Why Did 'Doctor Strange' and 'Ghost in the Shell' Whitewash Their Asian Characters?

[Bonobo]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/doc-strange-whitewashing-shell-884385



This week in cultural appropriation: Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton and a conversation between two THR writers.
This week, Marvel dropped the first teaser trailer for Doctor Strange, based on its comic series about a critically-injured neurosurgeon who travels to the Himalayas to learn mystic arts from a powerful sorcerer known as the Ancient One. Two days later, Paramount and DreamWorks released the first image from Ghost in the Shell, their live-action adaptation of the Japanese manga about a anti-cyberterror task force set in mid-21st century Japan and led by cyborg Major Motoko Kusanagi.

On paper, it reads like a great week for Asian representation in Hollywood — but the Ancient One and the Major are played, respectively, by Tilda Swinton and Scarlett Johansson. And so these two projects — long awaited by many fans of their source material — instead join Gods of Egypt, Aloha and Pan as recent inductees to Hollywood's Whitewashing Hall of Shame.

Sun: The reaction to Johansson's Ghost in the Shell look reminds me of the backlash when the Nina Simone biopic starring Zoe Saldana was released last month. In both cases, the filmmakers went to some lengths to alter the appearance of their leading ladies, rather than cast actresses who more naturally matched the subjects. What makes these two examples different from the countless instances of actors transforming themselves for a role — Steve Carell in Foxcatcher, Nicole Kidman in The Hours — is that Asian women and dark-skinned black women rarely get to be the leads in Hollywood movies. So whitewashing any Asian character is unfortunate, but keeping the character Asian-ish (but not actually Asian) is salt on the wound.

Many online commenters have trumpeted Oscar nominee Rinko Kikuchi as the ideal live-action Kusanagi — no one has come closer than her to doing it already, as robot pilot Mako Mori in Pacific Rim. Many other actresses of Asian descent have been mentioned as well, but the harsh truth is that their combined star wattage doesn't even come close to touching Johansson's.

[TreasonousBastard]

1. The studios drop huge bucks into these movies, and...

they still believe in star power getting their money back.

It's not about making a good, or realistic movie, it's about Johansson bringing in the millions.

Hollywood is a business, and they follow the money.

[yuiyoshida]

2. I am a huge fan of Ghost in the Shell

and Pissed that Hollywood has messed this up so badly. The story takes place in a Tokyo, but Hollywood said "Wait no, stop right there... we're going to put the story in Los Angeles, and forget seeing any Japanese faces " ..I MEAN TOTALLY WTF?? Major Motoko Kusanagi could have been played by many action oriented Japanese actors, or other Asians, but no!! Hollywood chose to use Scarlett Johansson, why? Maybe there are no more Asian people in the future?? Oh and for the record, I think Rinko Kikuchi should have the Kusanagi part! Its a total disgrace that Americans should come into Asian culture, and try to make such a film that fits their comfort zone.

This reminds me much of that really funny, great film, "My Sassy Girl" which was a Korean film. They remade the movie using all American actors, none of which were Asian, and couldn't even get close to the other film, in the very core ideas of that movie. First off, there's that whole Culture thing going on..Some things Koreans do, that Americans don't do and the attitudes are totally different. I tried to watch it, the other day and flicked it off in 15 minutes, it wasn't even the same script in my book.

This crap has been happening for a long time. I remember how in the Anime, Naruto instead of him eating Rice Cakes, as he always does, the American producer, said.."Who eats that shit? Make him eat SUGAR DOUGHNUTS, our people can relate to that!"

Its been hard enough for Asians to break into American films with really great parts. It bothers me a lot that, and American film company can go to Japan, find an excellent story, and bring it home to reshape it, and Americanize it so Americans can relate to it. What's wrong with keeping the show like it is, and letting people here in the USA learn about Asian culture? But,this country is Xenophobic and that's why great shows like Ghost in the Shell will be ruined, because what makes it work, is the culture it was born into. I will boycott this movie. I Love GHOST IN THE SHELL, AND REFUSE to watch HOLLYWOOD TURN IT into crap. cultural appropriation? You betcha!!!