Support NeoGAF

[KSweeley]

Link: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/ne...-responds-to-whitewashing-controversy/.115395

Vertigo Entertainment's Roy Lee, one of the producers of Netflix's upcoming live-action Death Note film, responded to criticisms the film has received for whitewashing – casting White actors to play roles written for other races – in an interview with BuzzFeed on Wednesday.

Lee does not believe the film is a case of whitewashing. "I can understand the criticism ... if our version of Death Note was set in Japan and [featured] characters that were Japanese-named or of Japanese ancestry," he said. The film's story takes place in Seattle instead of Tokyo and the protagonist, played by White actor Nat Wolff, is named Light Turner instead of Light Yagami. According to Lee, story changes such as these were necessary to "make it more appealing to the US or to the English-language market."

"Saying 'whitewashing' is also somewhat offensive... one of our three leads is African-American," Lee added, referencing Keith Stanfield's role as L. The film also stars Margaret Qualley as Mia Sutton, Paul Nakauchi as Watari, Shea Whigham as James Turner, and Willem Dafoe as the voice of Ryuk.

In general, Lee said he was surprised by the reaction, as he has worked on many adaptations in the past but has never seen negative press. In particular, Lee cited his work on the 2002 horror film The Ring, which was an adaptation of the Japanese film Ring. Lee commented, "No one criticized it then. Maybe they should've or maybe they could've, [and] I just didn't know about it."

Masi Oka, another of the film's producers, previously defended the casting in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in November, though he said the staff was conscious of the issue. "Our casting directors did an extensive search to get Asian actors," he said, "But we couldn't find the right person, the actors we did go to didn't speak the perfect English… and the characters had been rewritten."

The film adapting Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's supernatural suspense manga will premiere via streaming on Netflix on August 25. Adam Wingard (The Guest, You're Next) is the director, and Jeremy Slater (Fantastic Four) penned a recent draft of the script.

 

[Killer Queen]

He's right though.
And we can put this to bed too

Masi Oka, another of the film's producers, previously defended the casting in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in November, though he said the staff was conscious of the issue. "Our casting directors did an extensive search to get Asian actors," he said, "But we couldn't find the right person, the actors we did go to didn't speak the perfect English… and the characters had been rewritten."

 

[JC Lately]

Explain "Kira" then.

 

[Makonero]

Masi Oka, another of the film's producers, previously defended the casting in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in November, though he said the staff was conscious of the issue. "Our casting directors did an extensive search to get Asian actors," he said, "But we couldn't find the right person, the actors we did go to didn't speak the perfect English... and the characters had been rewritten."

What bullshit. Most people of Asian descent get asked to put on an accent, not the other way around.

 

[Pilgrimzero]

It will be revealed that Light was really Japanese the whole time.

 

[lightskintwin]

He's right though.
And we can put this to bed too

This. Just like any American adaptation of a foreign countries IP.

 

[Kinsei]

In general, Lee said he was surprised by the reaction, as he has worked on many adaptations in the past but has never seen negative press. In particular, Lee cited his work on the 2002 horror film The Ring, which was an adaptation of the Japanese film Ring. Lee commented, "No one criticized it then. Maybe they should've or maybe they could've, [and] I just didn't know about it.

I thought the hate for Americanized versions of foreign films was well known.

 

[Kyzer]

Oh so its totally different than the other whitewashings because they totally removed all of the asian influence and completely whitewashed everything

 

[Ketkat]

He's right though.

I dunno. It feels kind of flimsy to me. Do people really care if a movie is set in Seattle and not Tokyo? And if people do, does it make it okay to whitewash a movie, change the setting and race of all the people involved, because it will sell more?

 

[HStallion]

It will be revealed that Light was really Japanese the whole time.

They should have everyone still using Japanese honorifics as if nothing was amiss.

 

[Hydrus]

Explain "Kira" then.

How about wait until it comes out and let it explain for you.

 

[WarrenD]

I thought the hate for Americanized versions of foreign films was well known.

