Casting Aside

[soc_puppet]

Soooo, it seems as if Jesse McCartney has been replaced by Dev Patel for The Last Airbender?

I'm still a bit worried, actually. In addition to him being a potential "token Asian actor" ("Okay, guys, you've got your Asians, you can STFU already!"), my concerns are that both Katara and Sokka have canonically darker skin than Zuko, and also that Zuko plays something of an anti-villain for a good part of the story. For basically the whole first season, while Zuko is a sympathetic character, he's not really one of the "good guys", and he doesn't get to be until season three. Up until that point, the Gaang (as it stood) is still pretty much played by all white kids (assumptions made re: Noah Ringer).

It also looks like we've got an actor named for Suki: Jessica Jade Andres (picture here, second to last one). Suki definitely has less of a problem with being portrayed as a villain, but she also has considerably less screentime.

I dunno. I mean, it's a step in the right direction, sort-of, and I'll probably never be 100% happy with the cast, but... I did still kinda want Katara and Sokka to keep their pigment, yanno? I guess I may just have to live with what I can get, though :/

Edit: Oh thank God, I thought I was the only one still dissatisfied DD: I feel better about myself now.

Comments

[candy--chan.livejournal.com]

Oh goodness gracious...

Given what I saw in that interview that girlquinn C&P'd on her journal (in which McCartney actually said that there were ninjas in the show, amidst a whole crap-ton of other poorly-worded misinformation that had even a casual Avatar fan such as myself wincing), I'd say that ANYONE is an improvement. Particularly if that anyone has actually, ya know, seen the source material at some point.

It's a step in the right direction, I'll give it that much. Although the official reason is that there was a scheduling conflict, it'd be nice to think that the fandom's campaign has made some difference. But what's burning me right now is the suggestion someone made that M.Night wants to play Iroh. NO, NO, AND AGAIN I SAY NO.

[soc_puppet]

God, that interview gave me such a headache. I mean, I'll give him acting points for how he did with Roxas, but that doesn't mean he's the right person to portray Our Lord Zuzu, In All His Failfulness.

That is definitely the official reason; I did see in a couple other places before this that he'd actually intended to cancel his tour dates in order to train for the movie, so I'm somewhat hopeful that it's only press-speak and that we have actually gotten through to them somewhat. Still, we shall have to see what becomes of the other actors. (In one article, at least, it mentioned that Jackson had already "worked out" a New Moon related scheduling conflict with the movie - perhaps he may have to "re-prioritize" it >D)

I'm telling myself now that one's just a rumor, but it's still an annoying one. NO, Mr Shyamalan, you do not get to disrespect Mako that way >:O

[candy--chan.livejournal.com]

I know. I've enjoyed a couple of McCartney's voice-acting roles, but...if he can't even be bothered to watch the source material and know the character he's playing before he starts speaking about it, that doesn't bode well at all. I heard that the kid who played Draco in the HP movies was the only one who hadn't read the books when he was cast. First thing he did when he got the part was start reading.

My own feelings just went on my LJ, for what they're worth. It'll be interesting to see where this goes. And honestly, it's nice to see that people do care about racism. It bothers me that people are saying that they only care about the issue because it's affecting their "precious cartoon," but I say that most people don't have cause to get worked up about something until they become aware of it by being affected by it. And if it gets people talking, then I'm all for it.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is just a rumor. I know M.Night does do cameos in his movies, and so I'm telling myself that playing Iroh is not a cameo, it's a full-blown part, so it can't possibly be true...right? *clings to hope*

[soc_puppet]

Amen to that!

I saw and commented :3 "[M]ost people don't have cause to get worked up about something until they become aware of it by being affected by it." THIS. This this this this. Just. Yes.

Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll instead appear as someone edited him in as the Cabbage Merchant ♥

[soc_puppet]

FOUND IT, whee!

[ytak.livejournal.com]

You know who M. Night needs to play? Cabbageman. XDDD

[girlquinn.livejournal.com]

*this is the only Avatar icon I have...*

I too hope M. Night is going to be the Cabbage Man. That would be fun.

And then on capslock_atla, they were tossing around the idea of Iroh being played by Mickey Rooney. But isn't he dead? But they're all sorts of wonderful crazy over there, haha.

As for Jesse McCartney's skill as an actor, I've only seen him on Disney Channel cameos and that one show on the WB Summerland(?? title not sure of). My sister just cracks up about the whole idea because when she was younger, she used to like the boyband he was a part of, Dreamstreet... who also had a song on the Pokemon soundtrack (why am I still talking about this??).

I'm actually surprised on the casting, since the story is so buried in other cultures. Like the Fire Nation, a mix of Chinese, Japanese and Korean. The Water Tribes are obviously Eskimo/Inuit/native cultures... Maybe once I see them in costume, all will be well?

[soc_puppet]

*replies with "It's time for cartoons!" icon*

I wouldn't mind it. It would be a step up from the Iroh rumor - which I'm betting is just a rumor, but still.

I think that might be because of his yellowface acting in Breakfast At Tiffany's? And according to Wikipedia, he's still around. Are you thinking of Bob Hope, maybe?

I've only really heard him on Kingdom Hearts 2 (Roxas). I can't say I hate him as a person or as an actor (especially with the limited knowledge of his skills as I possess), but these roles really should be going to actors that, you know, aren't Caucasian.

If they try and just cover things up with a tan, I will be so pissed it's not even funny. As of right now, there is only the slimmest chance that I'll be paying any money to see this film.

[woodburner.livejournal.com]

Anything is an improvement over that twit McCartney, but this presents all sorts of problems. Not least among them the fact that this means a PoC is going to be chasing little white kids around and trying to kill them for the whole movie. No one is satisfied with this.

[soc_puppet]

Yes, that is exactly what worries me with this choice, thank you.

[juneaddams.livejournal.com]

I have the biggest crush on Patel ( he basically carries Slumdog Millionaire on his scrawny eighteen year-old shoulder, it's amazing) so it was like 'YAY!' and then 'OH SHI--Shyamalan's project? Whyyyy?'

....lurker here.

[soc_puppet]

Y-yeah, I was also less than hopeful when he was announced. I mean, my hopes were bolstered by people who pointed out that it was more his writing than his directing that sucked, and really, with Mike and Bryan supposedly working closely with him on the script, it couldn't suck too bad - and then the casting disasters happened, so. Right now my only chance is if my hope comes back as a zombie.

Yay, lurker! \o\ *flops on*

[ningen-demonai.livejournal.com]

Hah. Hahahah. Well, at least they changed probably the whitest cast member. |D;

*random commenter*

[girlquinn.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I snickering right now because I'm trying my best not to LOL in class.

[ningen-demonai.livejournal.com]

*Bows all fancy-like and whatnot ♥*

[soc_puppet]

Well, the blondest, maybe :/ I'd still say Jackson and what's-her-face looked paler in the announcement photos.

[ningen-demonai.livejournal.com]

I think McCartney is like the poster boy of "pretty white boy" though! Although yeah, they do look a bit paler. Skin tinting ahoy?

[soc_puppet]

A poster boy, definitely, though by now I'm pretty sure what's-his-face from High School Musical has usurped the throne. God, I hope not >_< Paaaaain D:

[ningen-demonai.livejournal.com]

Augh, we do not speak of him. :/ *Peeeeets*