The battle for diversity on the big screen has been long fought, but advocates are finally seeing their voices heard with the results of modern castings. Throughout the lifetime of Hollywood, the audience was fed with projects involving all-white primary casts; some of those all-white films choosing to cast white people in place of an intended BIPOC actor. As many feared, it is believable that this is the result of white supremacy taking monopoly on another conglomerate of the United States: the business of film and television. While Hollywood has still recently miscast BIPOC characters within the decade, some recent casting choices in large productions have put the foot in the door for progression and shined a light on the possibility of breaking the glass ceiling for diversity and inclusivity.
One of the largest stepping stones of recent was by the biggest company in entertainment today, Disney. In fact, plenty of examples of casting with diversity can be pulled from Disney’s latest and upcoming projects. Much discourse online has formed through the result of these castings. Many who disagree argue that the casting breaks too much of the authenticity of their origin. More of those who disagree will point out how they believe casting a BIPOC actor for the fictional character is scientifically incorrect. Luckily, more people who concur with the anti-diversity/authentic-supremacist viewers will bring up that race-changing fictional characters is the opposite of negative.
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Marvel Reimagines Their Most Famous Damsel
In the midst of Zendaya’s rising popularity (with no signs of slowing down), Marvel announced Zendaya’s addition to the roster of MCU A-listers. Leaving many pondering where she could fit into the ‘Spiderman’ universe, it was a shock to many when it was announced she would be playing the part of MJ in the ‘Spiderman’ franchise. Though not explicitly stated, loyal fans of the superhero were able to create an educated guess that “MJ” was the acronym for “Mary Jane”. With Spiderman being the face of Marvel, Zendaya landing the role of “MJ” predictably sparked an uproar from upset fans following the recasting of the franchise’s most famous damsel-in-distress. Being the successor of the role after Kirsten Dunst, Marvel fanatics shared their discomfort after changing the original red-headed love interest to a Black girl. Following the spark of Starlord and Gamora’s romance in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2’, Marvel adds another interracial relationship (Starlord and Gamora technically being interspecies) to the long list of couples in their catalog.
Contradicting all the naysayers, rebranding Mary Jane to MJ and casting a Black woman opened a window for fans of the studio. MJ became the first Black female human love interest/leading woman in the canon after Lupita Nyong’o’s character, Nakia, in ‘Black Panther’. Though, the difference between Nakia and MJ is that Nakia and T’challa mention initially how their romance was of the past, so the fans see none of that charm between the two in the film. Additionally, ‘Black Panther’ exists to be a film concentrated on the hero based in Wakanda, Africa. The Black Panther’s love interest may be expected to be a Black woman (and luckily wasn’t white-washed), but creating MJ to be the interest of the face of Marvel, Spiderman, opened the possibility that superheroes outside of Africa can love a Black woman too.
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The MCU Reimagines Atlantis and Its Protector
After Marvel Studios released ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, many fans of the comics were shocked that Namor, having been tall and pale in the comics, is to be portrayed by Tenoch Huerta, a Mexican actor known for his decades of work in Spanish-speaking films and series. Tenoch Huerta broke into American productions somewhat recently, as seen with his work on the principal cast in ‘The Forever Purge’, and he gets to add being Marvel’s designated Atlantean anti-hero to his IMDb credits.
