Generally speaking, whitewashing is wrong because it takes away potential work from people of color, as there's a large disproportionate amount of white people working in the entertainment business. It's much easier for a white actor to get a job for instance than a POC.
Prior to the 21st century, you'll usually find whitewashing in most movies or shows. It's just something you kind have to accept of it's time because that was common practice, it wasn't viewed as a problem. In fact, I don't think people really started addressing the problem of whitewashing until the 2010's... I think Avatar the Last Airbender film was the first time I heard criticism over whitewashing the cast.
Nowadays, whitewashing is paid attention too and criticized, with studios being more careful about casting the appropriate actor for the part. But even so, it still happens sometimes even today.
I'm currently re-watching Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and one of my favorite villains is Hector Salamanca, played by Mark Margolis. I think he's perfect in the role, even his corny accent is kind of endearing. But it's a white dude playing a Mexican.
Whitewashing has also been criticized in animated shows and movies, as well as video games. Heck, on the subject of Avatar, even the animated show has a fair of amount of whitewashing, having voice actors such as Mae Whitman, Mark Hamill, Cricket Leigh, Victor Brandt, Robert Patrick, Jack DeSena, and more voicing Asian characters. But I love all those performances on the show.
So I guess my question is, how should we feel when a great performance is also one that's been whitewashed?
Prior to the 21st century, you'll usually find whitewashing in most movies or shows. It's just something you kind have to accept of it's time because that was common practice, it wasn't viewed as a problem. In fact, I don't think people really started addressing the problem of whitewashing until the 2010's... I think Avatar the Last Airbender film was the first time I heard criticism over whitewashing the cast.
Nowadays, whitewashing is paid attention too and criticized, with studios being more careful about casting the appropriate actor for the part. But even so, it still happens sometimes even today.
I'm currently re-watching Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and one of my favorite villains is Hector Salamanca, played by Mark Margolis. I think he's perfect in the role, even his corny accent is kind of endearing. But it's a white dude playing a Mexican.
Whitewashing has also been criticized in animated shows and movies, as well as video games. Heck, on the subject of Avatar, even the animated show has a fair of amount of whitewashing, having voice actors such as Mae Whitman, Mark Hamill, Cricket Leigh, Victor Brandt, Robert Patrick, Jack DeSena, and more voicing Asian characters. But I love all those performances on the show.
So I guess my question is, how should we feel when a great performance is also one that's been whitewashed?