Because they're generally bad remakes, not bad casting though. It's only recently the racial angle has popped up so much.

 

[Makonero]

They should have everyone still using Japanese honorifics as if nothing was amiss.

i can't wait for the American adaptation of Persona as a tv series

"Amanda-kun, you are a scum!"

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

lol this sounds like he missed the point?

 

[Moppeh]

Yep, I wouldn't call this white washing.

This is like remaking Insomnia in Alaska instead of Norway, or The Vanishing in The States instead of France. The only difference is that it is a Japanese story instead of a European one.

Adapting something for an American audience shouldn't automatically be whitewashing. I think the controversy is far more justified in a case like Ghost in the Shell, which very much kept the Japanese-ness while casting a white actress (not to mention that twist at the end, yeesh).

 

[The Kree]

Masi Oka, of all people, copping pleas. LOL

 

[lightskintwin]

I dunno. It feels kind of flimsy to me. Do people really care if a movie is set in Seattle and not Tokyo? And if people do, does it make it okay to whitewash a movie, change the setting and race of all the people involved, because it will sell more?

It's an adaptation. Just like Park Chan-Wook's "The Handmaiden" is an adaptation of of the book Fingersmith that's set in Victorian England with White characters.

 

[HStallion]

Man sometimes I feel like the people behind these movies shouldn't say anything on these types of things because it just comes off far worse.

 

[Killer Queen]

I dunno. It feels kind of flimsy to me. Do people really care if a movie is set in Seattle and not Tokyo? And if people do, does it make it okay to whitewash a movie, change the setting and race of all the people involved, because it will sell more?

In the argument that it's whitewashing, yeah it matters.
Because if you're in a city where the vast majority of the population is Japanese, but all your main characters happen to be white that's one thing.
But if you're in another city in a different country that has a less homogeneous racial make up and the ethnicities of your main actors reflects that (as it does in this film, at least by having a black and white character) then it's not really the same thing is it. It's a different setting and it's actors reflect that.

 

[ForsakenLotus]

Can I ask a question that is somewhat off topic specific to Death Note?

Is there a similar issue of "whitewashing" in other countries when it comes to cinema? How prevalent are American to another country adaptations or movies set in America or involving Americans that don't have white people playing the role? Or the other possible scenarios.

I only really know the American side of this issue.

 

[Mushroomer25]

I thought the hate for Americanized versions of foreign films was well known.

The US version of The Ring is frequently hailed as one of the best horror flicks from that era. While I'm sure complaints over the casting were present at the time, they didn't dominate the conversation as they tend to do today.

 

[Particle Physicist]

Explain "Kira" then.

I know white people named Kira.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kira_(given_name)

 

[hodayathink]

Oh so its totally different than the other whitewashings because they totally removed all of the asian influence and completely whitewashed everything

So you're saying a Japanese version of Hamlet should only feature Danish people?

 

[L Thammy]

I know white people named Kira.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kira_(given_name)

Did they turn Kira into an actual name and not the English word "killer" applied to an unknown individual?

 

[old manatee]

I'm personally drawing a hard line on these whitewashed films. I want them all to fail. Dr. Strange was the first MCU movie I didn't see. I definitely would have seen Ghost in the Shell if it hadn't been whitewashed. Hollywood has made it clear that they do this over and over because they see a financial advantage in acting like Asian actors don't exist, and I'm not going to encourage them.

 

[Jarmel]

That is an interesting point that he brings up about The Ring remake. If you wanted to do a Western version should it be demanded of you in that case to look for Asian actors?

 

[AntraxSuicide]

Explain "Kira" then.

Japanese people had their name catch on first? There's actually no reason the name has to start in Japan in the manga; Kira is a worldwide phenomenon.

 

[Killer Queen]

I'm personally drawing a hard line on these whitewashed films. I want them all to fail. Dr. Strange was the first MCU movie I didn't see. I definitely would have seen Ghost in the Shell if it hadn't been whitewashed. Hollywood has made it clear that they do this over and over because they see a financial advantage in acting like Asian actors don't exist, and I'm not going to encourage them.

