Casting actors in alternate-race roles?

[kis123]

Hey I'm just saying when they cast a white guy as Luke Cage you've got no place to speak after all this.

i'm no big comic book fan so who the hell is Luke Cage??

Besides, you're way too obsessed to see the real point. It's an alternative choice, not a mandatory one! It's not like i'm going to spend one cent on seeing the movie anyway. You're the one going over the top on this, not me.



Let it go ST........let it go!!!!

 

[SlaverTickler]

i'm no big comic book fan so who the hell is Luke Cage??

Besides, you're way too obsessed to see the real point. It's an alternative choice, not a mandatory one! It's not like i'm going to spend one cent on seeing the movie anyway. You're the one going over the top on this, not me.



Let it go ST........let it go!!!!

Your the one who is obsessed with see a black actress in this roll Kis, my only intrest is that she looks like the charactore in the comic I read every month. My 2 picks so far have been a half Iranian named Catherine Bell and the other is that Brazilian spoke model who looks just like Wonder Woman (and happens to be what Lynda looks like). I've attached a photo of there should be a pic of Luke Cage from the first issue of Luke Cage: Hero for Hire. Maybe it's because you not a big comic fan is part of why you don't get where I'm coming from, I don't knwo, I just want what I see in the book to be on the screen, that is what I am obsesses with if anything.

Thats all I have to say on this.

 

[kis123]

Your the one who is obsessed with see a black actress in this roll Kis, my only intrest is that she looks like the charactore in the comic I read every month. My 2 picks so far have been a half Iranian named Catherine Bell and the other is that Brazilian spoke model who looks just like Wonder Woman (and happens to be what Lynda looks like). I've attached a photo of there should be a pic of Luke Cage from the first issue of Luke Cage: Hero for Hire. Maybe it's because you not a big comic fan is part of why you don't get where I'm coming from, I don't knwo, I just want what I see in the book to be on the screen, that is what I am obsesses with if anything.

Thats all I have to say on this.

you're as obsessed, irrational, and unreasonable as you've ever been! Instead of accepting a different OPINION, you chose to attack and accuse me of being racist. That's a real shame, ST because I was just starting to think you had grown up some. Guess it was wishful thinking......

And no, I'm not a big comic book fan; I have way too much reality to deal with things like education, family, work. You know, life and I don't have time for the comic fantasy world, thank you very much!

I see, you just want to point and counterpoint because I don't agree with you. Get over it and move on! Or better yet, stay as delusional as you seem to be right now--it obviously works well for you!!

 

[SlaverTickler]

Damn it, here we go again...

you're as obsessed, irrational, and unreasonable as you've ever been! Instead of accepting a different OPINION, you chose to attack and accuse me of being racist. That's a real shame, ST because I was just starting to think you had grown up some. Guess it was wishful thinking......

And no, I'm not a big comic book fan; I have way too much reality to deal with things like education, family, work. You know, life and I don't have time for the comic fantasy world, thank you very much!

I see, you just want to point and counterpoint because I don't agree with you. Get over it and move on! Or better yet, stay as delusional as you seem to be right now--it obviously works well for you!!

First of all I took back the racist thing, being prejudice isn't the same as being racist, you can be prejudice in favore of something with out hating the other side, racist is flat out hatred. I did say it was wrong for me to say that a few posts back. Maybe you should find away to take 20 min's to endulge in some fantasy reading it might take a bit of the edge off of the things that are causing you such stress. You haven't gone point/counter point with me on this topic since the begining because all you can say is "Think Out Side The Box" well guess what they tried that with Cat Woman once and it tanked. You know why Sin City did so well, because the did exactly what was in the book for the movie. I don't want any more from the producers of this movie then for whats in the book to be in the film, thats where I am coming from. You may not like my perspective, but if this film is going to do well then I'm telling you that is how it's got to be done.

Now I hope this shit is over with, because I have other things to do to.

 

[kis123]

This is the only intelligent thing you've said this entire thread!!

I'm too busy with reality to indulge in any stupid comic book unrealistic fantasies. Comic books are for kids anyway IMO; most grow up and move on to something more adult!

May I suggest that you back away from the computer, go outside for some fresh air and a cup of coffee. I'm sure a little slice of reality would do you much good!

