Jake Gyllenhaal as the Prince of Persia - and the issue with Race

[axia777]

Jake Gyllenhaal is playing the Prince of Persia in the movie as some of you well know. While I admit he is a great actor and has a face that is money in the bank for studios I find it very troubling. Jerry Bruckheimer Films somehow decided that casting a white man in the place of a Persian man would be all right. Some people may shrug away the idea of this and ask what the problem is. As a white man some might assume that I find no issue with it. But I do. I wonder how people of the Persian/ Middle Eastern persuasions feel about this.

I know it is just a movie based on some video game that will most likely suck. But take this into account. A few decades ago it was common for White people to play as Asians. During the time it was common to negatively stereotype Asians in the manner. While I don't think it will happen with the POP:Sand of Time movie, I do find it troubling that Hollywood still find it ok to cast White people in the place of of other races. The old practice of White people in the place of Native Americans also applies. It was just offensive to me.

Why is this offensive to me? It seems to belittle the idea that some one of Persian decent would be appealing as the lead role in a movie of this sort. The character IS the Prince of Persia after all. Maybe the studio just felt they needed to bank on a familiar face. It is greed based then. But maybe they felt that in today's America having an actual person of Middle Eastern decent playing a character of Middle Eastern decent would be offensive to people who are racist against people from that area. They are trying to make a safer bet to make the movie safe for people to watch with out getting offended. That to me would be just wrong as it is submitting to the people with racist beliefs. They should ignore this kind of bullshit and cast characters from the races that they are.

 

[mattttherman3]

Well I agree with you and I will suggest an actor that could Play the part. http://michiko280.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/kumar.jpg

Sorry but he is the only Arabic actor I can think of at the moment.

 

[Hunde Des Krieg]

Well I agree with you and I will suggest an actor that could Play the part. http://michiko280.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/kumar.jpg

Sorry but he is the only Arabic actor I can think of at the moment.

Make him up right and he could probably pull it off.

 

[TwistedEllipses]

I was always struck by how prince of persia: sands of time gave all the characters mock-english accents...

There aren't really any big Iranian actors (The Persian capital being in modern day Iran) so you would have to get an unknown, not that that's a problem. Studios seem to think you always need a big name to sell a film, but sometimes an unknown actor adds an added level of realism a film...

 

[wewontdie11]

I don't really see the issue so long as they don't portray the prince talking with a ridiculous accent or making "durka" noises. The experience would seem a little more authentic with somebody of the correct ancestry portraying the part, but I see nothing sinister in casting a white person to play role of differing ethnicity. It's probably the case that Gyllenhaal was the best man for the job. I would think it more racist or offensive if he were denied the role, in spite of his acting prowess and his suitability for the character, because of the colour of his skin.

 

[axia777]

Well I agree with you and I will suggest an actor that could Play the part. http://michiko280.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/kumar.jpg

Sorry but he is the only Arabic actor I can think of at the moment.

He is the only one I can find as of now too. But I am sure that some awesome Persian actor is out there that would have fit the bill.

 

[perfectimo]

How about the guess who played the Giglo in the original Deuce Bigalo?

 

[Pigeon_Grenade]

ya.... at one point white people were painted black to fill those roles,as well as having them Act like Whatever race they happen to need at the time, id hoped we would be beyond this stuff Already... but i suppose sadly Not

 

[Arionis]

Well, the prince has always looked more white to me than anyone else, maybe that's because I haven't seen too many Persians, who knows, but I can see where you are coming from with this.

However, I also agree with WewontDie.

I would think it more racist or offensive if he were denied the role, in spite of his acting prowess and his suitability for the character, because of the colour of his skin.

 

[perfectimo]

Well, the prince has always looked more white to me than anyone else, maybe that's because I haven't seen too many Persians, who knows, but I can see where you are coming from with this.

However, I also agree with WewontDie.

I would think it more racist or offensive if he were denied the role, in spite of his acting prowess and his suitability for the character, because of the colour of his skin.

Would you think it stupid to put a black person to act in a role for George Bush? Somebody like Omar Epps off House?

 

[Cousin_IT]

Big budget summer blockbuster = Hollywood regular a must for the main role. Its just the way the system works. Only "ethnically accurate" actors I could think of with any name recognition in the US are Kal Penn, or maybe Oded Fehr. Id have liked Irrfan Khan to play it but that had a snowballs chance in hell

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

I don't really see the issue so long as they don't portray the prince talking with a ridiculous accent or making "durka" noises. The experience would seem a little more authentic with somebody of the correct ancestry portraying the part, but I see nothing sinister in casting a white person to play role of differing ethnicity. It's probably the case that Gyllenhaal was the best man for the job. I would think it more racist or offensive if he were denied the role, in spite of his acting prowess and his suitability for the character, because of the colour of his skin.