It's literally in the OP that they even looked for Asian actors.

 

[Dabanton]

His right in the fact that they take an idea and transplant it. I see no problem with that.

I can enjoy Infernal Affairs and it's particular approaches to that world but also watch the Departed and see how they approach the same ideas but add different elements.

 

[lightskintwin]

That is an interesting point that he brings up about The Ring remake. If you wanted to do a Western version should it be demanded of you in that case to look for Asian actors?

Why would a Hollywood studio/production company buy an Asian IP to adapt/remake to America only to cast Asian lead actors? I know that sounds blunt, but that's the truth.

 

[WarRock]

Oh so its totally different than the other whitewashings because they totally removed all of the asian influence and completely whitewashed everything

Is Magnificent Seven whitewashing?

 

[kirblar]

I thought the hate for Americanized versions of foreign films was well known.

This is a relatively recent thing. No one was complaining about "The Departed" when it won an Oscar.

 

[teruterubozu]

Can we just call it "Asian Flushing" so we can get back to the main controversy?

 

[Sheentak]

Do asian actors have to be of Japanese desent? Is this why they have trouble finding Asian actors?

 

[squall23]

Wasn't this the case with Edge of Tomorrow? I thought GAF was OK with what they did there.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

It's an adaptation. *shrug*

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

It's an actual adaptation so personally I'm whatever

I do however think the only reason they made L black is because he gets killed

Show's gonna be ass anyway just like the second half off the book so at least that's loyal lol

 

[Zeyphersan]

This is a relatively recent thing. No one was complaining about "The Departed" when it won an Oscar.

I definitely know people in real life who are upset that the original does not get as much love and recognition as The Departed

 

[kirblar]

Wasn't this the case with Edge of Tomorrow? I thought GAF was OK with what they did there.

Most people are. Taking a country's IP and translating it into your country has been done for eons and isn't an issue. The original Death Note Manga, Anime, and JP Movies are still all there!

The issue w/ the American adaptation of Ghost in the Shell is that they tried to have their cake and eat it too- they maintained the neo-Asian futuristic look of the city and supporting characters but then just cast a white girl as the lead in a setting where it didn't make sense. (And then they managed to make it worse w/ some narrative decisions in the film.) Had they translated the Anime to an American location, the issues would have largely dissipated.

 

[LumpOfCole]

"But we couldn't find the right person, the actors we did go to didn't speak the perfect English… and the characters had been rewritten."

Just according to hamburger.

 

[old manatee]

It's literally in the OP that they even looked for Asian actors.

They should look harder.

 

[HStallion]

Is Magnificent Seven whitewashing?

Nah just inferior to the original

 

[Osukaa]

The Japanese Deathnote movies were kinda bad for me and its funny cause when they had a Japanese actor play L, I was like naw... He's supposed to be White LOL. Now that they have a Black guy playing L, I don't know if its gonna be considered racist if I say naw he's supposed to be white. I'm all for racial diversity as a person of color myself but I honestly in my opinion don't see how this can come out on top of the controversy it has now. I mean if they get a Japanese actor to play Light would this have even been given any funding? I wish they just would have stuck with the Japanese setting and got a big enough budget to greenlight it but yeah

On that Note i'm a huge fan of the Anime/Manga so take this opinion as a big fan of the original material.

Also since it's already finished I hope we got some fellow Hispanic's in that cast

Spoiler

be gentle on me GAF

 

[lightskintwin]

Do asian actors have to be of Japanese desent? Is this why they have trouble finding Asian actors?

There hasn't been any or enough Asian American castings in Japanese IP American adaptations for us to find out, really.

I know Jamie Chung spoke out about that and how it affects her in the Mulan and Crazy Rich Asians casting in a recent CBS interview.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about Asian roles getting whitewashed, like Scarlett Johansson’s casting in “Ghost in the Shell” and Matt Damon in “Great Wall.” As one of Hollywood’s most prominent Asian-American actresses, how does it feel to see these roles filled by non-Asians?