Oh Catwoman tanked because it was a horrible storyline, not because a black woman played the role! That's just another one of your backhanded stereotypical prejudiced comments. You're way too narrow-minded to think outside the box; that's for the more progressive amongst us.

Go take you and your comic book obsessions somewhere where someone gives a crap about them other than yourself okay and leave me alone please!!!

 

[Tickle Fiend]

If it's a fictional character then it shouldn't matter. As long as the actor does a good job portraying the character, who cares?

 

[Cosmo_ac]

If it's a fictional character then it shouldn't matter. As long as the actor does a good job portraying the character, who cares?

Generally speaking, the fans who's years of patronage which has allowed the series to flourish and continue turning a proffit and gaining in fan base until their is enough of a fan base to make movie companies willing to dump the millions of dollars into the franchise so a movie can be made.

Those people tend to care. Which is why they also tend to be so vocal when people take liberties with an already established charactor, be it race, sex, morals, etc. The charactor didn't get on the screen because some Director wanted to be PC or through their own little twist on things. The Charactor got on the screen because of the fans who generally like the charactor as is.

 

[DEV]

If it's a fictional character then it shouldn't matter. As long as the actor does a good job portraying the character, who cares?

Well it can be seen as if a movie studio would be going against the franchise if they change the character to such a degree. I'd find it odd if a character of a popular franchise was portrayed as a different ethnicity than what they originally were. A black Sherlock Holmes for instance, would just seem to me as the studio turning away from the original premise and simply trying to make news.

 

[SlaverTickler]

Well it can be seen as if a movie studio would be going against the franchise if they change the character to such a degree. I'd find it odd if a character of a popular franchise was portrayed as a different ethnicity than what they originally were. A black Sherlock Holmes for instance, would just seem to me as the studio turning away from the original premise and simply trying to make news.

Thats not to say that they couldn't take a Sherlock homes story, turn it into a modern detective drama and cast a black person in the lead as the detective. But Sherlock Homes should always be as he is depicted in the books. Their is nothing progressive about lying to the viewer.

 

[DEV]

Thats not to say that they couldn't take a Sherlock homes story, turn it into a modern detective drama and cast a black person in the lead as the detective. But Sherlock Homes should always be as he is depicted in the books. Their is nothing progressive about lying to the viewer.

True enough. Although I would prefer it if they were going to make a detective series set in the modern day with a black actor, they'd be able to cime up with their own storylines 😉

 

[SlaverTickler]

True enough. Although I would prefer it if they were going to make a detective series set in the modern day with a black actor, they'd be able to cime up with their own storylines 😉

Your assuming thet their is anything original anymore lol. Just about anything someone can come up with that they think is new has probably been done so many times so many ways that it's next to impossible to be original.

 

[Tickle Fiend]

Thats not to say that they couldn't take a Sherlock homes story, turn it into a modern detective drama and cast a black person in the lead as the detective. But Sherlock Homes should always be as he is depicted in the books. Their is nothing progressive about lying to the viewer.

The only people who would care about the race of a character are people who are obsessed with that character. Like someone else said earlier, these characters were created during a different era, and there weren't any non-white superheroes, TV couples, detectives or whatever. I personally don't care who plays any character, but there's no character that I'm fascinated with enough to really care I guess.

 

[SlaverTickler]

The only people who would care about the race of a character are people who are obsessed with that character. Like someone else said earlier, these characters were created during a different era, and there weren't any non-white superheroes, TV couples, detectives or whatever. I personally don't care who plays any character, but there's no character that I'm fascinated with enough to really care I guess.

Wanting to see whats on the page on the stage doesn't make us obsessed.

 

[kis123]

Generally speaking, the fans who's years of patronage which has allowed the series to flourish and continue turning a proffit and gaining in fan base until their is enough of a fan base to make movie companies willing to dump the millions of dollars into the franchise so a movie can be made.

Those people tend to care. Which is why they also tend to be so vocal when people take liberties with an already established charactor, be it race, sex, morals, etc. The charactor didn't get on the screen because some Director wanted to be PC or through their own little twist on things. The Charactor got on the screen because of the fans who generally like the charactor as is.

Why didn't these people care when an Asian was cast in the Charlies Angels remakes! I didn't see anyone looking like Lucy Liu back with the original series. But folks balked at halle Berry playing Catwoman. I think she got thrown under the bus becuase the storyline was so over the top and everything got changed except the name of the movie.

