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'Hellboy' casting prompts backlash over 'whitewashing' [Japanese character, Brit actor]
Associated Press ^ | Aug 23, 2017 4:03 PM EDT | Jake Coyle

Posted on 08/23/2017 5:52:31 PM PDT by Olog-hai

A Hollywood film yet again finds itself responding to a social-media outcry over the casting of a white actor in a role that was originally Asian-American.

British actor Ed Skrein earlier this week joined the cast of the “Hellboy” reboot “Rise of the Blood Queen,” which is to be the third film in the comic adaptation franchise previously helmed by Guillermo del Toro. The character, Ben Daimio, is Japanese-American in Mike Mignola’s “Hellboy” comics and his heritage is central to his backstory. Daimio’s grandmother was a Japanese Imperial assassin in World War II.

Many objected to the role not going to an Asian-American actor and called it another example of Hollywood “whitewashing” Asian characters. “I guess they want this to fail,” said actress Cindy Chu on Twitter. …

(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...


TOPICS: Society; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: comicbookmovies; comicbooks; culturalapropriation; hellboy; hollyweird; hollyweirdvalues; whiteactors; whitewashing
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1 posted on 08/23/2017 5:52:31 PM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai

I imagine if you can remove an Asian American from a gig because he has a “White” name, you can hire a White guy to play an Asian American character.


2 posted on 08/23/2017 5:57:10 PM PDT by Wolfie
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To: Olog-hai
This never goes the other way, does it?

Traditionally white role replaced by black actor is celebrated by the same media that without a second thought condemns this.

3 posted on 08/23/2017 5:59:54 PM PDT by Trump20162020
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To: Olog-hai

Central to his backstory?

As if Sue Storm’s brother the Human Torch needed changing up.

And don’t get me started on how the anti-New Deal Little Orphan Annie has been adapted...


4 posted on 08/23/2017 5:59:55 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Did Barack Obama denounce Communism and dictatorships when he visited Cuba as a puppet of the State?)
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To: Olog-hai

Do you want Diversity and make the people that never go to the movies happy or do you want people to watch it so you can make some money


5 posted on 08/23/2017 6:01:00 PM PDT by butlerweave (it's the children are)
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To: Olog-hai

Did this series need a reboot?

That’s like rebooting Indiana Jones 3 movies in.


6 posted on 08/23/2017 6:01:16 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Did Barack Obama denounce Communism and dictatorships when he visited Cuba as a puppet of the State?)
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To: Olog-hai
I guess we won't be seeing any remakes of Charlie Chan any time soon.


7 posted on 08/23/2017 6:16:17 PM PDT by CapnJack
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To: Olog-hai
I don't know if it really matter. Meet Ben. Ed does look like him. Just saying.


8 posted on 08/23/2017 6:22:08 PM PDT by Theoria (I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive)
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To: Olog-hai

Wow, political correctness is becoming increasingly complicated. It’s ok to take a character that was conceived of, written as, and portrayed as Caucasian, and make them any other color (or sex). It’s considered “insensitive” or “cultural appropriation” or racist to do the exact same thing to character that isn’t white. Then to really make matters confusing you have situations like “Iron Fist” (who was originally portrayed as a rich white kid, and the story wouldn’t really work if he wasn’t a rich white kid) where for some unnamed politically correct “reasoning” the character “should be” Asian. This requires one to ignore that according to the original story he wasn’t raised or trained in “Asia” but in a parallel/pocket universe and it requires the racist notion that all martial artists must be Asian.

Then you have the case of “Annie”. She’s been portrayed as a white character for decades until fairly recently. I don’t think her skin color is fundamental to the story so personally I don’t care that she was portrayed as black. That being said when she was then portrayed as white again, there were complaints that the character was being “white washed”.

What about Tanto being played by Johnny Depp? Surely there were plenty of Native Americans that could have equaled his performance. Where was the outcry?

