Some completely missed the mark
The film 'Doctor Strange' debuted in 2016, featuring Tilda Swinton in the prominent role of the 'Ancient One.' The movie was adapted from a comic book series that originally portrayed the character as an elderly Tibetan man. However, instead of casting a man, the filmmakers controversially chose a white woman for the role. In recent years, discussions about whitewashing in the film industry have brought attention to this decision, receiving widespread criticism.
In the film version of the video game, Gyllenhaal portrays the protagonist, who is supposed to be Persian, from modern-day Iran.
Scarlet faced accusations of "whitewashing" for playing Motoko Kusanagi, a character of Asian origin in the Japanese manga series.
Rooney Mara faced sharp criticism for her portrayal of Tiger Lily, a Native American warrior from the Peter Pan universe.
Peter Sellers uses brownface and an uncomfortable Indian accent in this 1968 cult comedy that was widely praised for its slapstick humor.
Despite criticism over Ben Affleck's decision to cast himself as real-life CIA operative Antonio J. Mendez, who is Hispanic, his film won the Best Picture Oscar. However, Mendez himself expressed support for Affleck's choice, stating,"I don't think of myself as a Hispanic."
The film adaptation of Isabel Allende's bestselling novel, released in 1993, recounts the tale of a Chilean rancher's family. Streep depicts a character who is supposed to be Chilean, as are other roles portrayed by Glenn Close, Jeremy Irons, Winona Ryder, and more cast members.
Linda Hunt portrayed a male dwarf of Chinese-Australian descent in the 1982 film, for unknown reasons.
In the musical of 1961, Maria and the Sharks represent Puerto Rican characters; however, the majority of roles were performed by white, non-Latino actors. An exception was Rita Moreno, who portrayed Anita and received an Oscar for her performance.
Stone received consistent backlash for her portrayal of Allison Ng, a character with Hawaiian and Asian origins. She famously yelled, "Sorry!" for it at the Golden Globes.
The 2007 film depicted the true story of Chante Mallard, an African-American woman. Some found it objectionable that Suvari sported cornrows for the portrayal, which further fueled criticism.
Al Pacino portrayed Puerto Rican character Carlito in 1993.
The film was adapted from the animated series 'Avatar,' showcasing characters with Asian and Native American heritage. Nonetheless, the majority of the cast comprises white actors, with the exception of the villains...
In 1956, Brynner started his long-lasting portrayal as King Mongkut of Siam, a role he would reportedly perform on stage a staggering 4,625 times.
Ridley Scott received criticism for predominantly casting white actors in this 2014 movie, even though it depicted the exodus of Hebrews from Egypt. Christian Bale portrayed Moses, while Joel Edgerton portrayed Ramesses II.
The actor portrayed a character from Afghanistan in Tina Fey's 2016 dramedy 'Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.'
In the comic books, Ra's al Ghul is a long-standing villain in the Batman universe of Arab descent. Neeson is among several white actors who have portrayed the character on screen.
In the 2013 film adaptation of the popular TV show, the role of the Native American warrior Tonto, originally played by First Nation actor Jay Silverheels in the 1950s, was controversially given to Johnny Depp.
This British TV movie from 2017 portrayed the purported road journey made by Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson, and Marlon Brando, from NYC to LA. However, in a controversial decision, the role of the iconic African-American artist, the King of Pop, was given to a white actor.
The 2015 movie recounts the actual events of 33 miners from Chile who were stuck underground for 69 days. The French actress plays the role of Maria Segovia, the real-life sister of one of the miners, who is of course Chilean.
In the 2007 movie, Jolie portrays Mariane Pearl, a real-life person who is mixed race with Afro-Cuban heritage, naturally curly hair, and a darker skin tone.
In the 1944 film, the role of a Chinese woman leading her village against invaders was given to Hepburn, who used prosthetic eyelids to play the part.
In this 1963 historical epic, a British-American actress portrays Cleopatra, the final sovereign ruler of Egypt, whose ancestry is widely thought to be Macedonian.
The film from 2008 is a portrayal of Jeffrey Ma, a Chinese student who achieved success as a card counter and blackjack player. The role was played by British actor Jim Sturgess.
The actor was chosen to portray Genghis Khan, a Mongol, in a 1956 film that depicted the ascent of the renowned emperor.
The 2011 film adaptation of the novel changed a Latina character named Irina to Irene, played by Carey Mulligan.
Guinness portrayed characters of color often, including the role of Arab Prince Faisal in 1962.
Neal received an Oscar for her portrayal of Alma in the 1963 movie. Alma, a character originally named "Halmea" in the book, was described as a black woman.
In 1998, Welsh actor Anthony Hopkins portrayed the role of the Mexican hero Zorro. In the same film, the iconic Zorro mask is passed on to Spanish actor Antonio Banderas.
Justin Chatwin, a Canadian actor, portrays Goku, the protagonist of the 2009 film inspired by the Japanese manga.
In 1968, the King took a detour from music to movies, portraying Joe Lightcloud, a Native American character.
Rooney's portrayal of Mr. Yunioshi in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' is a glaring example of yellowface, with offensive characteristics such as taped eyelids, buck teeth, and a heavy accent.
Check out some other films that have not aged well.
During an interview with Variety, Swinton expressed her thoughts on the matter. She revealed that she too had questioned the casting choice at the time, and was surprised by the lack of resistance it received. Swinton paid attention to the public's response and now acknowledges the perspective shift that has taken place. She expressed "an enormous amount of sympathy" towards those affected by the controversy surrounding the decision.
The casting choices in Hollywood have sparked controversy in recent years due to the frequent selection of white actors to portray characters of different races, a practice commonly referred to as "whitewashing." Despite the public outcry over actors of color being considered to play fictional heroes like Spider-Man or James Bond, there has been minimal backlash when white actors portray real-life characters of color.
Throughout their careers, numerous white stars have assumed non-white roles on screen. Click on to discover who they are.
Famous white actors controversially cast in non-white roles
A surprising number of Hollywood A-listers have played a part in whitewashing
MOVIES Ben affleck
The casting choices in Hollywood have sparked controversy in recent years due to the frequent selection of white actors to portray characters of different races, a practice commonly referred to as "whitewashing." Despite the public outcry over actors of color being considered to play fictional heroes like Spider-Man or James Bond, there has been minimal backlash when white actors portray real-life characters of color.
Throughout their careers, numerous white stars have assumed non-white roles on screen. Click on to discover who they are.