What's with all the Black washing?

[Blue]

The actress Gemma Chan plays Bess of Hardwick in the movie Mary Queen of Scots (2018) that was recently released. They have a woman of clearly East Asian origin playing a European historical figure.

I haven't seen the movie (and don't plan to), so I don't know how big of a role this character really has, but even if it is a minor role it is clearly not historically accurate.

I wasn't aware of this film, nor did I ever expect a day like this would ever come. I'll definitely watch! This is a breath of fresh air from the gangster villains or the enemy horde that the Asian actors mainly played.

I wasn't aware of the African-Americans taking more roles to the point of "black washing" either because I haven't been watching much films this year. The way I look at it, the African-Americans are being pushed out through alleged controversies - Kevin Hart and Neil deGrasse Tyson. To be honest, I never watched Kevin Hart's stand-up. From the reactions of some of the celebrities, it seems that he was unfairly picked on when there are others who did similar jokes.

 

[richiethewanderer]

i see a black person playing zeus to be equal to a celt or germanic playing a mythical mediterranean god. if we want historical accuracy the actor should be olive skinned with curly black hair. I didn't complain when Liam Neeson played zeus and i won't complain if anyone else of any other ethnicity does.

 

[HiddenHistory]

Black/African history and mythology being lackluster and boring= if there were more characters and figures in these histories, stories and myths then these creators would use them. But there doesn't seem to be. What figure from Black/African history can be compared with Alexander the Great? Anyone? They'll just come up with some crazy story about how Alexander was actually really black.

I'll be honest. I think I died a bit when I read this.

There are thousands of African mythologies, characters, and historical figures, thousands more if we include the diaspora, but it's opinions like these that prevent them from getting the light.
Historical:
What about a movie on the Janjira Sultanate? Black people in India descended from Bantu / Ethiopian merchants and slaves who fended off attacks from the fierce Marathas?
A movie on Kushite King Piye, who led a conquest of Egypt?

What about a movie on the Mwindo epic? About a guy who literally goes to the under world and beats a death god up?
Or, a movie on the Sunjata epic? Which results in the founding of the Mali empire? A war against a literal magic-casting witch king!
Speaking about Mali, what about a story about Mansa Musa's legendary Hajj?
Or the conquests of Askia?

The battle of Adwa, and it's buildup?

On a more personal level, what about a movie focusing on figures such as Ira Aldridge? A movie about a 19th century black american who became famous for shakespearian plays in Russia, the UK, and Prussia?
Speaking of russia, did you know that one of Russia's most famous poets had recent African ancestry?
Alexander Pushkin - Wikipedia

 

[Tulius]

Casting call for game of thrones prequel ;

Is this a casting call for the Game of Thrones prequel series based on The Long Night?

Isn’t Game of Thrones a fantasy series? They can’t be really accused of being historically wrong there.

Even if the stipulation of skin colours (or races if you prefer) in an announcement shocks me a bit. Fortunately that is unconstitutional in my country.

 

[deaf tuner]

Isn’t Game of Thrones a fantasy series? They can’t be really accused of being historically wrong there.

Even if the stipulation of skin colours (or races if you prefer) in an announcement shocks me a bit. Fortunately that is unconstitutional in my country.

I don't see (a priori) why those stipulations would be shocking.

If I have an African worrier woman in my plot, it's only normal to mention in the casting call "woman", "athletic", "black", as to not waste my and candidates time.

It hasn't any sense to give false expectations to old white, bold, squeletic guys like myself.

 

[Azad67]

Isn’t Game of Thrones a fantasy series? They can’t be really accused of being historically wrong there.

Even if the stipulation of skin colours (or races if you prefer) in an announcement shocks me a bit. Fortunately that is unconstitutional in my country.

Read my entire conversation with Ighayere to understand the context.

 

[Slavon]

I mean now not only Superman is going to be interpreted by a black african guy but even in the recent TV series Blacks are replacing systematically important European characters like Achilles, Zeus and even Aeneas in the new Series about Fall of Troy, then we have the black legionaries in Britannia, the Fake BBC Black Romans documentary , the Black Hannibal , Blacks are replacing historical and mythological white characters ... why?

Because Whites lost power. And history is writing by winners.

 

[Tulius]

I don't see (a priori) why those stipulations would be shocking.

If I have an African worrier woman in my plot, it's only normal to mention in the casting call "woman", "athletic", "black", as to not waste my and candidates time.

It hasn't any sense to give false expectations to old white, bold, squeletic guys like myself.

Yes, I understand, and it naturally makes sense, I just am not used to it, and since in Portugal in job offers that can’t happen (candidates can’t legally be discriminated by their skin colour or gender – and I don’t think that there is a legal exception for the cinema), it really surprised me to see it written.

Read my entire conversation with Ighayere to understand the context.

I did. Don’t think I missed a post. And I also think that it wasn’t a fortunate example to prove your point.

 

[deaf tuner]

Yes, I understand, and it naturally makes sense, I just am not used to it, and since in Portugal in job offers that can’t happen (candidates can’t legally be discriminated by their skin colour or gender – and I don’t think that there is a legal exception for the cinema), it really surprised me to see it written...

On the other hand, if they're looking for an athletic, young, black women, they will reject me.

I could sue them for discrimination, couldn't I ?!?

 

[Tulius]

On the other hand, if they're looking for an athletic, young, black women, they will reject me.

I could sue them for discrimination, couldn't I ?!?

Every well intentioned law can be picked in its own contradictions. This is certainly one of them. Probably there will be more.

Anyway, Portugal still is a country with a low rate of sues. Probably because the courts takes too long to decide.