

by Anonymousreply 34February 22, 2021 1:24 AM

[quote]I’m not even a comic book or superhero movie fan.

Oh come on, don’t sell yourself short. You might not be a superhero movie fan, but you’re definitely a comic book.

by Anonymousreply 35February 22, 2021 1:41 AM

It worked well for Jason Momoa and Aquaman.

by Anonymousreply 36February 22, 2021 1:47 AM

[quote] I remember this Sony requirement about Peter Parker being white and straight.

And he should stay white and straight. They went about creating a black Spider-Man the correct way by introducing a new character of Miles Morales, not by changing Peter Parker to black.

by Anonymousreply 37February 22, 2021 6:25 AM

[quote] We opera-goers are used to this, we've had color-blind casting for ages. White Choi-Chio Sans, black Gildas, twins Siegfried and Siglinde played by singers of different races...

That’s different for stage since you’re always aware they’re just actors on stage. How would you explain twins of different races in a movie?

by Anonymousreply 38February 22, 2021 6:27 AM

It's funny to me that opera still tolerates yellowface. "Turandot" still gets performed with white singers even though all of the cast is supposed to be Chinese, and same with half the characters in "Nixon in China."

by Anonymousreply 39February 22, 2021 6:57 AM

R39, With opera, it's all about the voice. If someone has the voice to sing Cho Cho San, people want to hear it. And it's a rare soprano who can manage the killer tessitura of Turandot--any soprano who can sing that is welcome to do so.

Of course, the nice thing about opera is that it is true colorblind casting--what we're seeing right now isn't colorblind, by any means. We had whitewashing, now we have colorwashing. With some exceptions, neither works as well as traditional casting. I prefer things like Black Panther where the character's Black identity matters or the Into the Spiderverse solution--Peter Parker is one Spiderman, but other Spidermen/women are other races/genders/etc.--it's additive. Fan boys still get their Peter Parker, but Spiderman is also Miles Morales with his origin story.

by Anonymousreply 40February 22, 2021 8:29 AM

I don't care. I've only ever enjoyed them as 'What ifs?' or 'Elseworlds'.

The movies are all terrible adaptations.

by Anonymousreply 41February 22, 2021 8:36 AM

In comic book properties? I don't care. I don't care about any of it, with the exception of changing the race of people who existed in real life, or the rare occasion where the race actually matters because of the character or plot. Race or gender don't really matter for, say, Spiderman, but absolutely matter in Black Panther.

by Anonymousreply 42February 22, 2021 8:42 AM

R21 should look up what 'equanimity' means, before he says it in public.

by Anonymousreply 43February 22, 2021 8:53 AM

The problem is comics like everything else in America and basically western civilization have been racist since their founding. You didn't even really start to have Black super heroes until the late 60's and even today their aren't that many. Also the few you have don't have aren't very powerful in comparison to their white counterparts. This may come as a shock to most of you but White people are a minority in this world. If superpowers and mutants were real it would stand to reason that Whites wouldn't have the majority of powers.

Movies are just trying (a little bit) to right the wrongs of the past be retconning some of these heroes as not White. I don't see a problem with it.

by Anonymousreply 44February 22, 2021 9:11 AM

DC Comics has had a black Superman for almost 10 years now. Miles Morales is a black Spider-Man. So they can cast black or white actors if they want to.

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by Anonymousreply 45February 22, 2021 10:02 AM

Really, who gives a shit? Black people have now become over-represented in almost every area: TV commercials, movies and TV shows, modeling, literature, sports, broadcasting, dance, you name it. If one did not know better, one would assume the U.S. has a significant black majority. Pandering of the worst kind.

by Anonymousreply 46February 22, 2021 10:19 AM

Movies aren't here to right historic wrongs, R44. They are here to entertain their audience and make money from that audience. There is nothing racist about white majority countries having white superheroes - though, as you yourself admit, there have been non-white superheroes in reasonable numbers for over half a century in hese white-majority countries. There is no actual need to colorwash Superman or whoever.

by Anonymousreply 47February 22, 2021 10:24 AM

What you're seeing is an over-correction in acting roles brought on by people who refuse to fix the core problem because they are unwilling to give up the true power. And once again, black people get blamed for something that is not their fault.

