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Ed Skrein (Daario 1.0) quits the Hellboy reboot in the name of equal representation
- Thread starter Exterminieren
- Start date
I wasn't as angry about the Ancient One BUT when lumped with all of these other examples and the Hawaii Five-0 situation it's looking like a concerted effort to not cast Asians. I think the Death Note castings and Ghost in the Shell irk me the most.
Classy move by Mr. Skrein. The production should give him another role in the movie.
It made sense that they didn't want to anger China by casting a Tibetan actor but they could have done the next best thing and cast an Asian actor. Be they Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and the list goes on. It wasn't logical for them to jump from "well due to historical issues, we can't cast a Tibetan actor because that'll impact China which is a huge movie market," to, "so let's make the character white!"
It made sense that they didn't want to anger China by casting a Tibetan actor but they could have done the next best thing and cast an Asian actor. Be they Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and the list goes on. It wasn't logical for them to jump from "well due to historical issues, we can't cast a Tibetan actor because that'll impact China which is a huge movie market," to, "so let's make the character white!"
What did he mean by this?
Member
They couldnt put him a different role? Not sure how the contracts work in Hollywood
He`s from nepal
No one asked for specifically tibetan borned actress
That`s just as lame an excuse as:
Cuz seattle has no asians
Technically they could re-audition him and to cast him in a different role since he's formally step down. I think usually when an actor is cast is a different role than the one they auditioned for it hasn't been finalized by that point. So they could still put them in the movie, but he'd have to come back in and do an audition for a different role. Which he should, he gets a ton of shit for reasons I don't quite understand but I think he's competent. He just hasn't had a good break yet to really do anything fun.
itwasTuesday
He wasn't alone.
Good for him.
Hope I don't have to read about any backlash 20 years from now in some interview.
Hope I don't have to read about any backlash 20 years from now in some interview.
Black Republican
Member
Wonder if Zach Mcgowen will do the same?
Eppy Thatcher
God's had his chance.
HAH... if only.
Classy enough move by Ed but eesh.
And I wonder how often "Not being aware of the history of characters in their source material" could account for some actors taking jobs. Might even be a decent excuse in some cases especially for parts that are a little up in the air...
Then you have Ghost in the Shell :-D
Good luck ever getting that movie made without a scarjo or something in a lead role. To be authentic and not white wash you would literally have to hire 100% Asian. We got a ways to go.
Thankfully, there are two live action versions of Death Note you can enjoy if you don't want L to be a black guy.
For the record, when people insulted "racist producers trying to white wash" and she's literally asian, she kinda had a point.
Not saying it was right to cast a white guy but you can't go accusing people like that without basis.
Maybe on Gaf and the Internet. Not in the grand scheme of things. Skrein probably had more to lose not being as a big a pull as ScarJo and Emma. He didn't want the pressure. They got offered a job and took it. The social impact of the role they took is what's debatable not them directly.
I would bet if the role was handed to a bigger actor they don't quit and continue on like nothing happened.
Not denying what he did was honorable but I think it's more intricate than what we give it credit for.
Zoe
Member
Who said anything about not wanting L to be a black guy?
excelsiorlef
Member
He also had more to lose by refusing the role tgan ScarJo and Stone.
RedAssedApe
Banned
cool but they'll probably just cast another non-asian :\
Emma Stone and Scar Jo were way bigger names before either of their whitewashing controversies.
This guy is not even close to that level of stardom, probably needed this movie way more than it needed him, and he still managed to be like "Nah, it isn't right of me to take this."
UnemployedVillain
Member
None of your explanations support this not making them look worse. And yes, in the grand scheme of things it does, as ScarJo was shit on a ton for GITS and the movie bombed as well. There was literally no upside to it for her except for getting paid
Dash_Riprock
Member
Ah so he'll pull a Johnny Depp then...
Hollywood would rather keep rapists and pedos around instead of a guy doing the right thing.
Good on Skrein, dude is cool.
Hey at the end of the day for some people it's about the money. Movie bombed but she still got paid. I mean it has not impacted her getting additional roles that we know of and I'm sure she will continue to get that Avengers money and other roles as well.
