The Little Mermaid Controversy Continues

[Ifreann]

Including everyone instead of having nothing but white people does mean fewer white people. There are only so many films being made, you know.

I think what he means is specifically targeting white people to be removed/reduced from the role candidacy/actor pool (which would be racist, and what some people want), rather than just adding some more minorities to the existing pool (which would be fine.)

Diversity in media is when every role in every movie goes to white people *nods*

[Earth Orbit]

I think what he means is specifically targeting white people to be removed/reduced from the role candidacy/actor pool (which would be racist, and what some people want), rather than just adding some more minorities to the existing pool (which would be fine.)

Diversity in media is when every role in every movie goes to white people *nods*

Not sure how you extracted that from "let everyone regardless of race try for a part," but okay. The honest truth is that Hollywood films will almost always be majority white, because the majority of the US population and actor pool is white. Same with Bollywood movies - everyone is Indian. It's just demographics, not racism.

[Ifreann]

Honestly, stuff like this is the reason why racism still exists in the US... They keep bringing it up, even when it's not there.

Because saying that something is racist is what causes people to be racist. If we just stop calling things racist then there won't be any more racism.

[Salus Maior]

Or maybe Disney can just stop with the rehashes that are never as good as the originals?

[West Leas Oros 2]

I think what he means is specifically targeting white people to be removed/reduced from the role candidacy/actor pool (which would be racist, and what some people want), rather than just adding some more minorities to the existing pool (which would be fine.)

Diversity in media is when every role in every movie goes to white people *nods*

This is an impressive Strawman, truly a masterpiece of logical fallacies!

[Alvecia]

Diversity in media is when every role in every movie goes to white people *nods*

Not sure how you extracted that from "let everyone regardless of race try for a part," but okay.

What if you’re casting for the role of Obama?

[Earth Orbit]

Not sure how you extracted that from "let everyone regardless of race try for a part," but okay.

What if you’re casting for the role of Obama?

Then anyone could try out, but unless the black talent is spectacularly awful (unlikely) the part won't go to someone who isn't black, since realism and respect is important.

[West Leas Oros 2]

Not sure how you extracted that from "let everyone regardless of race try for a part," but okay.

What if you’re casting for the role of Obama?

Then I would still say "let anyone try", but I would, if I were a director, try to cast an actor that looked like Obama.

[Satuga]

This has been going on for a while, people claiming that because a lead role is a white person they must not be diverse. Honestly this literally just pushes the thought that "Diversity means less white people" which shouldn't be true at all, it should mean everyone is included not just one race/skin color.

Including everyone instead of having nothing but white people does mean fewer white people. There are only so many films being made, you know.

Well yeah of course it technically means that, but I'm more talking about people getting upset if anything but a extra is a white person lol

[Imperial Esplanade]

It's problematic to some if a non-white person is cast as Ariel. It's problematic to others if a white person is cast as Prince Eric.

The rest of us move on with life as healthy adults, because it's a children's movie and the color of the skin of the actors and actresses have zero effect on the roles they are intended to portray, or their ability to portray them.

[Earth Orbit]

It's problematic to some if a non-white person is cast as Ariel. It's problematic to others if a white person is cast as Prince Eric.

The rest of us move on with life as healthy adults, because it's a children's movie and the color of the skin of the actors and actresses have zero effect on the roles they are intended to portray, or their ability to portray them.

</thread>

[West Leas Oros 2]

It's problematic to some if a non-white person is cast as Ariel. It's problematic to others if a white person is cast as Prince Eric.

The rest of us move on with life as healthy adults, because it's a children's movie and the color of the skin of the actors and actresses have zero effect on the roles they are intended to portray, or their ability to portray them.

Which is likely zero, because we all know these live-action adaptations of Disney films end up being shit.

[Deacarsia]

This is stupid. The Little Mermaid is a Danish fairy tale anyway, and the fact that they feel the need to be “diverse” in casting at all is silly.

It is like asking a white actor to play Aladdin, or making Hua Mulan black.

[Alvecia]

What if you’re casting for the role of Obama?

Then I would still say "let anyone try", but I would, if I were a director, try to cast an actor that looked like Obama.

Which was the point I was trying to make.
"let everyone regardless of X" is great so long as the role your casting for can be anything. But if you have a specific creative vision for the role that you have made, then it seems reasonable to me to discriminate by the characteristics that you have in mind.

If you were interviewing for something like a desk job, then this shit doesn't matter. But for visual media, like films or TV, then what the actors/actresses look like does actually play a part.

[Deacarsia]

It's problematic to some if a non-white person is cast as Ariel. It's problematic to others if a white person is cast as Prince Eric.

The rest of us move on with life as healthy adults, because it's a children's movie and the color of the skin of the actors and actresses have zero effect on the roles they are intended to portray, or their ability to portray them.

