Bryan Li (10) | STAFF REPORTER
An actor interprets their role in the same gestures, speech, and body language that bring the character to life. Some of the best actors have mastered this art, being able to switch personalities to match their character almost instantly. However, there are many things that cannot be changed about an actor, such as their race. Many actors have gotten themselves in hot water due to public outrage over the fact that they are playing a role of a character who has a different skin tone.
Recently, the Netflix TV show Cleopatra has been caught under controversy as biracial British actor, Adele James, was cast to play the role of Cleopatra. Many viewers of Egyptian descent have expressed outrage over this, criticizing that even though Egypt is an African country, there have been numerous reports stating that Cleopatra had features that made her similar looking to someone of Greek descent.
However, can an actor’s race truly change the way a television show is played out? Maybe in biopic TV shows, like Cleopatra, where the actor is playing someone who has previously lived, or currently living. Ethnicity perhaps plays a role in real characters, however it exerts less influence in fictional characters. For example, Camilla Cabello and Halle Bailey are both actresses of colour who have portrayed famous white Disney princesses; Cabello portrayed Cinderella in the 2021 film Cinderella, while Bailey portrayed Ariel in the 2023 film, The Little Mermaid.
Some argue that by having actors of colour play notoriously white roles, it shows representation and diversity within the movie industry –specifically Hollywood, which has historically favoured Caucasian people. Even though Cabello did not receive criticism over playing Cinderella, Bailey experienced backlash for playing Ariel. Racist comments began flooding social media after the trailer was released.
Contrasting popular opinion, Hollywood ought to move away from recasting people of colour into notoriously white roles, thereby not doing enough justice for representation and diversity in the media. Hollywood should be creating new roles for people of colour in hopes of breaking down racial barriers and authentically displaying the wealth of cultures to explore on the big screens.
For example, in the Oscar-winning film Everything Everywhere All At Once, Malaysian actor Michelle Yeoh plays a new role that was clearly meant for an Asian actor, as shown with the plot and the script. This movie was a huge success in making Asian actors visible, making Yeoh the first woman of Asian descent to win Best Actress at the 2023 Oscars, as well as making Everything Everywhere All At Once the most awarded movie of all time.
By creating original characters for people of colour, today’s viewers can fall in love with new characters of colour, creating representation and diversity throughout all of Hollywood.