Well, anyway, those who are going to pay to see this movie should see who they want to see play in it I guess.

 

[cloudgazer2k]

Your assuming thet their is anything original anymore lol. Just about anything someone can come up with that they think is new has probably been done so many times so many ways that it's next to impossible to be original.

since Sherlock's tale was told long before Hollywood sank into the depths, i'd say it's pretty original. it was also during those times that a black man had few freedoms, so casting a black actor to portray him would be nearly out of the question. however, certain things like Micheal Clark Duncan as Kingpin made some sense to me, even though the character has always been a big white guy. Micheal had the size, physique, and commanding personality to make the Kingpin happen rather than relying on a few thousand dollars worth of animatronics and CGI.

all i can say is: if it works, do it. sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it doesn't.

 

[SlaverTickler]

Why didn't these people care when an Asian was cast in the Charlies Angels remakes! I didn't see anyone looking like Lucy Liu back with the original series. But folks balked at halle Berry playing Catwoman. I think she got thrown under the bus becuase the storyline was so over the top and everything got changed except the name of the movie.

Just to explain the Charlies Angels thing, this was supose to be the current Angels, as if the "Program" for lack of a better term had never ended. Just like how Demi Moore was suposed to have been playing a rogue angel, and Jackie Smith reprises her old roll for a cameo in the 2nd movie. The weren't playing the "Original Angels" so much as their successors.

Not looking for an argument on that just going on what I understand from the film.

 

[SlaverTickler]

since Sherlock's tale was told long before Hollywood sank into the depths, i'd say it's pretty original. it was also during those times that a black man had few freedoms, so casting a black actor to portray him would be nearly out of the question. however, certain things like Micheal Clark Duncan as Kingpin made some sense to me, even though the character has always been a big white guy. Micheal had the size, physique, and commanding personality to make the Kingpin happen rather than relying on a few thousand dollars worth of animatronics and CGI.

all i can say is: if it works, do it. sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it doesn't.

He was really the best thing about that movie to be honest, but I'd like to point out that none of my picks to play WW have been "white" as some may believe. My original choice was Chatherine Bell who is half Iranian, and my other pick is a Brazilian spoke's model named Helen Gabzatolli (who look just like Lynda as you would see if you looked her up on YouTube) Something that alot of people are over looking is the media factore. If Tyra or Beyonce had been cast as WW, then it becomes about the first African-American actress to play Wonder Woman, that would be the more important thing. That is why it is good that they cast and unkown in the long run, because (like with Carter's WW, and Reeve's Superman) it means people will go to see Wonder Woman and not the actress who is playing her. Of course it helps to have a strong suporting cast like Superman had in '79.

Imagine the press confrince that would happen if either of these women were cast and what would they say "It's great to be the first African-American cast as Wonder Woman." or "It's about time and African-American woman was cast in this roll." I can tell you thats exactly what would be said, if not by them then someone else. I tell you that would take the wind out of the sails of the ticket sales faster then anything. You don't have to like what I am saying, you can say I am full shit, but it is the truth.

It won't matter because I heard that the guy who plays Batman doesn't want anything to do with a Justice League movie, so either there won't be a Batman in the film, or there will be another guy playing Batman. Either way it isn't going to be good for sales.

 

[Libertine]

Apart from Othello?

Many years ago I saw a Royal Shakespeare Company production of Henry IV, which is set in 1400s England. A pre-famous Patrick Stewart played the title role, and a black actor portrayed the rebel leader Hotspur, who historically speaking was northern English. I wondered about this strange casting until said black actor started to speak. He was amazing. His name is Hugh Quarshie, and he eventually played Captain Panaka in 'The Phantom Menace'.

 

[kis123]

Just to explain the Charlies Angels thing, this was supose to be the current Angels, as if the "Program" for lack of a better term had never ended. Just like how Demi Moore was suposed to have been playing a rogue angel, and Jackie Smith reprises her old roll for a cameo in the 2nd movie. The weren't playing the "Original Angels" so much as their successors.

Not looking for an argument on that just going on what I understand from the film.