But I am sure there have been plenty of other roles where this has happened, and the only time I think this is right is when it is a part that is an ethnicity other than Caucasian.

It makes no sense for them to make all of the minor roles or some of the major roles played by middle eastern people, but then make the central protagonist white. There is nothing wrong with this in a way, but Why do such a thing when you can get an equally (sometimes even better) talented eastern character that fits the bill perfectly, like you have said in the ancestry part.

On the flip side though, would you see something wrong with casting a black man or middle eastern man to play the role of a differing ethnicity, say Roman or spanish?


And this hasn't exactly been done before, but I remember a similar thread to this, I think it was about James Bond.

 

[Unimagined]

When we think back to the games I didn't see anyone complain that the Prince wasn't made of 'Persian pixels'. I may be wrong but the chap that did the motion capture for the moves in the game was American too.

I do see what you're saying, that it could be more accurate, but by the same token the game is a product of western culture so perhaps casting Jake Gyllenhaall was, in fact, a faithful move.

It's a movie based on a game at the end of the day rather than a historical re-enactment of actual events. Even if it was, there have been some decent enough films or performances starring actors playing characters of a different geological or ethnic origin. Granted, there have been terrible ones too, but that's the movies for you.

 

[Avatar Roku]

I'm conflicted. On one hand, I feel that, since the prince was written as Persian (British accent notwithstanding)in the game, he should be Persian in the movie. On the other hand, denying Gyllenhaal the role just because he's white is just as racist.

 

[GPScorpio]

I wonder how people of the Persian/ Middle Eastern persuasions feel about this.

I find it hilarious.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

Isn't there an arab guy in that show Lost?

Jesus I completely forgot about him, he could have played this part well!

I was almost thinking Sendhil Ramamurthy too (Mohinder Suresh from Heroes) but I don't think so now.

 

[back5]

Are you seriously referring to a white man playing a Persian man in the PoP film is even remotely racist. Jake Gyllenhaal is a good actor. If they are trying to be greedy then thats that or perhaps they want a good actor playing the role. Since they can't solely market it towards video game enthusiasts to make a profit, which is why movies, or even the beloved games we play are made, they need to attract other people. Would I rather someone else play it? perhaps, but its not cause im racists. Also, comparing the "black face" which purposely depicted African Americans as stupid during a time of racism and hatred is different then trying to ether make money or get a famous actor to play someone.

 

[axia777]

Isn't there an arab guy in that show Lost?

Yah, but that guy is of Indian descent. His parents are from India. But that is closer.

I wonder how people of the Persian/ Middle Eastern persuasions feel about this.

I find it hilarious.

Why is it funny? I would imagine some just don't give a crap, but then I would imagine some do.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

Jake Gyllenhaal is playing the Prince of Persia in the movie as some of you well know. While I admit he is a great actor and has a face that is money in the bank for studios I find it very troubling. Jerry Bruckheimer Films somehow decided that casting a white man in the place of a Persian man would be all right. Some people may shrug away the idea of this and ask what the problem is. As a white man some might assume that I find no issue with it. But I do. I wonder how people of the Persian/ Middle Eastern persuasions feel about this.

I know it is just a movie based on some video game that will most likely suck. But take this into account. A few decades ago it was common for White people to play as Asians. During the time it was common to negatively stereotype Asians in the manner. While I don't think it will happen with the POP:Sand of Time movie, I do find it troubling that Hollywood still find it ok to cast White people in the place of of other races. The old practice of White people in the place of Native Americans also applies. It was just offensive to me.

Why is this offensive to me? It seems to belittle the idea that some one of Persian decent would be appealing as the lead role in a movie of this sort. The character IS the Prince of Persia after all. Maybe the studio just felt they needed to bank on a familiar face. It is greed based then. But maybe they felt that in today's America having an actual person of Middle Eastern decent playing a character of Middle Eastern decent would be offensive to people who are racist against people from that area. They are trying to make a safer bet to make the movie safe for people to watch with out getting offended. That to me would be just wrong as it is submitting to the people with racist beliefs. They should ignore this kind of bullshit and cast characters from the races that they are.

I agree with the natives part, I think it is okay when they make a valid reason for it (adopted into the family, like in Last of the Mohicans) but I still think it is a cop out.

But all in all, this is definitely bullshit, and I don't like it one bit.