Black Thor Actor Talks About Racist Comic Book Fans
- Thread starter Logan Westbrook
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Actually, yes i support those "racists" who flourish their mythology and culture. But knowing that this is a movie based on comics, well I can just say comic writers always speculated on widely known cultural aspects, never going deeper into understanding. Also like Moviebob said "COMICS ARE WEEEEEIIIIRD", they are never accurate. I have no hatred on other races, but mythology is sacred for me, scandinavian gods were not black, they didn't even saw a black man then, also how would you feel when someone placed white men as american indians in a movie about them, wait... didn't that was exactly what hollywood did? yeah... and they have got the same "racist" critique. I guess black people is somehow very sensitive about their race. This is complete historical inaccuracy not because he's black, but because there was no black norse gods.
...all's well that ends well. Let us bury the hatchet and wait for Captain America movie with some Asian or Arab chick in role of Steve Rogers. That's indifferent nowadays.
This is one of the reasons that the issue needs more discussion. I agree that this looks like a double standard, but there's a little more to it that that. A non-white actor playing a character that you might have traditionally considered to be white - as is the case with Idris Elba playing Heimdall - isn't really the same as a white actor playing a character who is definitely not white, as was the case in The Last Airbender.Jenx said:
Avatar: The Last Airbender was notable for being one of the few major cartoon shows where the main characters were all people of color. Although it's set in a fantasy world, the show takes a lot of inspiration from Asian and Inuit culture. With the majority of movie parts already going to white actors, when Paramount took a show that was known for its cultural diversity and cast even more white actors in the live-action adaptation, people were upset. What made it worse is that some strange wording on the casting directions, which called for "Caucasian, or any other race," seemed to indicate that the producers were looking to cast white actors from the start.
Now, you could make the argument that Paramount simply cast the best actors for the job, but you could also make the argument that the casting process was deliberately weighted to favor white actors. One seems a little naive, and the other seems a little cynical, and the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.
The key point, however, is that without the context is does look like a double standard, which is one of the biggest parts of the problem.
it's not a conspiracy theory, it's more than obvious that hollywood has a very strong liberal slant and will do anything to promote their agendalSHaDoW-FoXl said:
hollywood was more than willing to loose hundreds of millions of dolars on shitty anti-iraq war movies that no one watched but critics loved and atleast one of which was used as propaganda that lead to the killing of 2 US servicemen in the shooting in germany, to deny the obvious liberal agenda of hollywood is absurd
No, not at all, that's why i'm said that part where comics are inaccurate as hell, only a speculation on names. Also i haven't read those comics and didn't saw the movie, on my part it was same speculationstoprequesting said:
Ignoring race, he sure can pull off the "Space God" look pretty well and really he is well cast.
I think the comic book guys put their foot in their mouth as they got anal about supposed importance of the universe canon and lacked the social skills they were still doing racial discrimination.
I'm not saying ALL racial discrimination is bad, it is perfectly reasonable to say advise a pale skinned person to be careful not to get sunburned, or express concern over a dark skinned person living in high latitudes to ensure they consume enough Vitamin D (that is produced slower in dark skin, even slower where the days are short and sun low).
But racial discrimination on something as far fetched as Fantasy Space Gods. Let it go.
Maybe it would have been better if the fans merely asked for an explanation why this part was such a distinct race from the others, but no, they objected to him EVEN BEING THERE! That's bad. That is denying a talented and suited black actor the role he deserves, and also denying the audience the best talent for the role.
Maybe the film just needed a reference to how he IS Nordic, and a God but racially came from Africa or some African equivalent. Or whatever.
It doesn't matter to me. If I'm able to look over how they all speak perfect modern english I'll look over inconsistent races, especially if I know it helps with casting.
Not many actors can really pull off the Space-God look, and narrowing to white actors would be too limited anyway.
I think the comic book guys put their foot in their mouth as they got anal about supposed importance of the universe canon and lacked the social skills they were still doing racial discrimination.
I'm not saying ALL racial discrimination is bad, it is perfectly reasonable to say advise a pale skinned person to be careful not to get sunburned, or express concern over a dark skinned person living in high latitudes to ensure they consume enough Vitamin D (that is produced slower in dark skin, even slower where the days are short and sun low).
But racial discrimination on something as far fetched as Fantasy Space Gods. Let it go.
Maybe it would have been better if the fans merely asked for an explanation why this part was such a distinct race from the others, but no, they objected to him EVEN BEING THERE! That's bad. That is denying a talented and suited black actor the role he deserves, and also denying the audience the best talent for the role.
Maybe the film just needed a reference to how he IS Nordic, and a God but racially came from Africa or some African equivalent. Or whatever.
It doesn't matter to me. If I'm able to look over how they all speak perfect modern english I'll look over inconsistent races, especially if I know it helps with casting.
Not many actors can really pull off the Space-God look, and narrowing to white actors would be too limited anyway.
not reading the whole thread... sorry
I will say this. As an African American, i do know that if a traditionally black character was arbitrarily turned white it would definitely rile some people up. Nordic mythology is the epitome of white culture, so i do understand why some are annoyed by this. however it doesn't require as much of a fit that is being thrown here.
I will say this. As an African American, i do know that if a traditionally black character was arbitrarily turned white it would definitely rile some people up. Nordic mythology is the epitome of white culture, so i do understand why some are annoyed by this. however it doesn't require as much of a fit that is being thrown here.
He was awesome in the role, although I knew next to nothing about the thor character before going to see the movie. I didn't question why a black guy was in asgard. He made more sense then most of the other canon things in marvel comics lets face it.
it's just stupid
he was surely not casted because he was a good actor but solely to cause some controversy
you don't need to be racist to know that thor is traditionally white
you wouldn't cast a bunch of white guys to depict an african tribe either
people are just too touchy about that issue
they need to acknowledge that humans have races and that people belong to races and that races have distinct attributes that distinguishes them(be it on the inside or outside)
it certainly doesn't help to push equality with that kind of activism
in the end we are not equal and people need to understand that and don't call racist on anybody who points out the obvious differences
he was surely not casted because he was a good actor but solely to cause some controversy
you don't need to be racist to know that thor is traditionally white
you wouldn't cast a bunch of white guys to depict an african tribe either
people are just too touchy about that issue
they need to acknowledge that humans have races and that people belong to races and that races have distinct attributes that distinguishes them(be it on the inside or outside)
it certainly doesn't help to push equality with that kind of activism
in the end we are not equal and people need to understand that and don't call racist on anybody who points out the obvious differences
So no one would object to Gordon Freeman being played by...
Morgan Freeman~? All kidding aside I thought Idris did a great job playing his part but DESPITE this I still think they could've chosen another member of the pantheon for him to play that wasn't oh so ironically titled "The white god".
Whatever the case, the films out now so I see little point in argueing this fact.
Morgan Freeman~? All kidding aside I thought Idris did a great job playing his part but DESPITE this I still think they could've chosen another member of the pantheon for him to play that wasn't oh so ironically titled "The white god".
Whatever the case, the films out now so I see little point in argueing this fact.
This is an outrage!!! It's not like anyone ever took a Galilean Jew and scion of King David and presented him as a blue-eyed European for almost 2000 years.
Oh wait...
Or made the cast of a fantasy movie featuring entirely Asian characters and made the entire cast white... er...
Oh wait...
Or made the cast of a fantasy movie featuring entirely Asian characters and made the entire cast white... er...