Worst hollywood casting decision ever?

[Anonymous]

I’m surprised no one has said Leo in Titanic. He was too young and it always slightly ruined the movie for me. Not believable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised no one has said Leo in Titanic. He was too young and it always slightly ruined the movie for me. Not believable.

I know. By the time the water started pouring in I was hoping his character would die sooner rather than later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dont get PP saying benedict cumberbatch in Star Trek is an example of white washing: Khan is a genetically engineered super human, so hard to say he should be played by any particular human race. He was played by Ricardo Montalban originally but RM was a European-Mexican (both parents from Spain) so as European as BC. Plus, since Khan is a genetically engineered being, again, you can’t really say that BC was taking a Latino role. He was great in the movie and really did seem to have the vibe of a young Khan as played by RM.

.

I'm the person who said Avatar and I agree with this. I wouldn't have put BC on that list.

Avatar was horrific -- terribly done and offensively whitewashed. It was unwatchable.

I'm the person that listed Benedict Cumberbatch. Don't get me wrong, I like him as an actor, but the character was Khan Noonian Singh, who was a Sikh Indian by heritage. They got away with Ricardo Montalban, because he was of mixed Mexican descent, so he at least was non-white enough to pass as an Asian Indian. But Cumberbatch is as white as can be. If you insist on casting a white actor, at least change the character to a white character. If you're going to leave the character be an Asian character, then cast an Asian actor or an actor that can pass for Asian.

For example, one of the other cases I criticized was Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One in Dr. Strange. At least in that one, they changed the character's background to be a Celtic mystic instead of a Buddhan Asian mystic. Although it made no sense that a Celtic mystic would be at a monastery in the Himalayas, but at least they made a change that justified why someone that was so pale was playing the role; they just changed the role to be non-Asian deliberately. Star Trek did not do that. They still left the name and history of the character the same and just white-washed it by casting a white actor.

Whether you like the portrayals or not by talented actors (and I am not denying that Tilda Swinton and Benedict Cumberbatch are both talented actors who performed well), the problem is that Hollywood continually takes Asian characters and refuses to give opportunities to actors of Asian descent. Asians are traditionally given roles as the antagonists, the humorous sidekicks, but rarely the lead or prominantly featured roles. The number of Asian actors that get featured roles are a tiny portion of the acting community. Hollywood needs to start opening up opportunities for Asian actors. At a minimum, just cast Asian characters with Asian actors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dont get PP saying benedict cumberbatch in Star Trek is an example of white washing: Khan is a genetically engineered super human, so hard to say he should be played by any particular human race. He was played by Ricardo Montalban originally but RM was a European-Mexican (both parents from Spain) so as European as BC. Plus, since Khan is a genetically engineered being, again, you can’t really say that BC was taking a Latino role. He was great in the movie and really did seem to have the vibe of a young Khan as played by RM.

Ricardo Montalban was considered a physical specimen at the time and they were looking for someone that was brown since the character was supposedly Sikh (or at least from India). Jason Momoa would have been better a cast.

Jason Momoa was 3 years old when that movie was made.

We're talking about the Star Trek reboot (Star Trek Into Darkness). When the movie was released in 2013, Jason Momoa was 34 years old and was soon to be cast as Aquaman. He had just finished Conan the Barberian. He would have been a great choice to play Khan Noonian Singh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Peeta Mellark as portrayed by Josh Hutcherson in the series The Hunger Games.

Oh yes. I gasped when I saw him. He was so short and had that weird grimace. Not how I had pictured hunky Peeta at all.

+2
Plus that ridiculous bleached blond hair. Not masculine looking at ALL.

Yes, when I saw Peeta, I thought they would change the ending so that Katniss picked Gale.

That was part of the whole story. Katniss was the warrior and saved him; he had a more traditional female role.

Well, he saved her too, more than a dozen times. In the book, he was very strong and muscular and could run in the pack with the "Careers."

