They were talking about this on...NPR I think? There are quite a few in the industry who are trying to obsessively show diversity by casting minority actors for roles that are clearly white roles. I mean choosing a black actor to play Ben Franklin or something like that. It's absolutely insane!!!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is it. I am done.

Aladdin is a famous tale from the Middle East. Casting an Indian kid in the biggest Western backed retelling of this classic Muslim tale is a slap in the face of the thousands of Muslims worldwide. It was such a pivotal moment in pop culture history, to have this movie be made now with the geopolitical context of today. An Arab-American actor in the lead was not bring authenticity and understanding to this classic tale of a poor muslim boy who encounters a Jinn but also send a powerful message in cultural diplomacy by having a positive image of a Muslim in pop-culture.

I am appalled and deeply saddened. We are not even allowed to tell our own tales!

Apparently they had a really hard time finding a middle eastern actor to fill the role, so maybe you should be blaming your people for not stepping up to the plate.

Nope. You can't blame ME actors "not stepping up" for Hollywood's trend of whitewashed casting.

You can't blame Asian actors "not stepped by up" for Scarlett Johansson being cast in Ghost in the Shell, or the whole cast in Avatar: the Last Airbender.

You can't blame Latin actors "not showing up" for Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Jeremy Irons, and Winona Ryder in The House of the Spirits.

Efforts need to be made.

Efforts were made, sweetheart. They looked but could not find.

Thanks for the condescending language. Disney looked and found someone. That's great!

I don't buy for a second that Asian actors were even considered for any of the roles I pointed out above. Or countless other non-white roles that went to white people. Hell, I know actors in the DC area alone that would have been great, but didn't hear about audition ms from their agents.

Think about the Asian-American kid who went to see Avatar: the Last Airbender thinking they might see characters who resemble them onscreen, and then the sea of white faces they saw instead. It's great that we see ourselves represented on screen, and have since the media of motion pictures was invented. Others should have that right too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP are you simiarly outraged by Lin Manuel Miranda being cast as Jack in Mary Poppins Returns?

I mean he is clearly not Anglo or British. He is a New Yorker for goodness sakes!

And what about all those white Brits being cast as Americans?

What about the creative-license casting in "Hamilton" in general, for which it has been applauded ad nauseam?

1) Hamilton's race flipped casting is an integral part of the artistic vision;

2) England's colonial history means that there were MANY British PoC even in Mary Poppins times.

You have *entirely* missed the point. No one's saying there weren't any PoC during this time. However - the main characters of "Hamilton" were ALL white people, and now they are being played by PoC. That you can call that "artistic vision," while at the same time express utter outrage that Indian actors are playing characters (supposedly) from the Middle East is astounding and incredibly hypocritical.

It's not hypocritical you are comparing apples and oranges. I suspect you know that, but don't care which is typical of white supremacist and their "arguments" And befor you tupe it you can be a white supremacist and a POC at the same time.

As usual, the outrage lovers are jumping right to calling people "white supremacists" if they dare to disagree re: race. Sorry, you're wrong and I suspect you know that, but don't care, which is typical of idiot liberals. But you go right on wringing your hands about the exact race and ethnicity of the cast of Aladdin. I assure, no one reasonable and sane cares.

who cares??

Also, all the middle easterners are going to freak and be all "Mena Massoud looks too African!!". You can't win here, folks.

Wait - how come nobody is upset that Jasmine is being portrayed by a half Indian-half Caucasian woman?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP are you simiarly outraged by Lin Manuel Miranda being cast as Jack in Mary Poppins Returns?

I mean he is clearly not Anglo or British. He is a New Yorker for goodness sakes!

And what about all those white Brits being cast as Americans?

What about the creative-license casting in "Hamilton" in general, for which it has been applauded ad nauseam?

1) Hamilton's race flipped casting is an integral part of the artistic vision;

2) England's colonial history means that there were MANY British PoC even in Mary Poppins times.

You have *entirely* missed the point. No one's saying there weren't any PoC during this time. However - the main characters of "Hamilton" were ALL white people, and now they are being played by PoC. That you can call that "artistic vision," while at the same time express utter outrage that Indian actors are playing characters (supposedly) from the Middle East is astounding and incredibly hypocritical.

It's not hypocritical you are comparing apples and oranges. I suspect you know that, but don't care which is typical of white supremacist and their "arguments" And befor you tupe it you can be a white supremacist and a POC at the same time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is it. I am done.

Aladdin is a famous tale from the Middle East. Casting an Indian kid in the biggest Western backed retelling of this classic Muslim tale is a slap in the face of the thousands of Muslims worldwide. It was such a pivotal moment in pop culture history, to have this movie be made now with the geopolitical context of today. An Arab-American actor in the lead was not bring authenticity and understanding to this classic tale of a poor muslim boy who encounters a Jinn but also send a powerful message in cultural diplomacy by having a positive image of a Muslim in pop-culture.

I am appalled and deeply saddened. We are not even allowed to tell our own tales!

Apparently they had a really hard time finding a middle eastern actor to fill the role, so maybe you should be blaming your people for not stepping up to the plate.

Nope. You can't blame ME actors "not stepping up" for Hollywood's trend of whitewashed casting.

You can't blame Asian actors "not stepped by up" for Scarlett Johansson being cast in Ghost in the Shell, or the whole cast in Avatar: the Last Airbender.

You can't blame Latin actors "not showing up" for Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Jeremy Irons, and Winona Ryder in The House of the Spirits.

Efforts need to be made.

Efforts were made, sweetheart. They looked but could not find.

Anonymous wrote:South Asians, Persians and Arabs are distinctly different people with different cultures religions and physical features.

Indians do NOT look Arab. Arabs would be very insulted by that.

Because Arabs are incredibly racist, btw. Like, incredibly racist.

I've found it fascinating how many adults I've seen on social media not realize that The Middle East is a general region, not a freaking continent. Live action Aladdin... bringing out the American Stupidity.

Isn't Mena Massoud Northern African? Egyptian? What is the problem with that now?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP have you ever considered the entirely possible reason is that the actor cast was the most talented who auditioned and whose singing voice was best suited for the Alladin score?

Reason doesn't play a part in outrage.

mOP wrote their post before the casting was announced.

Anonymous wrote:OP have you ever considered the entirely possible reason is that the actor cast was the most talented who auditioned and whose singing voice was best suited for the Alladin score?

Reason doesn't play a part in outrage.

Anonymous wrote:Antonio Banderas has played an Arab, a Mexican, a Chilean, a Spaniard and an American. Do people have a problem with that?

I'm offended he played a cat.