Reflection on 'white washing' using white actors to play other racial roles
FILMS
Item 1: Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961, Dir. Blake Edwards, Production Com. Jurow-Shepherd, USA) This film is useful as it casted Mickey Rooney a White man as 'Mr. Yunioshi' an Asian man. To do this they used facial prosthetics such as taped eye lids, bucked teeth and imitated accent. This is a clear use of 'whitewashing' within the film.
Item 2: Annie (new) (2014, Dir. Will Gluck, Production Com. Marcy Media, USA) As a third remake of the film 'Annie' which originated as poems and a book, featuring a little white girl with ginger hair. The 2014 remake featured a little black girl which evoked some controversy in the media with people disagreeing with the change of race of a well renowned character.
Item 3: World Trade Centre (2006, Dir. Oliver Stone, Production Com. Paramount Pictures, USA) The true story of the 9/11 attacks in New York City. A part of the film tells the true story of United States Marine Jason Thomas who rescued people in the aftermath of the attacks. In the film he is played by a white actor, however after casting it was found out that Jason Thomas was a black man, which caused controversy with people thinking they did not want to portray a black man as a hero.
Item 4: The Columbia Companion to American History on Film (page 228) 'Beyond Yellowface and the Birth of New Stereotypes'. This chapter in the book features historical use of 'whitewashing' and the reasons behind why directors did not want to hire Asian actors.
INTERNET
Item 5: Asian American Perspective On Mickey Rooney's Yellow-Face Portrayal on "Breakfast At Tiffany's"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAafI9w7CY8
A documentary of Asian American's discussing their opinions on the Mr Yunioshi character, expressing offence and shock towards the portrayal of their culture.
Item 6: 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' protest is misguided: Let's deal openly with the films Asian stereotypes. http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/breakfast-tiffany-protest-misguided-deal-openly-film-asian-stereotypes-article-1.162241 This article tells of how an Asian family moved to America and upon watching 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' they realised their new life in America would not be easy due to their ethnicity.
Item 7: Asian American Actors Are Fighting For Visibility. They Will Not Be Ignored. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/29/movies/asian-american-actors-are-fighting-for-visibility-they-will-not-be-ignored.html?_r=0
This article speaks of how Asian American actors struggled to get acting jobs and how they are taking a stand.
Item 8: Annie remake: Casting of black lead provokes negative Twitter posts.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/shortcuts/2014/mar/09/annie-remale-casting-black-lead-negative-comments-twitter
An article on how the release of information about the new remake of the film Annie lead to a series of negative and racist comments as they believe the character 'Annie' should not be black.
Item 9: 'WTC' casting error draws flak from African-Americans.
http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/movies/2006/08/16/WTC-casting-error-draws-flak-from-African-Americans/stories/200608160233
From the error of casting a white actor for Marine Sgt. Thomas when in fact he is black. This questions the idea that our immediate assumption is that hero's are white.
Item 10: When white actors play other.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/culture/story/20151006-when-white-actors-play-other-races
Discussion of many films which have used 'whitewashing' and how societies racism plays a partial role towards this.
Item 11: Halle Berry, Denzel Washington triumph at the Oscars.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/halle-berry-denzel-washington-triumph-at-oscars
Halle Berry was first African-American performer to win Best Actress. Denzel Washington was second African-American man to win Best Actor.
REJECTED ITEMS
Exodus: Kings and Gods
Casting Joel Edgerton, a small named Australian actor as Ramesses II. A white actor cast for an Egyptian role. This film may not have been suitable due to the producer Ridley Scott explaining he could not finance a diverse cast.
Oliver Stone's 'Trade Centre' recall
This article discusses the frequent casting of white actors with reference to Oliver Stone's World Trade Centre. However the writer takes a more humorous tone to the article, not portraying the seriousness of the topic.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5689104
'Doctor Strange' Director Addresses Whitewashing Controversy
Scott Derrickson tells of how his casting of Tilda Swinton for the character of Ancient One in Doctor Strange, as the script had been written for her playing the character, and would have had to be rewritten if anyone else played Ancient One. This was not suitable for my investigation as the main reason for the casting was the need to the specific actress rather than ethnicity.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/doctor-strange-director-whitewashing-controversy-938051
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