I don't think any of you read the book. Gale was the strong hunter who saved people and was savvy; Peeta was the nerdy smart scrappy kid who banded with Katniss to survive. Peeta hunky? What a pile is misremembering nonsense.

I think I read it more carefully than you did. In the book it talks about Peeta being a strong-built guy with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. Peeta was very muscular from throwing around huge sacks of flour from his dad's bakery, and of a quarter of the first book was about how he faked an alliance with the "Careers" to trick them into staying away from Katniss.

+1. The role of Peeta was horribly miscast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dont get PP saying benedict cumberbatch in Star Trek is an example of white washing: Khan is a genetically engineered super human, so hard to say he should be played by any particular human race. He was played by Ricardo Montalban originally but RM was a European-Mexican (both parents from Spain) so as European as BC. Plus, since Khan is a genetically engineered being, again, you can’t really say that BC was taking a Latino role. He was great in the movie and really did seem to have the vibe of a young Khan as played by RM.

.

I'm the person who said Avatar and I agree with this. I wouldn't have put BC on that list.

Avatar was horrific -- terribly done and offensively whitewashed. It was unwatchable.

I'm the person that listed Benedict Cumberbatch. Don't get me wrong, I like him as an actor, but the character was Khan Noonian Singh, who was a Sikh Indian by heritage. They got away with Ricardo Montalban, because he was of mixed Mexican descent, so he at least was non-white enough to pass as an Asian Indian. But Cumberbatch is as white as can be. If you insist on casting a white actor, at least change the character to a white character. If you're going to leave the character be an Asian character, then cast an Asian actor or an actor that can pass for Asian.

For example, one of the other cases I criticized was Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One in Dr. Strange. At least in that one, they changed the character's background to be a Celtic mystic instead of a Buddhan Asian mystic. Although it made no sense that a Celtic mystic would be at a monastery in the Himalayas, but at least they made a change that justified why someone that was so pale was playing the role; they just changed the role to be non-Asian deliberately. Star Trek did not do that. They still left the name and history of the character the same and just white-washed it by casting a white actor.

Whether you like the portrayals or not by talented actors (and I am not denying that Tilda Swinton and Benedict Cumberbatch are both talented actors who performed well), the problem is that Hollywood continually takes Asian characters and refuses to give opportunities to actors of Asian descent. Asians are traditionally given roles as the antagonists, the humorous sidekicks, but rarely the lead or prominantly featured roles. The number of Asian actors that get featured roles are a tiny portion of the acting community. Hollywood needs to start opening up opportunities for Asian actors. At a minimum, just cast Asian characters with Asian actors.

I'm the one who initially flagged Avatar. I guess I'd classify them differently, because TS and BC did well in their roles, so while I actually agree with you that it would have been much better to cast talented Asian actors, I wouldn't say they resulted in "worst casting decisions ever."

Avatar, on the other hand, was a travesty. It took a whole Asian world and several extremely beloved characters and basically flat-out destroyed the whole thing. The movie is frequently on lists of "worst movies of all time." The casting was awful, and the movie was horrifically bad. That's why I think it's worse than either TS or BC for the purposes of OPs question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dont get PP saying benedict cumberbatch in Star Trek is an example of white washing: Khan is a genetically engineered super human, so hard to say he should be played by any particular human race. He was played by Ricardo Montalban originally but RM was a European-Mexican (both parents from Spain) so as European as BC. Plus, since Khan is a genetically engineered being, again, you can’t really say that BC was taking a Latino role. He was great in the movie and really did seem to have the vibe of a young Khan as played by RM.

.

I'm the person who said Avatar and I agree with this. I wouldn't have put BC on that list.

Avatar was horrific -- terribly done and offensively whitewashed. It was unwatchable.

I'm the person that listed Benedict Cumberbatch. Don't get me wrong, I like him as an actor, but the character was Khan Noonian Singh, who was a Sikh Indian by heritage. They got away with Ricardo Montalban, because he was of mixed Mexican descent, so he at least was non-white enough to pass as an Asian Indian. But Cumberbatch is as white as can be. If you insist on casting a white actor, at least change the character to a white character. If you're going to leave the character be an Asian character, then cast an Asian actor or an actor that can pass for Asian.

