This particular entry could probably cite dozens of examples and go on for hundreds of pages, but I'll keep it short.
Several weeks ago I overheard someone say something stupid that got me thinking. A new television show, 24: Legacy, was soon to premiere. I overheard someone say, "I love the original 24 with Kiefer Sutherland, but I don't think it's going to work with a black guy in the lead role. Productions starring minorities never do as well as those starring white actors." I had heard something similar shortly before Star Wars: The Force Awakens opened.
While that was a stupid and perhaps a bit racist thing to say, that statement is not entirely wrong. In fact, generally speaking, it is accurate. There have been exceptions, of course, but overall, films and TV shows starring white actors have always been more successful. No doubt that is why, if one looks back far enough, one will find white actors playing Native American Indians in a lot of westerns and more white actors playing Asians in other productions, even though those weren't even the lead roles.
Sadly, one does not always have to look very far back. As I understand it -- I did not watch the film -- The Last Airbender starred a young white actor in the lead role playing an Asian character. In addition, the upcoming film Ghost In the Shell stars a white actress playing a character who is supposed to be Japanese, and another upcoming film, The Great Wall, brings a white European character to China, also in the film's lead role. There are probably at least a dozen more recent examples that I could cite if I took the time to research recent films more, but I think I've made my point well enough.
Personally, I've always believed that if a movie or television show is well written, then it doesn't matter what race the lead actors happen to be. I like a good story and well developed characters. Period. I don't live in a world full of white people and I like to see the diversity of my world reflected in what I watch, which brings me back to 24: Legacy and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as well as Star Wars: Rogue One. Let's look at them, briefly, in the order that they were released.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens two main characters were a white woman and a black man. Yes, I said black and not African American. First of all, actor John Boyega is British, and second, I'm sick of the obsessively PC culture. My best friend of 49 years happens to be a black/Puerto Rican man. Someone once referred to him as African American and he told that person that he'd never even been to Africa. He is a black man. I am a white man. Deal with it.
Anyway, as I mentioned, I had heard comments about how Star Wars: The Force Awakens wasn't going to work as well as the other films in the franchise because the male lead was a black man. Wrong. John Boyega played his character superbly and the film is a great success. Yes, it had its issues, not the least of which was that in some ways it just retold the story of A New Hope, but it succeeded just fine without a white man in the lead role.
Star Wars: Rogue One also starred a white woman. The reason I mention it here is because it also starred, in primary supporting roles, a Mexican actor, two Chinese actors, a black actor, and a Pakistani actor (from England). It was a fairly diverse cast, and I think it was a better film for it. And it, too, was extremely successful.
Finally, we come to 24: Legacy. Like the person I overheard, I am a fan of the original to 24 series that starred Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer. I started watching the new show sincerely hoping that it would be at least as good, and it has not disappointed. Actor Corey Hawkins is doing a great job as Eric Carter and I am enjoying the new show every bit as much as I did the original.
So what am I saying with all of this? I'm saying this: We live in a diverse world. Though I could be wrong, it appears as though at least some writers/producers in Hollywood are beginning to realize that to reflect that diversity in their productions is a good thing -- that a well-written and well-produced product starring a more diverse cast can perform just as well as anything starring white lead actors, and can in fact be a better product for it.
I'm encouraged by seeing productions such as these, and I look forward to seeing more of them.
UPDATE: After reading this entry, my son sent me a link to a video that talks about how the best Asian roles have gone to and continue to go to white actors.
( https://www.facebook.com/Vox/videos/510428462478094/?autoplay_reason=user_settings&video_container_type=0&video_creator_product_type=2&app_id=2392950137&live_video_guests=0 )
Clearly, Hollywood still has a long way to go.
First, Boyega was cast simply because he was black. Two weeks before Star Wars he was a stock photo model for the sake of Pete. He did a good job, and we will likely see him again in other roles for a while.
ReplyDeleteDamon was in 'The Great Wall' because China is getting into the Hollywood business BIG TIME. And just as their domestic market has had to get used to American made films set in America, we in the US had better start getting used to seeing Chinese made films set in China. Damon is the first of many actors we will see in such movies as they try to connect the two markets at the top level.
It's funny when people try to act like race is still not a thing in Hollywood, especially when all the PC stuff usually leads to LESS roles for minorities. Like the villains used to be eastern European or Hispanic cartel dudes with bad shaving habits, or middle easterners.
Now, those bad guy roles go to white dudes who belong to some alphabet soup agency or evil corporation with murky motives...because we cannot stereotype race, but evil corps led by rich honkeys is OK. Or ofay, I forget which.
Just take a look at 'the bad guys' among major movies the last 4 years or so and you will a pattern form rather quickly. Yay diversity!
Moby's, I can't tell if you're mocking my post, supporting it, or just adding additional information, but thanks for commenting.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I felt the same way too about Moby's post.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Boyega... "stock photo model" ??? Are you being literal? Boyega started in various films before Star Wars, probably best known for the critical acclaimed 2011 film "Attack the Block." That's 4 years before "Force Awakens." Also, Boyega wasn't casted just because he was black. Abrams put out a world wide casting call for both Rey and Finn because he wanted to use fresh fairly unknown faces.
Not mocking at all, sorry it came out that way. I do disagree with a part of your premise, "...if a movie or television show is well written, then it doesn't matter what race the lead actors happen to be."
ReplyDeleteI wish it were so, but race does play a factor, but that is because of the audience pure and simple. The reason there has been no black version of Friends is not because Hollywood won't make a black sitcom, there's just no way a show with 6 black leads is going to become a multi-billion dollar franchise. The proof is manifest; if they thought there was a market and they could make a billion dollars, they would make that show.
There's no way Hollywood is so racist that they would leave that ind of money on the table.
As for Damon, I was just pointing out that his casting had a lot to do with the Chinese takeover of Hollywood and their investment relies on merging the two markets, at least at the top level so large, big budget movies can make money in both markets. That requires stars be able to open a movie in both markets. Heck, the script languished for years until the studio agreed to shoot it in English.
Wanda Group, a Chinese conglomerate, has bought AMC Theaters, who in turn snatched up Carmike.
And Boyega, I did say he did a good job. But still... http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/john-boyega-education-stock-photography-force-awakens-853280
And that last part was just how sometimes the PC fix just makes it worse, especially if you are an ethnic Arab and rely on those roles as a terrorist to feed your kids.
Just my two cents. :)
No harm, Moby's. As we all know, one cannot hear tone on an internet post.
ReplyDeleteWhat I meant by "...doesn't matter what race the lead actors happen to be" is that it doesn't matter TO ME. If the writing and production values are good, the right cast can pull it off, regardless of what their ethnicities happen to be. I am aware of Hollywood's reasons for continuing to go with white actors rather than "taking a chance" with minorities, however. I simply wish they would stop using white actors to play non-white characters.
I have also become aware of the recent trend toward merging the USA and Chinese markets. I agree that casting Damon in that movie makes a sort of sense from that point of view, but I do wish that it wasn't seen as a necessity. If the producers had made that movie with an all Chinese cast, I would still go see it if I thought it looked like a good film.