[X] My Assistant

[Annakyoyama358]

Racebending.com inspired this debate. Take a look at it, then post.

Long story short, do you think there was intent to discrimnate in this case (the casting of Last Airbender), and do you think it exists overall in the movie industry?
Discuss.

[FranDrinksTea]

Do you mean the choosing of the actors? Or like to everybody of that race in general? o3o;
-kinda lost here-

[Iconox]

Personally I hate taking anime, even fake anime like Avatar and making it live-action (it just ruins it imo). I did find it rather strange to cast Caucasians in a movie based on a series that took place in a fictional Asian setting; however, I can't really judge the creators for doing what they wanted to in their own movie.

[Annakyoyama358]

i mean the idea of racist casting, and specifically the idea that asian actors are underrepresented in hollywood.
baka's can't even get katara and sokka's hair right.
Frankly, i'd have applauded you know, ONE ASIAN ACTOR amoung the three main characters?

[Iconox]

I mean, there's rules that people of certain races should be in (ex. the spot of Big Mike in The Blind Side isn't historically accurate if it's played by somebody who's not African American).

[Pokii]

Simple: White kids identify with white kids. The target demographic is (presumably) the kids who watch the show on Nickelodeon, so what does that leave you with? A bunch of predominantly Caucasian children. And children best identify with things similar to themselves, so that's pretty much why they did it?

Now should they have done it? If you ask me, no. You're throwing all the multiculturalism and diversity that Avatar: The Last Airbender had right out the window just to make some money. But from what I've heard so far, that movie is one of the worst of the year anyway, so what do I care. I ain't gonna see it :V

But that's just Avatar. I'd say that in general it would depend on a lot of factors, for other situations. There are some cases where it's fine (i.e. The new Karate Kid being black vs. the old one being white) and others where it just shouldn't be messed with (like The Last Airbender).

[Annakyoyama358]

Simple: White kids identify with white kids. The target demographic is (presumably) the kids who watch the show on Nickelodeon, so what does that leave you with? A bunch of predominantly Caucasian children. And children best identify with things similar to themselves, so that's pretty much why they did it?

Now should they have done it? If you ask me, no. You're throwing all the multiculturalism and diversity that Avatar: The Last Airbender had right out the window just to make some money. But from what I've heard so far, that movie is one of the worst of the year anyway, so what do I care. I ain't gonna see it :V

But that's just Avatar. I'd say that in general it would depend on a lot of factors, for other situations. There are some cases where it's fine (i.e. The new Karate Kid being black vs. the old one being white) and others where it just shouldn't be messed with (like The Last Airbender).

Problem with your logic pokii hun.
Caucasian kids are a far cry from the majority of children. There are way more 'minorities'. I guarentee that had the movie been half decent, every asian in the country would've loved to take their kids to it. And there are a hella lot more asians/hispanics/ect that this country realizes

[Pokii]

And that very well may be the case, but clearly in the eyes of the director and the studio, Caucasian children were their primary demographic. I can't think of any other reason they would go out of their way to replace the characters who are clearly of different Asian cultures with Caucasian actors. Katara is the best example I can think of for this, as the difference between her character on the show and the actor in the movie are the most startlingly different, at least I think.

That's my point.

[Dazmi]

I have no idea if they had race in mind when they were casting the movie. For all I know, they might not have put any thought into that at all. In fact, I didn't even notice until now (after all, I never watched the cartoon).

Besides, it's The Last Airbender. I don't care if they decide to cast Caucasian actors instead of Asian actors.

This post has been edited by JohnRichard1991: Jul 2 2010, 05:38 AM

[Pokii]

Well M.Night Shamallamadingdong himself is Indian, so I doubt there was no thought of race for casting at all, especially not for something as culturally diverse as Avatar: The Last Airbender. I heard they did have their one token Indian person in Zuko. That, and that they made the Earth Benders actually Asian, or at least that's what I heard. I haven't seen the film, as I said earlier.

But if you don't watch the show, I don't expect you would have noticed it anyway...same for caring how they cast it. That's almost kind of a moot point, really

[Annakyoyama358]

Well M.Night Shamallamadingdong himself is Indian, so I doubt there was no thought of race for casting at all, especially not for something as culturally diverse as Avatar: The Last Airbender. I heard they did have their one token Indian person in Zuko. That, and that they made the Earth Benders actually Asian, or at least that's what I heard. I haven't seen the film, as I said earlier.

But if you don't watch the show, I don't expect you would have noticed it anyway...same for caring how they cast it. That's almost kind of a moot point, really

Zuko wasn't supposed to be indian. They're original Zuko bailed (it was JEsse Mcartney)

[Pokii]

Zuko wasn't supposed to be indian. They're original Zuko bailed (it was JEsse Mcartney)

Yes, I remember that. Thank god they got rid of him or it really would've been the worst movie of the year

[Kintenbo]

I personally think that they just ran out of Asian actors willing to be in this movie. Not that things like that live action Dragon Ball Z movie or that live action Speed Racer movie gave people a bad impression or anything........... So, I don't think they were really trying to be racially provocative.

[Reyo]

Personally, I find it rediculous to have this paranoia that Hollwood is planning some conspiracy against humanity by casting white people in a role "meant for asians." You either like Avatar, or you don't, but not liking the movie JUST BECAUSE of the fact that they got white actors to play the roles instead of asians is just as racist as people are trying to make hollywood out to be.

[Pokii]

Personally, I find it rediculous to have this paranoia that Hollwood is planning some conspiracy against humanity by casting white people in a role "meant for asians." You either like Avatar, or you don't, but not liking the movie JUST BECAUSE of the fact that they got white actors to play the roles instead of asians is just as racist as people are trying to make hollywood out to be.

Well obviously not. However I've heard there are many flaws in the movie, and that was one that really bugged me. In fact, I was still planning on seeing it up until a few days when it came out and basically every review I heard about the movie said it was terrible.

[Reyo]

Personally, I find it rediculous to have this paranoia that Hollwood is planning some conspiracy against humanity by casting white people in a role "meant for asians." You either like Avatar, or you don't, but not liking the movie JUST BECAUSE of the fact that they got white actors to play the roles instead of asians is just as racist as people are trying to make hollywood out to be.

Well obviously not. However I've heard there are many flaws in the movie, and that was one that really bugged me. In fact, I was still planning on seeing it up until a few days when it came out and basically every review I heard about the movie said it was terrible.

Yeah, I don't care if you hate a movie because it has shoddy acting or doesn't follow the plot, but something like "The main character was white instead of asian" is more racist than anything else.

[Pokii]

Well like I said, that was something I could overlook had everything else not also sucked. But also...

How's that for racist?

[Reyo]

Well like I said, that was something I could overlook had everything else not also sucked. But also...

How's that for racist?

Not sure what you're trying to have me see.

[Douken Sota]

Well like I said, that was something I could overlook had everything else not also sucked. But also...

How's that for racist?

Not sure what you're trying to have me see.

If I am seeing the Image right, you got three White people going after an Indian person....

[Reyo]

Well like I said, that was something I could overlook had everything else not also sucked. But also...

How's that for racist?

Not sure what you're trying to have me see.

If I am seeing the Image right, you got three White people going after an Indian person....

So then what...Hollywood is trying to send a hidden agenda in reference to the war in the middle east through The Last Airbender?