38 Instances of Racism and Blatant Whitewashing in Hollywood

Looks like Hollywood still has a long way to go
38 Instances of Racism and Blatant Whitewashing in Hollywood

If you’re expecting every entry on this list to be from several decades ago, you’d be sadly mistaken. Hollywood’s issues with racial insensitivity are an ongoing battle that some diligent people in the industry are speaking out against. Obviously, the issue isn’t able to be squashed overnight, but by chipping away at it, we can hope to see some serious changes in the near future.

In the meantime, here are a few “what not to dos” for future film and TV creators…

Aloha

ALOHA CRACKED.COM Aloha from Emma Stone? Cameron Crowe faced a ton of controversy in 2015 for casting Emma Stone as Allison Ng, whose father is half-Chinese and half-Native Hawaiian. Although Crowe stated that her heritage wasn't immediately apparent, he now realizes the importance of representation.

Ghost in the Shell

GHOST IN BE THE SHELL CRACKED.COM Scarlett Johansson came under fire for taking on the lead role in 2017's Ghost in the Shell. Masamune Shirow's Manga series has an entirely Japanese cast, including Johansson's character, Major Motoko Kusanagi, and a petition circulated to recast the role.

Associations for Stuntwomen and Black Stuntmen

Historical Firsts in The World of Stunts Associations for stuntwomen 1967 and black stuntmen In 1967, The Stunt Women's Association helped put an end to wigging (a wigged man doubling as a woman), and the Black Stuntmen's Association put an end to paint downs (white stuntmen using makeup to double as various races). Yeesh. CRACKED

Long Duk Dong

LONG DUK DONG Sixteen Candles is a rough nowadays, but nothing is quite as insufferable as the racist stereotypes the character emobodied. CRACKED.COM

21

21 CRACKED.COM The 2008 film 21 is adapted from the best-selling book Bringing Down the House, a true story of the MIT Blackjack Team. The real-life were mostly Asian-American, but Kevin Spacey's character, Mickey Rosa is based on John Chang and Jim Sturgess' Ben Campbell portrays Jeff Ma.

Soul Man

CRACKED BLACK FACE CAN'T BE YOUR ENTIRE PLOT ANYMORE. SOUL MAN In the 1986 movie, a spoiled white kid pretends to be black to nab a Harvard scholarship exclusive to black students. It does raise awareness of prejudice and racism, but all the blackface made it wildly offensive, even for 1986 standards.

Doctor Strange

DOCTOR STRANGE BE CRACKED.COM In Doctor Strange comics, The Ancient One hails from the fictional Himalayan kingdom of Kamar-Taj in Tibet. Director Scott Derrickson says he cast Swinton to distance the character from stereotypical, racist roots, but fans wondered why not just cast an Asian actor and do the character justice?

Si and Am

SI AND AM The Lady and the Tramp antagonists rely on heavy Asian stereotypes to taunt Lady and cause havoc. CRACKED.COM

Exodus: Gods & Kings

EXODUS: GODS & KINGS CRACKED.COM Ridley Scott did not take the 2014 opportunity to right the wrongs of 1956's The Ten Commandments. After the backlash for slathering fake tan on Christian Bale (Moses), Joel Edgerton (Ramesses II), Scott said, A film led by 'Mohammad so-and-so' wouldn't get funding, highlighting the depressing reality for non-white actors.

Power Rangers

POWER RANGERS Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was a lesson in racial stereotypes, starting with the Rangers' color choices. CRACKED.COM

Amy Schumer

AMY SCHUMER realized that she has influence. About her old joke, I used to date Hispanic guys, but now I prefer consensual, she said, I played a dumb white girl onstage. Once I realized I had more eyes and ears on me and had an influence I stopped telling jokes like that. I am evolving as an artist. I am taking responsibility and hope I haven't hurt anyone. I apologize if I did. CRACKED

Sarah Silverman

CRACKED SARAH SILVERMAN is horrified that she did blackface. About her show's 2007 episode: I don't stand by the blackface sketch. I'm horrified by it, and I can't erase it. I can only be changed by it and move on. That was such liberal-bubble stuff, where I actually thought it was dealing with racism by using racism... All I can say is that I'm not that person anymore.

Tired Racial Tropes

TIRED COMEDY BITS BLACK PEOPLE ARE COOL On top of the countless stand-up jokes, a popular TV and movie trope has been a white friend dancing awkwardly or saying something cool, and a black friend checking them with, Okay, promise me you'll never do that again. WHITE PEOPLE ARE NERDS CRACKED

‘You’re Not Latino Enough’

YOU'RE NOT LATINO ENOUGH is something Latino actors have to hear all the time. Eva Longoria, America Ferrera and Jimmy Smits all say that at some point in their careers they've been told to be more Latino by a white casting director. CRACKED.COM

The Butler

GRAGKED.COM LEE DANIELS' THE BUTLER the story of an African-American who served the White House for over three decades, needed 41 producers. Independent financiers were approached because, according to producer and BET co-founder Sheila Johnson, In Hollywood, no one wants to step up to the plate to African-American films.

Cartoon Characters

Beer King of the Hill Family Guy The Simpsons They're all voiced by white men! CRACKED.COM

Wendell Pierce

A head of casting turned down Wendell Pierce for a role in a Shakespeare movie with the explanation: they didn't have black people then. CRACKED.COM

The Oscars

In 90 years since the Oscars were founded, there have been over 1,500 nominations. Only 16 have gone to Asian actors. CRACKED.COM

Asian Casting

Hollywood has an Asian problem. Though beautiful and talented, no casting calls came for CHLOE WANG. But one name change later and everyone knows Chloe Bennet as Quake. - AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Says Chloe, Oh, the first audition I went on after I changed my name, I got booked. CRACKED.COM

Writers’ Rooms

Two thirds (65. 4%) of TV shows have zero Black writers. CRACKED.COM An additional 17.3% of writers' rooms have just one Black writer.

Fantasia

Fantasia 1940 CRACKED.COM Disney thankfuly deleted scenes with two mind-bogglingly racist caricatures, Otika and Sunflower, who exist only to serve the white centaurs.

Dances With Wolves

KEVIN COSTNER DANCES GRACKED.COM WITH WOLVES This movie set the bar for White Savior tropes in Hollywood. It won Best Picture over Goodfellas. WINNER OF SEVEN ACADEMY AWARDS INCLUDING BEST PICTURE 1990 OAM.P.A.S.

Source

The Lone Ranger

THE LONE BE RANGER CRACKED.COM Beloved Indigenous actor, Jay Silverheels popularized Tonto in TV's The Lone Ranger from 1949-1957. So they got it right in the 40s, but the 2013 Disney movie cast Johnny Depp (who claimed to be part Cherokee) as Tonto, in what Native Americans everywhere saw as brazen whitewashing.

Source: zimbio

30 Days of Night

30 DAYS OF NIGHT CRACKED.COM David Slade's 2007 30 Days of Night adaptation cast Josh Hartnett as Alaskan sheriff Eben Olemaun, who is of Inuit descent in the 2002 comic books. The character's last name was changed to Oleson to accommodate Hartnett's casting.

Source: zimbio

The Help

VIOLA DAVIS REGRETS HER ROLE IN THE HELP. The actress said that her part in the 2011 film feels like she betrayed herself and her people because the film was created in the filter and the cesspool of systemic racism. She said that the movie was catering to a white audience only, and didn't show them who Black people really were. CRACKED.COM

EW

Oscar Voters

In 2018, it was calculated that 84% of the Academy Award voters were white.

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