Critic Accuses Prince of Persia of "Whitewashing"

[Andy Chalk]

Critic Accuses Prince of Persia of "Whitewashing"

Independent filmmaker Jehanzeb Dar says the upcoming Jake Gyllenhaal film Prince of Persia [http://adisney.go.com/disneypictures/princeofpersia/] is "insulting" because a Caucasian rather than a Persian was cast in the lead role.

It seems obvious enough that a movie entitled Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time would be about a prince, or at least a princely guy, of the Persian persuasion. But the actor playing said prince isn't Persian at all; he's a blue-eyed dude from Los Angeles named Jake [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0350453/]. In Dar's opinion, it's a clear case of "whitewashing" - casting white actors to play ethnic characters.

"This part really needed to go to someone who's Persian," Dar said. "It's not only insulting to Persians, it's also insulting to white people. It's saying white people can't enjoy movies unless the protagonist is white."

Similar criticisms were leveled at Racebending.com [http://www.thelastairbendermovie.com/]. "It's 2010."

While there's no doubt some merit to the complaint, I think it's also fair to suggest that Gyllenhaal was given the role in large part because he's a known commodity who can carry a summer blockbuster. The Last Airbender star Twilight [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1717152/] alumnus and that probably counts for something. Maybe there's some latent racism at work here, but I think it's safe to say that a good old-fashioned hunger for money has a lot to do with it too.

Source: Yahoo! Movies [http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/critics-airbender-prince-were-whitewashed-ap]


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[hudsonzero]

i didn't really care about the ethnicity as long as the prince goes about his jumpy platformy business

 

[WrongSprite]

"It's not only insulting to Persians, it's also insulting to white people. It's saying white people can't enjoy movies unless the protagonist is white."

Bullshit, in that case he's saying that he can't enjoy movie unless the protagonist is Persian, which is a similar train of thought. He had an English accent in the games, why not the movie? There's a stupidly big deal made over this, it's pathetic, I mean, PoP is hardly noted for it's realism, no?

 

[Crayzor]

This is stupid. It's only called Prince of Perisa because the games it's based on are. If the fact that it was set in Persia was vital to the plot, I would agree that they should have gotten a Persian actor, but, as far as I can see, it isn't.

 

[Cheesebob]

Isn't the Prince white in the games?

 

[Tzekelkan]

Meh, I don't mind about "whitewashing", but I guess it's because I'm used to it. Many video game protagonists have American accents even if they're aliens or whatever (like Yahtzee is so keen on pointing out every time he can). I'm just happy that Jake Gylethingie looks like the Prince (and they kept the awesome red belt he wears).

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

As long as the movie is good and does a fair amount of respect to the series on which it's based i don't really give a fuck what actor plays him..except for Gyllenhaal I just plain don't like him

 

[zidine100]

They are acting you fool.

I dont see you getting up in arms when men act as femalesv in the theatre.
or humans act as vampires.
or people voice giant mechs.
or humans acting as (the blue people from avatar).

not everything has to be realistic does it?

actors should be given the role because well, they are good actors not because of theres a race requirement because of where the film is set.
(note i havent seen the film so i cant judge the quality of the acting itself).

if there seriously saying this, then why arent you complaing becuase they arent speeking Persian (sp?).

 

[WrongSprite]

While there's no doubt some merit to the complaint, I think it's also fair to suggest that Gyllenhaal was given the role in large part because he's a known commodity who can carry a summer blockbuster.

What? Jake isn't known at all, he's only been a supporting actor in a few movies. He's never carried a lead role in a significant movie, let alone a summer blockbuster.

Um, you seem to be forgetting his lead roles in October Sky, Donnie Darko, The day after tomorrow, Jarhead and Brokeback Mountain.

 

[new_age_reject]

While there's no doubt some merit to the complaint, I think it's also fair to suggest that Gyllenhaal was given the role in large part because he's a known commodity who can carry a summer blockbuster.

What? Jake isn't known at all, he's only been a supporting actor in a few movies. He's never carried a lead role in a significant movie, let alone a summer blockbuster.

Jarhead?
On topic; I agree, it's (almost) the same as casting stupid Russel Crowe as Robin Hood, or Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Homes.

 

[anthony87]

According to the OP I should be insulted.

I'm not.

Interesting..........

 

[Arkhangelsk]

Who cares if he's white? Do they seriously think that the ones who gave him the role thought "Nooo, no Persians, we hate those bastards"? They chose him, because they think he's a good actor fitting for the role and personality. In fact, they should be called racist for making such a big deal of it. They're so caught up in their fear of racism that they become it themselves.

 

[Nerf Ninja]

Oh no the dreaded white people are coming!

Maybe if we had a famous bankable Persian actor in Hollywood he would have been chosen, unfortunately we don't.

I'm more confused about the accents, I mean why an English accent at all?

It was a pretty good accent but why did an American actor have to put on an English accent for a film set in Persia?

 

[internetzealot1]

Its just a damn movie. We can just "pretend" he's Persian. God, minorities these days...

Also, the characters in Avatar didn't strike me as particularly Asian. The world, yes, but not the characters. And the kid they've casted for Ang (Aang?) looks pretty much as close as you could get to the character. And what is he? White? Oh.

 

[Woodsey]

Maybe no Persian actors applied for the role, maybe a few did but they weren't good enough, maybe they weren't well known enough to star in a Summer blockbuster.

I'm pretty sure that I don't know of any particularly famous Persian actors.

 

[Exterminas]

I can understand the issue, thougth of it myself actually, and remember there was a similar story up, back when it was announced that ben kingsley would play ghandi. I think it depends on the actor, which means that gillenhal is under the pressure of delivering a great performance to justify his ethnicy.