There is absolutely no logical chain of reason here. It’s simply cultural Marxism run amok and should be treated with the same contempt as other failed murderous ideologies.


9 posted on 08/23/2017 6:31:28 PM PDT by Durus (You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality. Ayn Rand)
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To: CapnJack

I always liked Charlie Chann. At least he was supposed to be Chinese. I am not sure but I think his number 1 Son who was always chasing girls, was portrayed by a Japanese instead of Chinese.

I love the old series “Zatoichi” and have been watching episodes for the last few nights. It just would not be right to have it remade by a White actor.

Actually I think they may have made one.


10 posted on 08/23/2017 6:39:49 PM PDT by yarddog (Romans 8:38-39, For I am persuaded.)
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To: CapnJack
Hell Toler as Chan, Karloff as Mr Wong, Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto, all those movies were pulled from being broadcast because they were insensitive to Asians.

And yet no is supposed to say a word about original White characters that have been reimagined or just played by people of color, because if we do.......

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

11 posted on 08/23/2017 7:29:33 PM PDT by Mastador1 (I'll take a bad dog over a good politician any day!)
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To: Trump20162020

In movies, you have black actors playing asgarddians; why is outrage not a two way street?


12 posted on 08/23/2017 7:30:09 PM PDT by ThinkingBuddha
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To: Durus

Is that doosh bag Ron Perlman in this one?

Because he has said horrible things about Trump and his supporters, and due to that I will never give him any of my business, ever.


13 posted on 08/23/2017 7:30:31 PM PDT by T-Bone Texan (Trump's election does not release you from your prepping responsibilites!)
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To: Olog-hai

14 posted on 08/23/2017 7:39:07 PM PDT by Bratch ("The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke)
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To: Olog-hai

No more Black Santas then?


15 posted on 08/23/2017 7:47:50 PM PDT by Darteaus94025 (Can't have a Liberal without a Lie)
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To: Olog-hai
The character, Ben Daimio, is Japanese-American in Mike Mignola’s “Hellboy” comics... Daimio’s grandmother was a Japanese Imperial assassin in World War II.

Asians were Asian supremists!! no comic book roles for them!! (j/k)

If Hamilton can be black, and Little Orphan Annie can be black, and Chyna can be Black Chyna, then Hellboy can be white. Otherwise, they're just persecuting white folk for the fun of it.

16 posted on 08/23/2017 8:44:28 PM PDT by blueplum ( ("...this moment is your moment: it belongs to you... " President Donald J. Trump, Jan 20, 2017))
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To: yarddog

Let’s not forget MR MOTO! The Japanese detective before Pearl Harbor played by German actor Peter Lore.


17 posted on 08/23/2017 10:05:04 PM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: Mastador1

Think about the old movie GENGHIS KHAN from 1966.
Omar Sharif as Genghis
James Mason as the Chinese Ambassador
Robert Morley as the Chinese Emperor.

Then there is 55 DAYS AT PEKING.
Flora Robson as the Chinese Dowager.

The Mickey Rooney in some movie as a Japanese.
Marlon Brando as a Japanese.
Marlon Brando as a Indio Mexican Zapata.

Oh my, the list goes on!

Actors are people who are paid to pretend to be someone they are not.


18 posted on 08/23/2017 10:12:32 PM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: Olog-hai

What is this stuff about an Asian doing the role?

I’ve seen two “Hellboy” movies (on TV) and the lead role was done by Ron Pearlman, who did a great job.


19 posted on 08/23/2017 11:37:40 PM PDT by octex
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To: octex

One of the characters, Ben Daimio, is a Japanese-American, and they have a British actor playing him. So they’re getting self-righteous over it.

They have a different actor playing the lead role (aka “Anung Un Rama”), David Harbour.


20 posted on 08/24/2017 12:09:58 AM PDT by Olog-hai ("No Republican, no matter how liberal, is going to woo a Democratic vote." -- Ronald Reagan, 1960)
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