I await the casting of an Vietnamese actor to play Malcolm X.

[Imperial Esplanade]

It's problematic to some if a non-white person is cast as Ariel. It's problematic to others if a white person is cast as Prince Eric.

The rest of us move on with life as healthy adults, because it's a children's movie and the color of the skin of the actors and actresses have zero effect on the roles they are intended to portray, or their ability to portray them.

I await the casting of an Vietnamese actor to play Malcolm X.

You would be the only one waiting for that to happen.

[Ifreann]

Diversity in media is when every role in every movie goes to white people *nods*

Not sure how you extracted that from "let everyone regardless of race try for a part," but okay.

It's perfectly simple. You seem to think that letting non-white people audition for parts is enough, just do that and there's no problem. But casting isn't a neutral process. It certainly isn't a strictly meritocratic process. So it could very easily happen that there would be nothing but white actors in every movie and apparently you would be fine with that.

[Deacarsia]

It's problematic to some if a non-white person is cast as Ariel. It's problematic to others if a white person is cast as Prince Eric.

The rest of us move on with life as healthy adults, because it's a children's movie and the color of the skin of the actors and actresses have zero effect on the roles they are intended to portray, or their ability to portray them.

Which is likely zero, because we all know these live-action adaptations of Disney films end up being shit.

Exactly. It is like Disney ran out of ideas, so they are recycling old ones.

I am sure that Walt Disney is rolling in his grave at the propaganda made by his movie studio.

[Imperial Esplanade]

It's problematic to some if a non-white person is cast as Ariel. It's problematic to others if a white person is cast as Prince Eric.

The rest of us move on with life as healthy adults, because it's a children's movie and the color of the skin of the actors and actresses have zero effect on the roles they are intended to portray, or their ability to portray them.

Which is likely zero, because we all know these live-action adaptations of Disney films end up being shit.

Then don't watch them, nobody is making you watch these remakes.

[Deacarsia]

Not sure how you extracted that from "let everyone regardless of race try for a part," but okay.

It's perfectly simple. You seem to think that letting non-white people audition for parts is enough, just do that and there's no problem. But casting isn't a neutral process. It certainly isn't a strictly meritocratic process. So it could very easily happen that there would be nothing but white actors in every movie and apparently you would be fine with that.

Ariel is white (Danish), Mulan is Asian (Chinese), and Aladdin is Arabic/Chinese depending on your adaptation. This is not hard, people!

Cast actors who match the parts!

[Imperial Esplanade]

It's perfectly simple. You seem to think that letting non-white people audition for parts is enough, just do that and there's no problem. But casting isn't a neutral process. It certainly isn't a strictly meritocratic process. So it could very easily happen that there would be nothing but white actors in every movie and apparently you would be fine with that.

Ariel is white (Danish), Mulan is Asian (Chinese), and Aladdin is Arabic/Chinese depending on your adaptation. This is not hard, people!

Cast actors who match the parts!

Ariel is a mermaid; thus according to your logic, anything less than a real-life mermaid is unacceptable. Is it not?

[Cekoviu]

It's perfectly simple. You seem to think that letting non-white people audition for parts is enough, just do that and there's no problem. But casting isn't a neutral process. It certainly isn't a strictly meritocratic process. So it could very easily happen that there would be nothing but white actors in every movie and apparently you would be fine with that.

Ariel is white (Danish), Mulan is Asian (Chinese), and Aladdin is Arabic/Chinese depending on your adaptation. This is not hard, people!

Ummm, doesn't Aladdin take place in Persia?

[Deacarsia]

Ariel is white (Danish), Mulan is Asian (Chinese), and Aladdin is Arabic/Chinese depending on your adaptation. This is not hard, people!

Cast actors who match the parts!

Ariel is a mermaid; thus according to your logic, anything less than a real-life mermaid is unacceptable. Is it not?

Yes, she is a mermaid, but mermaids do not exist. The story is Danish, and actors should match the look of the part. It is not that complicated. I would be upset if a black actor played Mulan or an Asian actor played Martin Luther King.

[Deacarsia]

Ariel is white (Danish), Mulan is Asian (Chinese), and Aladdin is Arabic/Chinese depending on your adaptation. This is not hard, people!

Ummm, doesn't Aladdin take place in Persia?

The original story is set in China, although the story was told by Syrian writer Hanna Diyab. Disney set in Arabia, however, since the story is part of One Thousand and One Nights; where exactly it takes place is uncertain, thought it definitely is somewhere in the Middle East.

[The Black Forrest]

Oh ffs. How about simply enjoying the production if it’s good? What is it with people looking for hidden evil meanings in everything? Do these people know the singer for two Disney Princesses was a Filipina?

It’s almost looks like both sides are running away from the color blind society.