In casting Tenoch Huerta for the role, Marvel reimagines Atlantis to fit Tenoch’s ethnic background. The film displays scenes of Namor in the Temple of Atlantis, which viewers have noted resembles Mayan or Aztec architecture. Differing from the Atlantis known from the comics, which features a more Greek construction style, Marvel Studios redesigned Atlantis with strong Mayan/Aztec architectural influences to coincide with Tenoch’s Mesoamerican heritage. Whether this was planned before or after casting Tenoch, it delivers in serving diversity, as MCU audiences had yet to see a superpowered Latino character on screen. Tenoch’s casting as Namor has been widely praised online, especially among Latinos who have had little representation in Marvel’s visual adaptations. With another (positive) example of race-changing a fictional character, it not only represents a minority group on the big screen but also plants hope that the MCU will continue diversifying its roster and cast more BIPOC actors in roles originally illustrated as white in the comics. Although the reception has been mostly positive, some critics have shared negative opinions online. Some commented on how Tenoch’s Namor differs from the “comics Namor,” while others argued have tried to comment on the scientific impossibility of an aquatic superbeing having any melanin due to the lack of sunlight at the bottom of the ocean, which is, unfortunately, the same point exclaimed with an even more famous Disney character’s recent live-action casting.
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Another Red-Head Role Given to a Black Woman | More BIPOC Under the Sea
Undoubtedly, one of the hottest topics since the release of the live-action The Little Mermaid film in 2023 is the casting of Halle Bailey, half of the R&B sister-duo, Chloe x Halle, as Ariel. For many have adored the princess of the ocean, and being on the more popular end of the Disney Princess pool, the reception from the general public about the casting has unfortunately not seen the ratio of positive to negative that MJ and Namor did. The discourse of this casting has led to many extreme and interesting debates on Twitter. Of course, casting a Black woman with locs in place of the iconic pale mermaid princess with strawberry red hair would shock the world. The answers to why it shocks the world spark debates. Many are upset with the obvious disparity between Halle and the original illustration of Ariel, but those who voice their opinions on the race change are bombarded with accusations of being racist.
Accusations of racism extend the argument beyond the casting of Halle herself. In attempts to reconfigure their impression, cynics of Ariel’s race-change have argued scientific reasons as to why mermaids can’t be Black in the first place. Many have called out those mermaid scientists and informed them of two contradictions. First, mermaids do not exist. Second, sunlight doesn’t determine the amount of melanin you have. There is some understanding why the appearance of the “live Ariel” may take some adjusting to, especially to fans of the princess and the film, it has become an extraordinarily difficult scenario to voice any disagreement with.
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Negative Reviews Before the Film Has Even Released
Although the teaser showed little to nothing of the film, it blessed viewers with Halle’s vocal talent in her cover of “Part of Your World.” It’s unfortunate that many dissed the casting of Halle Bailey due to her difference from the redheaded Ariel. Not only is Halle one of the strongest vocalists in R&B, but she is also a mentee of Beyoncé! Indisputably, Halle did the entire soundtrack justice, as her vocal skills were more than up to par. The film’s release in 2023 has also had a huge positive impact on Black girls around the world. With many viral TikTok and Twitter videos of children’s reactions to the film’s teaser and premiere, there are countless real examples of why diversity can be so impactful to minority lives.
Controversy over live-action castings for Disney princesses is common, as seen with Naomi Scott’s casting as Jasmine in Aladdin. Thankfully, Naomi’s reception improved after the Aladdin premiere as audiences recognized her talents beyond the trailers. Similarly, this positive shift happened when The Little Mermaid was released in theaters in 2023, with many viewers appreciating Halle’s performance.
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‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ releases in theaters on November 11, 2022.
‘The Little Mermaid’’s live-action adaptation will hit theaters on May 26, 2023.
by Nino Vongphachanh
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I am sure I am speaking for a multitude of Cinema lovers all over the world when I speak of the following sentiments that this medium of art has blessed me with. Cinema taught me about our world, at times in English and at times through the beautiful one-inch bar of subtitles. I learned from the stories in the global movies that we are all alike across all borders. Remember that one of the best symbols of many great civilizations and their prosperity has been the art they have left behind. This art can be in the form of paintings, sculptures, architecture, writings, inventions, etc. For our modern society, Cinema happens to be one of them. Cinema is more than just a form of entertainment, it is an integral part of society. I love the world uniting, be it for Cinema, TV, media, art, fashion, sport, etc. Please keep this going full speed.”
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