No actor, who wants to work, is going to turn down additional opportunities to do so and they shouldn't have to. However, the real issue remains what's going on behind the scenes. They've put more faces of color on camera to keep you from looking behind the curtain at where the real lack of diversity lies in the entertainment industry.

If you really want to address inequities in Hollywood, making Supergirl a Latina or Aquaman whatever Jason Momoa is or James Bond black doesn't really do it. It's an easy way out.

by Anonymousreply 48February 22, 2021 12:03 PM

[Quote] I've only ever enjoyed them as 'What ifs?' or 'Elseworlds'. The movies are all terrible adaptations

Elseworlds was terrible. But Crisis was even worse.

by Anonymousreply 49February 22, 2021 12:28 PM

I want a color blind actor cast as Green Arrow.

by Anonymousreply 50February 23, 2021 4:00 AM

Also the few you have don't have aren't very powerful in comparison to their white counterparts.

???

That's not true.

Photon/Spectrum for Marvel, Green Lantern (John Stewart) for DC, Spawn for Image.... each is among the most powerful superheroes in each publishing company's universe.

by Anonymousreply 51February 23, 2021 4:27 AM

Oh, GFY!!!

by Anonymousreply 52February 23, 2021 4:38 AM

Julia Roberts IS Harriet Tubman.

by Anonymousreply 53February 23, 2021 4:40 AM

"[R21] should look up what 'equanimity' means, before he says it in public."

I said this: "And after decades of Hollywood white washing ethnic characters with white actors, I think it's time for equanimity."

Apparently, you thought I meant this: "And after decades of Hollywood white washing ethnic characters with white actors, I think it's time for equality."

Whereas I said this: And after decades of Hollywood white washing ethnic characters with white actors, I think it's time for level-headedness. Also, these words would have worked as well: mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper. Especially in a difficult situation.

You know, like the difficult situation institutionalized racism.

I know this may be very difficult for you, but try no to project your simplemindedness onto me.

Thanks in advance.

by Anonymousreply 54February 23, 2021 4:44 AM

R54, you type very, very white.

by Anonymousreply 55February 23, 2021 4:49 AM

r55, you type very racist.

I'm guessing you're on of those white men who say "So and so is very articulate" when a person of color has a better vocabulary than you do.

by Anonymousreply 56February 23, 2021 4:56 AM

[quote] This may come as a shock to most of you but White people are a minority in this world. If superpowers and mutants were real it would stand to reason that Whites wouldn't have the majority of powers.

Most superheroes are from America, as would be expected, or from outer space, so that explains why the majority are white.

by Anonymousreply 57February 23, 2021 4:58 AM

Tell us about all the white people you've met from outer space, r57.

by Anonymousreply 58February 23, 2021 5:04 AM

[quote] And after decades of Hollywood white washing ethnic characters with white actors, I think it's time for equanimity. To nitpick about how they achieve equanimity is just a stalling tactic by white men holding on to their unearned privilege.

“achieve [level-headedness]”?

You clearly did not know what the word meant when you used it in the above paragraph, R21/54. Just take the L, dude.

by Anonymousreply 59February 23, 2021 5:08 AM

[quote]I'm guessing you're on of those white men who say "So and so is very articulate" when a person of color has a better vocabulary than you do.

Nah, I just call 'em uppity.

by Anonymousreply 60February 23, 2021 5:13 AM

Sure why not

by Anonymousreply 61February 23, 2021 5:18 AM

“achieve [level-headedness]”?

Because equanimity is the hallmark of this thread? Because all the racists posting here are coming from a place of equanimity when it comes to racial issues? It's a fait accompli to you?

Oh, before you make an idiot of yourself again:

"fait accompli

[ˌfed əkämˈplē, ˌfād əkämˈplē]

NOUN

a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it."

Get it?