Well, it’s unfortunate but it’s the reality of movie stars. They’re Chinese-backed production companies that are asking to put Damon in “Great Wall.” It is what it is. It’s all about money and capitalism. It’s unfortunate because roles are seldom as they come already.

Also, there’s more consciousness now of putting Asian actors in specific roles. They want someone ethnically Chinese to play Mulan, which I appreciate, but it’s cutting into my roles as well. You have actors who can play Australian, British, Irish, but Asian, it’s very specific. It’s a double-edged sword. I really, really wanted a role in “Crazy Rich Asians,” but they wanted someone who’s ethnically Chinese. I love Jon [Chu, director of “Crazy Rich Asians”], but I get they wanted Chinese actors.

That’s strange because the star [Henry Golding] is half-white.

What? Does he look Asian?

I think to white people he looks Asian, but to Asian people he looks half-white.

What? Are you serious?

It sounds like I made you mad.

OK. I’m going to say it. That is some bulls**t. Where do you draw the line to be ethnically conscious? But there’s so many loopholes so I kind of get screwed. I don’t mean to sound jaded. There are plenty of roles for me. Originally Blink was Clarice Ferguson in comic books, but she’s a mutant so she can be whatever she wants to be. It can be to my advantage sometimes, but it’s so frustrating. I can talk on and on.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/jamie-chung-on-the-double-edged-sword-of-being-a-minority-in-hollywood/

 

[Killer Queen]

They should look harder.

What difference would it have made in the context of the film? Literally none.

 

[sonicmj1]

Yep, I wouldn't call this white washing.

This is like remaking Insomnia in Alaska instead of Norway, or The Vanishing in The States instead of France. The only difference is that it is a Japanese story instead of a European one.

Adapting something for an American audience shouldn't automatically be whitewashing. I think the controversy is far more justified in a case like Ghost in the Shell, which very much kept the Japanese-ness while casting a white actress (not to mention that twist at the end, yeesh).

Right.

I generally think of whitewashing in these contexts as when you're casting white actors as characters who are (or ought to be) of other ethnicities. So like the recent Ghost in the Shell, or the Egyptians in Exodus, or the leads in 21, or Emma Stone in Aloha.

If you're changing the setting from the adapted work, then it makes sense that you also would change the type of actors you cast. That's what happened with examples people have already mentioned in this thread like The Departed, The Ring, The Magnificent Seven, or The Handmaiden.

I'm tempted to blame manga/anime fans who are so used to completely literal adaptations that they lose their mind over any changes from the source, but that might be unfair.

 

[Moonkid]

I'm pretty skeptical they couldn't find anyone who spoke English confidently but overall I'm not bothered by this.

 

[The Omega Man]

Nah just inferior to the original

no lies detected, bless Kurosawa-kun

I'm pretty skeptical they couldn't find anyone who spoke English confidently but overall I'm not bothered by this.

If they went for a Japanese national, then yes, not many of them speak fluent english, but they could cast an asian-american actor if they wanted to.

 

[Servbot24]

If Light were Japanese, could that be seen as by audiences as playing to the stereotype of asian students being much harder workers than other ethnicities? It's a silly question I know, but audiences who don't know the original content could maybe get that feeling.

Oh so its totally different than the other whitewashings because they totally removed all of the asian influence and completely whitewashed everything

Eh, if it's whitewashing then it's a different brand of whitewashing than what is normally criticized. Personally I have no problem with adapting a story in a different geographic location.

 

[Moonkid]

If they went for a Japanese national, then yes, not many of them speak fluent english, but they could cast an asian-american actor if they wanted to.

That's what I was alluding to yeah, why couldn't they find a competent Asian American? Given the emphasis on moving the story to a western setting it'd make no sense to me if they went looking for someone in Japan.