For example, one of the other cases I criticized was Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One in Dr. Strange. At least in that one, they changed the character's background to be a Celtic mystic instead of a Buddhan Asian mystic. Although it made no sense that a Celtic mystic would be at a monastery in the Himalayas, but at least they made a change that justified why someone that was so pale was playing the role; they just changed the role to be non-Asian deliberately. Star Trek did not do that. They still left the name and history of the character the same and just white-washed it by casting a white actor.

Whether you like the portrayals or not by talented actors (and I am not denying that Tilda Swinton and Benedict Cumberbatch are both talented actors who performed well), the problem is that Hollywood continually takes Asian characters and refuses to give opportunities to actors of Asian descent. Asians are traditionally given roles as the antagonists, the humorous sidekicks, but rarely the lead or prominantly featured roles. The number of Asian actors that get featured roles are a tiny portion of the acting community. Hollywood needs to start opening up opportunities for Asian actors. At a minimum, just cast Asian characters with Asian actors.

I'm the one who initially flagged Avatar. I guess I'd classify them differently, because TS and BC did well in their roles, so while I actually agree with you that it would have been much better to cast talented Asian actors, I wouldn't say they resulted in "worst casting decisions ever."

Avatar, on the other hand, was a travesty. It took a whole Asian world and several extremely beloved characters and basically flat-out destroyed the whole thing. The movie is frequently on lists of "worst movies of all time." The casting was awful, and the movie was horrifically bad. That's why I think it's worse than either TS or BC for the purposes of OPs question.

?? Avatar is the highest grossing film of all time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meryl Streep in Mama Mia. She was about 30 years too old. In fact, that whole movie was terribly cast. If Amanda Seyfried was her daughter, she had an accidental summer fling pregnancy at 40 with another 40 year old.

Yes! And Pierce Brosnan. Please cast people in movie musicals who can remotely carry a tune, thanks.

Watch these parodies. These are the only thing that give this casting a meaning. Worth it.

#1 and #2
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=red+nose+mamma+mia

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Worst ever? As in I can't watch this part of the movie and it's ruined for me? Andie McDowell 3 Weddings and a Funeral. No question. Such a shame.

Yes, THANK YOU. Can't stand her in general, but this was the worst. "Is it still raining? I hadn't noticed." Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss

She was too old!

I see your point, but I actually thought she did well. Katniss was young, but had been forced to become wise and resourceful beyond her years.

[Anonymous]

Iman in Out of Africa. She had a very small role. But given that she's a super model, she was very noticeable and didn't fit into the story. She was so gorgeous, she obliterated all the other actors for a few minutes in a minor role.

In this case, it wasn't her acting that was the problem, they should have chosen someone who was more attractive then the lead actress.

[Anonymous]

^^ should not have chosen someone more attractive then the lead actress

[Anonymous]

Cameran Diaz as Mrs Hannigan in the Annie remake.

I like her but she was unwatchable in this role.

[Anonymous]

All of "A Wrinkle in Time"

[Anonymous]

Michelle Pfieffer in The Age of Innocence and Cameron Diaz in Gangs of New York. Both are actresses I like in other film roles. Both were NOT up to the task of playing opposite Daniel Day-Lewis in big dramatic movies- he’s just so good he needs an equally amazing actress to balance things out.

Leonardo DiCaprio in A LOT of his movies. I love him in Titanic and Catch me if You Can, but he just tried way too hard to win that Oscar, and he is just not that good if an actor. He must have something though, he always lands great projects.

Jack Black in Tropic Thunder. That movie works when it makes no sense that it should, but JB is definitely my least favorite part of that movie. And I LOVE Tenacious D.

Throwing in a “wrong race was cast” that doesn’t get a lot of discussion, but Chiwetel Ejiofor as Vincent (Venkat in the book) Kapoor. I actually liked him in the role, but wonder if the role should have gone to an Asian-Indian actor?