When I frame this in a non-entertainment perspective how many people would quit a job/career to give it to someone else? If HR came to me and said hey we wanted to know if you would quit because we actually should have hired a person(s) of a particular demographic. No way I'm quitting my job especially if I have a choice I gotta eat. Getting work is hard enough and I can't see to many regular folks quitting to send a message especially if you have to support a family. But that is besides the point.
What Ed Skrein did was probably morally right and as stated previously honorable but he has options your typical person does not. Like I said we'll see the impact. If they hire another non-asian actor then it reaffirms the fact that in situations like this the onus is on the studio.
the_darkness
Banned
They need to Rooney rule this shit.
By all means ensure that Asian actors have equal representation in the casting process, but if nobody actually comes forward and puts forth a worthy audition, I've got zero problems with the role going to an actor who doesn't fit the character's original ethnic profile.
Skrein isn't playing Nelson Mandela. It's a comic book character who can be adapted for screen.
Good on him for taking a stand but I feel bad that he felt like he had to give up a payday to be the tipping point.
By all means ensure that Asian actors have equal representation in the casting process, but if nobody actually comes forward and puts forth a worthy audition, I've got zero problems with the role going to an actor who doesn't fit the character's original ethnic profile.
Skrein isn't playing Nelson Mandela. It's a comic book character who can be adapted for screen.
Good on him for taking a stand but I feel bad that he felt like he had to give up a payday to be the tipping point.
This is where any perceived change would start. Even with the controversy around Tilda Swinton and Doctor Strange. She played the role quite well and added an air of mystique to it. Her fellow cast members and in specific Benedict Wong even praised her for her performance.
Gordon Shumway
Banned
Heh..don't know about all that.
Basically. Even movies with a traditionally asian audience "The Great Wall" have a white savior. I think the issue starts with the execs and casting.
broncobuster
Banned
David Harbour's response (playing Hellboy in this reboot)
I'm trying to be optimistic here!
I'm trying to be optimistic here!
Galactic Specter
Member
They're not gonna cast an asian actor but they're not gonna cast a white actor either.
Not a hollywood expert here but I don't think it's a good career move AT ALL. He's not exactly well known by audiences yet, and now he's a press liability. There's not much incentive to hire him, especially from an executive standpoint.
Which makes it all the more impressive that he stepped down. The dude sacrificed a great opportunity and took a tremendous career risk for a cause outside of himself. Major respect to him.
Prototype Viktor
Member
so Emma Stone has a shot?
watch Steven Yeun (if he auditioned) still wouldn't get the job
DontBeThatGuy
Member
Well, I'm impressed.
starchild excalibur
Member
Good on him. Hopefully the public airing of this will compel the producers to do the right thing when they go back to casting the role.
They'd have to be colosally dumb to cast another Ed Skrein in the role.
They'd have to be colosally dumb to cast another Ed Skrein in the role.
Lionsgate still hasn't learned shit from the Gods of Egypt mess.
UnemployedVillain
Member
It's still a shitty completely nonsensical reason
You underestimate Hollywood's ability to not give a fuck. They'll get the whitest happa they can find, possibly, if they're even willing to concede part Asian
excelsiorlef
Member
How do you know that no one came forward... That's an odd assumption.
BLOODED_hands
Member
Yo, nice one Ed. 👏
Hopefully they learn from this and cast a Asian American actor...... Lol, just kidding I don't think they learned at all and will probably cast another White guy.
Hopefully they learn from this and cast a Asian American actor...... Lol, just kidding I don't think they learned at all and will probably cast another White guy.
Permanently A
Junior Member
Such a cool response... I hope hollywood can satiate themselves with the good PR and not blackball him.
UnemployedVillain
Member
How to be Asian in Hollywood:
1. Audition for generic role. Get rejected because they needed someone with more star power, or more bankability *coughwhitecough* or had a different vision
2. Be told to wait for roles more suitable, presumably for Asian characters
3. Audition for Asian character. Be told they're actually going in a different direction again *coughwhitecough*
4. Repeat until disillusionment gets the better of you
Fancyarcher
Member
Darth Pinche
Member
This was some refreshing news, someone doing the right thing.