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White Casting Resurfaces As A Modern-Day Issue

Cristian Pagan |
June 5, 2015 | 10:05 p.m. PDT

Staff Reporter

Emma Stone in "Aloha" (songandcrest/Tumblr)
Emma Stone in "Aloha" (songandcrest/Tumblr)
The white washing of the entertainement industry is nothing new. From this year's Oscars excluding people of color from the top awards list to Rooney Mara depicted as a Native American in the forthcoming movie "Pan," this "cleansing" of Hollywood's diversity has been a critical issue that has shined a light on the white priveledged foundation that is the entertainment industry. 

"Aloha," is no different with its casting of Emma Stone as an Asian American character. Asian Americans are the most excluded group of actors in the American film market. It is extremely rare to find one of them in a leading role, or even supporting role, for that matter. Take, for example, the anticiapted 2010 live-action movie, "The Last Airbender," which is based off of Asian culture, being centered around white actors. Casting directors and producers fail to notice the white plagued dynamics that they continue to regurgitate through their selections. 

Many individuals, a majority white people, find any excuse to permit the racist act of excluding people of color from various roles. This article will feature a few of the arguments presented to defend these types of castings along with responses:

Limiting what people can do based on color only hurts the abilities of actors because, if we cannot be creative with casting choices, then the actors will not be able to play anybody, but themselves. 

That would be true if we worked on an equal playing field. However, the fact that people of color cannot even play their own characters when history is on their side (i.e. Native Americans being casted as white when, historically, white colonialism exterminated Native American people and culture). That is a powerful argument on its own. When people open the floor to the idea of blind casting, casting directors still direct themselves to a normalized approved selection of cis-gendered, heteronormative, white individuals. Any others who do not fit this selection are then scrutinized into stereotypical conventions of their cutlure. 

READ MORE: Whitewashing in Hollywood

Only people of color pay attention and make a big deal about racial castings. 

False. The most modern example of why this is not true is the outcry made by individuals, a majority of whom are white, over the fact that Idris Elba was considered an option for playing the lead of James Bond. The main argument presented was that James Bond (a ficitional character) has and should always be depicted as white since that is how his telling is always made. Again, re-read the argument presented earlier. If people of color can't even play a diverse representation of characters that represent their history, then why is a fictional character such a scandal?

People of color do not bring in large audience, top box office films, or receive high ratings. 

Current film and television productions have more than proven that people of color can hold their own and make a huge impact and statement on audiences. "Fresh Off the Boat" became ABC's second highest ranking comedy of the season. Meanwhile, "Empire" became FOX's highest ranked debut in three years. In terms of film, "No Good Deed," "Selma," "Think Like A Man," "Beyond the Lights," and many more received a majority of positive ratings and praise, with a many of these films also debuting at #1 in the North American box office. 

Is there supposed to be some sort of affirmative action for minority actors?

Empire (FOX)
Empire (FOX)
The increase in diversity in the entertainment industry is a concious mission that everyone needs to take part in, but does not require affirmative action, due to the fact that disenfranchised groups have more than proven their talents and potential. Women, LGBT, and racial minorities many times are limited in their capacities as casting directors place them in a stereotyped bubble where only normative white folk can branch out and explore various nuances and identities in human nature (like they are the only complex individuals). 

READ MORE: Film Review: 'Aloha'

However, it is not just the casting directors fault for the overly whitewashed society that is the entertainment industry. It is also the individuals who watch these films completely ignorant to the exclusions being made, for they continue to excuse the behavior as they fail to admit that the choices made were wrong. 

Also, the one group of individuals who have not received as much attention for being part of the blame is the actors themselves. They are named as part of the issue, but never called out for making the choice themselves for being a part of the film. Emma Stone knew when she signed her contract and went on set everyday that she would be playing an Asian American character. A character that could've (and should've) been played by a person who accurately represents the background. She was a given a role that many of her disenfranchised colleagues who are striving to achieve her success could've had. 

The casting director for "Aloha," Cameron Crowe, released a statement in which he stated that Emma's character was supposed to represent a character that was a proud 1/4 Hawaiian, but never appeared to look like one. Again, just because a character's image is ambigious doesn't mean one can automatically jump to a blonde hair, blue eyed, white woman. 

There are plenty of people of color who can empathize with their identities being assumed based on their apperance. I am one of them as many people assume that I am white by my apperance when I am full-blooded Hispanic. Casting Directors keep asking for forgiveness for their carelessness. No excuse. 

Reach Staff Reporter Cristian Pagan here.



 

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