Instances of whitewashing in modern movies highlight a need for greater casting representation in Hollywood. Contemporary audiences are all about challenging stereotypes and hearing more marginalized voices. Luckily, we’re seeing vast improvements in onscreen diversity, but some movies fell foul of whitewashing quite royally.
Doctor Strange
Tilda Swinton was cast as the Ancient One, a character of Tibetan descent in the original comics. Her casting led to accusations of whitewashing and the erasure of Asian representation. In a shock twist, the actress said she had no regrets.
Othello
While Laurence Olivier was undisputedly one of the finest Shakespearean actors of his time, his onscreen portrayal of Othello was a classic case of whitewashing. In retrospect, the blackened face looks alarmingly strange, and it’s easy to see why it has since been deemed offensive.
Ghost in the Shell
Scarlett Johansson played cyborg heroine Major Motoko Kusanagi in a remake of one of the most successful Japanese anime movies ever. The portrayal received mass criticism for whitewashing and cultural appropriation.
Aloha
When Emma Stone played Allison Ng, a character of mixed Asian and Hawaiian heritage, the role gained backlash for the casting choice and lack of authenticity. The strange casting choice has at least drawn attention to the issue of whitewashing within Hollywood.
The Great Wall
Matt Damon admitted that he knew the movie would receive backlash midway through filming. When he starred as the lead in this fantasy epic set in ancient China, it raised concerns about his white savior stereotyped character that fought off alien invaders for the Chinese.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Jake Gyllenhaal portrayed the Persian prince Dastan in a move that almost cost him his career. It prompted criticism for the casting of a white actor in a role that should have gone to someone of Middle Eastern descent.
Exodus: Gods and Kings
Though he was spared the facial blackening that actors before him have been privileged to, it still didn’t go down well when Christian Bale played Moses, a character of Hebrew descent in a film set in ancient Egypt. Unsurprisingly, it sparked controversy over whitewashing and historical inaccuracies.
Gods of Egypt
The movie’s producers cast predominantly white actors, such as Gerard Butler and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, in roles based on Egyptian mythology. Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman, who also appeared in the movie, later admitted that he had suspected there may be issues down the line. He was right.
Pan
When Rooney Mara was cast as a Native American character called Tiger Lily in this prequel to the Peter Pan story, many natives were taken aback, and the actress regretted her decision. The original Tiger Lily was a Native American Princess from the Piccaninny Tribe.
The Lone Ranger
It’s rare to see Johnny Depp on the wrong side of the casting tracks. Still, when he portrayed Tonto, a Native American character, the movie gained backlash for cultural appropriation and the casting of a non-Native actor.
The Last Airbender
The film faced criticism for casting Noah Ringer as the Asian protagonist, Aang, in this animated series. It didn’t help that M. Night Shyamalan defended his decision by arguing the terminology of the word Asian and stating that he was, in fact, Asian. Go figure.
Stonewall
Gay rights activists boycotted the movie based on the Stonewall riots when casting revealed a severe lack of diversity. The film featured a fictional white protagonist, which, ironically, marginalized the role of LGBTQ+ people of color who were pivotal in the actual events.
The Danish Girl
Eddie Redmayne played Lili Elbe, one of the first recipients of sex reassignment surgery, in a casting choice that sidelined trans actors from telling their own stories. His performance was regarded as one of brilliance, but it missed the point of highlighting the underrepresentation of trans individuals.
Nina
Zoe Saldana apologized for playing Nina Simone, a legendary African-American singer and civil rights activist. For the movie, the actress wore a prosthetic nose and skin-darkening makeup, sparking controversy over colorism and the erasure of Simone’s identity.
The Social Network
The Social Network faced criticism for casting Max Minghella, a former colleague of Zuckerberg who filed a lawsuit against him, in the role of an Asian-American Harvard student. Minghella, of Italian and Hong Kong Chinese descent, had his face darkened to resemble the real Divya Narendra more.
Memoirs of a Geisha
Many of us remained ignorant of the miscasting within the movie. Still, when Chinese actresses Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li were cast as Japanese geishas, it raised concerns about cultural insensitivity and the absence of Japanese actors.
The Conqueror
Whitewashing issues were more widespread during the sixties and seventies, and even the great John Wayne became a player in the inequality stakes. His performance of Genghis Khan, a historical figure of Asian descent, was a casting choice now widely regarded as one of the most egregious examples of whitewashing.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
It was one of the worst casting decisions ever when Mickey Rooney portrayed Mr. Yunioshi, a Japanese character. The entire role relied on extreme racial stereotypes and caricatures, including buck teeth and taped-down eyelids, contributing to the harmful legacy of whitewashing in Hollywood.
