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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]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.  [/quote].

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.[/quote]

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.  [/quote]
Were you born yesterday, sweetheart?
Casting directors are trying to cast the biggest start they can get for the smallest sum of money. No one knows - or cares - about a no-name 'Asian actor' and Cumberbatch is immensely popular. 
[/quote]

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