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Scarlett Johansson: Comments on diversity were misconstrued

26 Comments

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26 Comments
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I personally agree with Scarlett. It's acting - by definition it is pretending to be something one is not.

I don't think the problem is that transgendered people are overlooked for transgendered roles, I think the problem is that transgendered people are overlooked for regular roles. For example, if you've got a role of 'friend' in a movie, and it may be a girl, a transgendered girl could be considered for the role. The transgendered aspect wouldn't even have to be something addressed by the movie, particularly if it would detract from the storyline. That's true equality - where transgendered people are in consideration for roles the same as non-transgendered. Equality isn't only having transgendered people play a transgendered role.

I feel the same about race for the most part as well. The whole black James Bond or Ariel the mermaid don't bother me whatsoever. These are roles. With a quality actor/actress, their performance will make their race/gender irrelevant when it's not relevant to the role.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

The world is falling apart, and people worry about actors and their roles.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Isn’t portraying someone you are not in a convincing manner the entire point of acting? If the actor can portray the character’s appearance, behavior, personality convincingly, I don’t care if he/she is gay, straight, black, white or green.

That being said, there is a reason why Rocky is played by Stallone, and not Natalie Portman.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The Left is so obsessed by identity they have lost their minds. Notice that there are never any complaints about non-white actors or actresses playing white characters (see next James Bond). They could create new characters - but apparently no one can come up with any new roles.

I don’t have a problem with using different people for a character- I just don’t like the double standard. If Hollywood wants to make a movie about a female super hero they could be creative and create one instead of changing Captain America into a woman (I thought you weren’t supposed to use an inauthentic actor or actress for a role)? Oh yeah - the double standard - that’s right.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Who cares?

While Hollywood/media elites are squabbling over gender bending roles, sexuality etc, most of the rest of the world is concerned with issues like 'I lost my job, how do I feed my family, how do I pay the rent/mortgage, I'm sick, there is a war going on, my country is mired in poverty, etc, etc.

Hollywood/media elites are completely out of touch and not deserving of the air time they're given.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Instead of trying to force already established iconic characters into new genders or races, why not make movies about real people who broke gender or race stereotypes.

Make a movie about Amelia Earhart, Madam Curie, the all-Japanese regiment who fought for the US and were awarded more medals than they had soldiers.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

actors should be allowed to play any person "because that is my job and the requirement of my job."

I can agree with that if you are trying to make a parody of a situation or not looking for any authenticity at all.

But this article is taken out of context. The issue was not necessarily about her portraying a transgendered person, the issue was about the already limited opportunities they receive and when they have a chance to land something major that they can fully represent, they are overlooked for someone that doesn’t embody the character in any way.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Pretty sure gender or how you view your own gender to be has nothing to do with acting in a role. It should be based on how you look and how you act.

Case in point: Rami Malek was cast as Freddie Mercury. It was a good choice. Visually, he looked similar. Acting wise, I enjoyed his performance. The critiques I read were favorable, so I guess he nailed it. His gender and how he feels about his gender have nothing to do with it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Wasn't Downey jr "blackfaced" up to play a 'role' years back?

Yeah, that was excellent. In that case, the character was a white actor playing a black role, if I recall...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

"I recognize that in reality, there is a wide spread discrepancy amongst my industry that favors Caucasian, cisgender actors and that not every actor has been given the same opportunities that I have been privileged to."

Movie-making is a business. A money-making business. Actor's salaries, CGI, directors, cameras, lighting, gaffers, best boys, electricians, transportation, food, etc., all cost money. Investors are looking for movie projects that will return a profit. No investors = no movies. The habitually offended act as if these multi-million dollar projects should be cast as if they were some college acting class where actors are interchangeable (aka "actors should be allowed to play any person"). 

There are a lot of fans who willing play money to see Scarlett Johansson on the big screen. There are far fewer who would pay money to see George Takei play the same roles. The habitually offended are demanding that the FANS chose to spend THEIR entertainment money as the habitually offended chose. Real life doesn't work that way.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Anthony Quinn brilliantly played an Arab in Lawrence of Arabia. They better edit out his scenes for todays "woke" audience.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

So in the case of Ghost in the Shell I think another actress should have been chosen.

Except that in the source material, Kusanagi's cyborg body was not Asian, it was designed to look Caucasian. No one actually knew what she actually looked like when she had a human body. Everyone seems to miss that fact when they complain about it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Notice that there are never any complaints about non-white actors or actresses playing white characters (see next James Bond). 

Bond will still be Bond (whoever plays him) but the next 007 is a black woman, yes. James Bond is the character's name and the code number assigned to him is 007. But that code could be assigned to any agent in MI6.

Without giving away too many spoilers, Bond is supposed to be retired in the next film, hence the re-assigning of the code number to another agent.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Authentic for an anime show (ghost in the shell) is funny. How big are scarlets eyes? I remember a Japanese show that had a welshman played by an Asian. If Japan can do that, why can't a black person play Confucius or a Caucasian play Tom Robinson (to kill a mockingbird)?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I like her. And I agree with her. But as a fan of any specific story, I hope they will cast someone who looks as much like the original character as possible. So in the case of Ghost in the Shell I think another actress should have been chosen.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The pc left wants us all in a box.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

And Dev Patel has been chosen to play David Copperfield.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-49001496

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I guarantee we’ll never see a white Shaft.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

BeerDeliveryGuy - Make a movie about Amelia Earhart, Madam Curie, the all-Japanese regiment who fought for the US and were awarded more medals than they had soldiers.

Those movies have already been made. They aren't considered to be mega-hits, or a box-office smash. Maybe if the investors, or studio bigwigs, had insisted that a Scarlett Johansson-type, or a Robert Downey Jr.-type, be cast in a lead roll, more fans would have purchased tickets?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Blame the writers then, since everyone in that movement is always looking for someone to cast stones at.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Anthony Quinn brilliantly played an Arab in Lawrence of Arabia. They better edit out his scenes for todays "woke" audience.

Unusual casting by today's standards (or maybe not). His parents were Irish and Mexican.

The latter parentage must be of interest to you, of course. Seeing as how you've racially stereotyped Mexicans on so many occasions.

Great film, btw, whether one agrees with guerilla war or not. Do you support guerilla war?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

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