Then why even use the original name if you weren't going to stick with some sort of original storyline? This is where the Catwoman reprisal fell apart, not using an actor of different race. I wasn't doing cartwheels when Michelle Pfifer (sp) played the role either.

But the Charlies' Angels thing was way all over the place and I didn't like either remake. I have yet to like any of these remakes because they don't use orginal storylines or any of the original actiors. I did think the Jacqueline Smith cameo was kinda' cool-I'll give them that one.

 

[kis123]

Many years ago I saw a Royal Shakespeare Company production of Henry IV, which is set in 1400s England. A pre-famous Patrick Stewart played the title role, and a black actor portrayed the rebel leader Hotspur, who historically speaking was northern English. I wondered about this strange casting until said black actor started to speak. He was amazing. His name is Hugh Quarshie, and he eventually played Captain Panaka in 'The Phantom Menace'.

I remember when Avery Brooks played the role as well. I had never been much of an Othello fan, but I was riveted!! I remember him from his days in Spenser for hire, then moving onto his own show for a bit. Then, he made Star Trek history with the Deep Space Nine series as the first (and only) black captain character. Awesome actor IMO.

Lawrence Fishburne played the Othello role as well, but he didn't do that much for me.

 

[SlaverTickler]

Then why even use the original name if you weren't going to stick with some sort of original storyline? This is where the Catwoman reprisal fell apart, not using an actor of different race. I wasn't doing cartwheels when Michelle Pfifer (sp) played the role either.

But the Charlies' Angels thing was way all over the place and I didn't like either remake. I have yet to like any of these remakes because they don't use orginal storylines or any of the original actiors. I did think the Jacqueline Smith cameo was kinda' cool-I'll give them that one.

I just took a look at IMDB (cause I wasn't sure if you were right), and it turns out only Bill Mury and David Doyle (John Bosley) played the same charactore. Bernie Mac was Jimmy Bosley (Johns Cousin I think lol). C.A. was a tv show that deffenetly could have used more ethnic diversity. It was the 70's and they had Pam Grier out there kicking all sort of ass, and with the influx of Kung-Fu movies they could have easly worked in an Asian easly. They were fun to watch on tv but I was glad that I didn't drop any cash in someones hand directly to see it 😀.

Well we managed to agree on something... I think thats a good way to end it 😀

 

[Dussicar]

Although if you wanna talk weird, wasn't there an X-Men cartoon in the 80s that had Wolverine with an Australian accent? (i'm pretty sure I remember that) Now THAT made me go "WFT?"

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they did that. Cartoons in the eighties are many things, but consistent is not one of them.

I think that's why I get a kick out of watching old reruns of cartoons from when I was a kid.

50% of me goes "Hey! I remember this episode!" and the other fifty says "Jesus. I can't believe I used to watch this shit."

 

[jj82277]

This thread is being started to pull traffic from the Jessica Biel/JLA Movie thread that may be starting a new discussion on race and casting in movies.

Okay folks! Here's your chance to sound off! Should actors of one race be seriously considered to play characters that are historically of another race, or should a director's maintaining of race consistency between actor and character be considered part of having respect for the history of the character?

Would you go to see a movie with Beyoncé as Wonder Woman?

Would you like to see a Superman portrayed by Jet Li, or Batman by Denzel Washington?

Should we entertain the idea of Blade or Spawn's roles being played by Hugh Jackman or Christian Bale?

Could there be an Indian Spider-man?

Chow Yun Fat as Sherlock Holmes?

Wesley Snipes in a remake of "Fistful of Dollars" as "The Man with No Name"?

"The Odd Couple" with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker?

C'mon people! Where are your boundaries with this? Why or why wouldn't you let people do certain alternate-race roles?

NOTE: We're sticking just to fictional characters for the purposes of this thread, so no arguments about Robin Williams playing Martin Luther King in a biopic, or similar, should emerge.

Give us your thoughts!

for fictional charecters why should race matter?

 

[ghost_host_999]

Here's a few I thought of...

How about Keith David as Dr. Hannibal Lecter?
Let's see...Morgan Freeman as Sherlock Holmes?
here's a good one...How about Denzel Washington (Athos)...Ving Raimes...(Porthos)...and Jamie Foxx...(Aramis) as the 3 Musketeers?

 

[P[a]pi]

For me it just depends on the character and the actor. I can't have a set rule.