"You clearly did not know what the word meant when you used it in the above paragraph, [R21]/54. Just take the L, dude."

You might want to take your own advice.

You know, check yourself before you wreck yourself?

by Anonymousreply 62February 23, 2021 5:33 AM

^ [quote]INSERT THEIR COPIED TEXT HERE.

TYPE YOUR REPLY HERE.

Otherwise you're just arguing with yourself.

by Anonymousreply 63February 23, 2021 5:38 AM

Oh, and BTW, when an internet troll comes after your argument by using a grammar as a weapon, chances are pretty good the troll's argument has zero merit. Not to mention the fact their grasp of idea in question, and grammar over all, is very weak.

I'm not surprised by your lack of critical thinking. It's just amusing to see you grapple with it.

Also funny to see you fail when you choose formatting to try to win your argument.

by Anonymousreply 64February 23, 2021 5:40 AM

[quote] What you're seeing is an over-correction in acting roles brought on by people who refuse to fix the core problem because they are unwilling to give up the true power.

What is the core problem here? That non-white actors aren’t being cast as white superheroes? You’re implying we’re under the quota but there is no quota. There is no set percentage we should be reaching.

by Anonymousreply 65February 23, 2021 5:44 AM

nice racism, R55.

by Anonymousreply 66February 23, 2021 5:50 AM

R66 where was the racism??

by Anonymousreply 67February 23, 2021 10:50 AM

[quote]What is the core problem here? That non-white actors aren’t being cast as white superheroes? You’re implying we’re under the quota but there is no quota. There is no set percentage we should be reaching.

The core problem is the executives who are making the decisions, there is no diversity there. How many programs are there that are designed to bring in more minority and women directors and writers? How many projects from minority writers and directors get the greenlight? Most TV shows have one slot for a "diversity" hire in their writing rooms, but those writers often say they get resentment from the other writers in the room and they get marginalized by getting assigned to write only for certain characters and situations.

Personally, I think casting non white actors to play characters that have always been portrayed as white is a cop out and an easy fix to a much larger problem, that has nothing to do with acting roles. I am not against diversity on screen, I just hate the way they've gone about trying to achieve it.

by Anonymousreply 68February 23, 2021 11:31 AM

Don't care. It will either work or fail.

by Anonymousreply 69February 23, 2021 11:32 AM

It wasn't over the thirty dollar words, but the superior attitude.

Cause white folk is judgey.

by Anonymousreply 70February 23, 2021 3:34 PM

^I'm R55, not R54.

by Anonymousreply 71February 23, 2021 3:34 PM

Disingenuous cunt, R67.

by Anonymousreply 72February 28, 2021 3:18 PM

[quota]What is the core problem here? That non-white actors aren’t being cast as white superheroes? You’re implying we’re under the quota but there is no quota. There is no set percentage we should be reaching.

If there is no quota then how did anyone know that POC were underrepresented? This is the hypocrisy at play. Blacks want "fair representation" but refuse to say what that actually means. That way, they can push and push and push and push until they have 100% of the roles and 100% of the power.

by Anonymousreply 73February 28, 2021 4:13 PM

Awwwwwwww.

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by Anonymousreply 74March 2, 2021 5:06 AM

And awwwwwwww.

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by Anonymousreply 75March 2, 2021 5:07 AM

At this point, Blacks are overrepresented in terms of percentage of roles v. percentage of the population. The groups that continue to be under-represented are Latinos, Asians and, to some extent, white women. Hollywood often likes the twofer of a POC female romantic interest for the white guy--but not too POC.

Thus, the career of the dull biracial Zendaya.

by Anonymousreply 76March 2, 2021 5:07 AM

One thing is for sure, interracial couples are WAY overrepresented in TV ads. Holy shit. Who is pushing that so hard? And why?

by Anonymousreply 77March 2, 2021 8:07 AM

R21/54 definitely didn’t know what equanimity meant, by the way.

by Anonymousreply 78March 2, 2021 8:09 AM

Whatever moron at R72

by Anonymousreply 79March 2, 2021 9:01 AM
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