Four caucasian actors: Seth Rogen, John Oliver, Billy Eichner and Amy Sedaris can all be heard in next summer's live-action remake of The Lion King. The question is: Why are so many white actors voicing animals native to Africa in an African-set story? It's not as though the animals colonized the continent. The staggering success of Black Panther has already proven that moviegoers will turn out in droves to see a movie set in Africa, comprised of a near total Black cast with African accents (Speaking of which, the fact that the new Lion King isn't filled with African accents as well certainly seems like a missed opportunity). Even if a certain segment of the audience has a problem with seeing Black people onscreen, that wouldn't really be an issue here given that the characters are lions, hyenas, warthogs, meerkats, monkeys, shrews and birds -- instead of actual people. Maybe this is Disney's idea of making American movies great again?
Ironically, the original 1994 film featured only five Black voice actors (James Earl Jones, Robert Guillame, Madge Sinclair, Niketa Calame and Whoopi Goldberg). However, one aspect of the casting at least was historically accurate: an African king (voiced by a Black man) is murdered and has his power usurped by a European (voiced by a white Englishman). So the casting choices made for the remake undoubtedly represent a marked improvement. So does the absence of racist caricatures in the form of animated hyenas.
Ironically, the original 1994 film featured only five Black voice actors (James Earl Jones, Robert Guillame, Madge Sinclair, Niketa Calame and Whoopi Goldberg). However, one aspect of the casting at least was historically accurate: an African king (voiced by a Black man) is murdered and has his power usurped by a European (voiced by a white Englishman). So the casting choices made for the remake undoubtedly represent a marked improvement. So does the absence of racist caricatures in the form of animated hyenas.
No white actors are set to appear in the live-action remake of Mulan. On the flipside of the earlier question, how many Black actors were cast to provide their vocal talents to the Scandinavian characters of Frozen? The answer is one: Maia Wilson. As it stands, Sterling K. Brown is the lone actor of African descent reported to have been cast in the upcoming sequel. Will the Indiana Jones franchise, scheduled to return in 2021, finally include a Black character after 30 years? A single Black actor has a speaking role in Dumbo (a remake of a film with racist caricatures to spare). If memory serves, only one Black actor (John Boyega) had a speaking role in 2017's The Last Jedi. He'll be joined by Billy Dee Williams in the next Star Wars Episode. Of course, Williams was the lone Black major character in the saga's first 22 years of existence. James Earl Jones (who also lent his vocal talents to The Lion King) famously supplied the voice for Darth Vader, a white character, because creator George Lucas wanted his mechanical voice to be 47 meters deep. I'm assuming the guy who played Lurch in "The Addams Family" wasn't available. I'm sure some of you will think: "It's only a movie. What's the big deal?" But that's the kind of thinking that allowed the Oscars to be so white for 90 years.
Originally Posted 12/30/18
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thanks for the information and posts
ReplyDeletelion king trilogy
No problem
DeleteBlack people aren't related to lions you idiot... Just because they both live in Africa don't mean they share the same DNA
ReplyDeleteMoron, the article never once said that Black people were related to lions. I can't wait for the day when basement-dwelling internet trolls learn reading comprehension.
DeleteShouldn't matter at all what color your skin is for a voice only role that has no basis in reality. The fact that people are being encouraged to worry about it, promotes racism. Ridiculous to cast people just so you can appear forward or win points with any group of people. Also racism. Wish everyone would get over it. Picking a scab IS ignorant. Yeah, remember the past, so mistakes aren't repeated, but why constantly opening old wounds. They won't really heal that way.
ReplyDeleteWhen you say "old wounds" are you referring to this past week? Because a white cop shot an unarmed Black man in the back seven times on camera just this past Sunday in Wisconsin. Tuesday night, a white teenager shot three Black Lives Matter protestors, two of whom died, with an assault rifle. Racism doesn't seem to need much promotion Karen.
DeleteThis article is trash. Who cares what race is the voice actor.
ReplyDeleteYou're trash. People who know that representation matters care.
Delete