Comments on: Casting Decisions for Shyamalan’s ‘The Last Airbender’

By: The Dane

The Dane — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:46:57 +0000

I saw someone comment that now they were hoping for "creative differences" and "spending time with family" for the rest of the cast :P The Danes last blog post..20081119.ChurchLies

By: Carissa Smith

Carissa Smith — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:43:23 +0000

WHEEEEEE!!!!! Not exactly the part of Asia I was imagining, but oh well. At least Dev Patel is a good actor. Now can we arrange “scheduling conflicts” for the rest of the non-Asian cast?

By: The Dane

The Dane — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:36:43 +0000

Update: Zuko is no longer white. He is instead a quiz show victor. The Danes last blog post..20081119.ChurchLies

By: AtLA’s Friky Diky Cast Media Coverage Roundup! (Under Work) « Lemon Water

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 06:51:27 +0000

[...] Casting Decisions for Shyamalan’s ‘The Last Airbender’ – Carissa Smith @ Christ and Pop Culture [Dec. 13, 2008] [...]

By: Carissa Smith

Carissa Smith — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 12:56:59 +0000

That's pretty cool. I'm reminded that I *can* write a letter to the studio, in addition to publicly complaining and lamenting. I know 21 got some critiques last spring for casting white actors in Asian American roles . . . but the issue didn't seem to get the wide and lasting attention it deserved. At least Avatar has a pretty rabid fan base that studios might actually listen to.

By: The Dane

The Dane — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 06:02:28 +0000

If anyone is interested, Korean indie-comic creator Derek Kirk Kim (one of my favs) posted a big deal on Avatar's casting choices. You can pick up the link in this link, an article from The Beat that contains lively and helpful discussion of the difficulties both facing Asian American actors and standing in the way of the Caucasian as an obstacle to seeing race as others do. The Danes last blog post..20081119.ChurchLies

By: This Matters: Avatar the Last Airbender’s Friky Diky Cast « Lemon Water

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 04:42:09 +0000

[...] Casting Decisions for Shyamalan’s ‘The Last Airbender’ – Carissa Smith @ Christ and Pop Culture [...]

By: The Dane

The Dane — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 02:02:42 +0000

Ohh, how 'bout the live action Akira adaptation. Word is, the film might take place in America instead of Neo-Tokyo. The Danes last blog post..20081119.ChurchLies

By: Alan Noble

Alan Noble — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:17 +0000

Carissa,

I was just picking on you. Obviously it’s disturbing whenever directors take a story which is so embedded in a specific culture/race and make all the characters white to appeal to American audiences. The Dragon Ball movie features a very white Goku. Makes me wanna punch someone, frankly. Or at least busta kamaha maha (sp?) on them.

That Avatar post sounds like a great idea, especially if you follow the show and have some insight! Do it!

By: Carissa

Carissa — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:16:29 +0000

@Alan: It did kind of sound like that's what I was saying, didn't it? I just meant the overwhelmingly white cast is jarring with the Asian visual motifs and philosophy (well, Westernized version of Asian philosophy) of Avatar. But for all I know, Shyamalan may be jettisoning all of that anyway. You know what? I should write a post on the Avatar series sometime, because the way they use Eastern religions/philosophies is interesting--I think they do it in a way that isn't as spiritually dangerous to kids as a lot of the New-Agey shows of my youth may have been. Avatar's definitely not Christian, but it's not pushing a specific alternative belief system either. Anyway, more on that later . . .

By: Alan Noble

Alan Noble — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 22:34:15 +0000

Carissa, are you suggesting that white people can’t do martial arts? Have we forgotten Chuck Norris so quickly?

But seriously, look up the live action Dragon Ball movie for something truly horrifying.

By: The Dane

The Dane — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 21:46:46 +0000

For the still young, pursuing a career in casting seems to be a pretty healthy choice as there is apparently no real competition. Add to the Last Airbender bit, the apparent casting (a.k.a. colossal miscasting) of Shia LaBeouf as Yorick Brown in the upcoming Y: The Last Man.

This kind of casting fiasco is the butt of many jokes, but particularly this comic:
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2008/12/10/comic-critics-26/

The Danes last blog post..20081119.ChurchLies