But, then again,
I could have sworn that Jackon Rathbone's comment would have stopped production...
"I think it's one of those things where I pull my hair up, shave the sides, and I definitely need a tan," Rathbone told MTV.com, presumably just before his publicist sat him down for a chat about political correctness. "It's one of those things where, hopefully, the audience will suspend disbelief a little bit."
Washington Post replies,
"But the only thing some fans will suspend are their plans to see the movie when it opens in summer 2010"
Update:
Protesters from the New York Casting Call in February
reported that the casting director are casting around the race of the lead roles chosen,
so this is how the tribes will break down:
Water Tribe = White People
Fire Nation = Middle Eastern People
Earth Nation = "Asian" People
Air Nation = White People
Trailer looked pretty cool, Looking forward to it.
I'm honestly tired out from people constantly being offended recently.. ALL the time, you see it all the time, someone is offended by something and has to write a paper or a blog about how offended they are or even go as far as creating a constantly updated site about their hurt feelings. If you are offended, fine, go find a shoulder, go yell to the neighbors how disgusted you are with the way the world is going. Deal with it, the world is full of offensive things, watch South Park, you become immune to being offended after a few seasons. Has anyone who was pissed about these casting decisions considered that these actors be..well y'know, good? This reminds me of another similar incident..the casting of African American actor Micheal Clarke Duncan as the Kingpin in Daredevil. Personally I thought he was pretty damn good as the Kingpin, now couldn't we see something similar here?
Racebending.com has received a statement from Dao Le, Animatic Editor of the Avatar: The Last Airbender original animated series:
It's been a huge disappointment to hear about the casting for Avatar's live-action movie. The show was heavily influenced by Asian culture, some of the characters were even modeled after Asian members of the crew. But now, with the pre-dominantly white cast, it feels like all the Asian/Eastern influences, origins, what have you, were just a backdrop for these characters. But I always believed they were Asian, or even mixed Asian. And that belief added a little extra pride in working on such a great show. The appreciation Mike & Bryan had for Asian culture, the interest it generated in the fans, gave ME greater appreciation for my own culture.
So it's just hard to believe they couldn't find one Asian actor to hold any of the lead protagonist parts. Not one? This film is going to feel like some other Avatar story.
- Dao Le, Animatic Editor, Avatar: The Last Airbender
What does this casting choice say to me, the angry Asian man? It says that every time somebody speaks more slowly and loudly to me because they assume that English isn't my first tongue, they're right to do so, because I'm not normal. It says that when my freshman year roommate thought that the delivery guy calling with my order was my dad, I shouldn't have been offended, because the guy sounded Chinese on the phone, so how was he supposed to know, right? It says that every time somebody asks me to translate a random set of pictographic characters for them, they're right to do so, because I know ancient Asian secrets. It says that when Rosie O'Donnell said that Asian people talk in alternating tones of ching chong ching chong, she wasn't being offensive, because we really do all sound like that. It says that even though Konietzko and DiMartino took pains to articulate themes of diversity and multiculturalism, all their work was for naught, because people don't really want to look at people who look like me. It says that every time somebody thinks of me as the other, they're right, because I am.
So thanks, Paramount and M. Night Shyamalan. Thanks for telling me exactly where me and mine belong in the grand scheme of things. Stupid of me to think that it could ever be anything but. Taken from
In the show, did they ever specifically say that it took place in Asia or that the characters were indeed Asian...?
Didn't think so.
Before you get all butthurt over the casting choices, lets at least see a theatrical trailer with these actors/actresses in action before putting off so much harsh judgment. Who knows, maybe they were the PERFECT people to choose regardless if they were Asian or not. Would you rather hire an unfit Asian actor to play one of the roles JUST to appease your fantasy that this HAS TO HAS TO HAS TOOOOOOO be Asian-oriented?
Permalink Reply by AcE! on September 6, 2009 at 11:31am
Oh jesus. I don't even care about this issue anymore. I don't know what I think about it honestly. You can make a point for both sides, but stop trying to refute them like this.
None of the complainers care about the actual quality of the film or performances of the actors. They're making a statement based on their morals. They'd be able to stand by their statements even if the film won the god damn Best Picture award because their points have NOTHING TO DO with how good the film is. What you're saying would only apply if they were saying something the likes of this "Oh man. Those damn crackers can't possibly be good actors." But they're not (people seem to think they are, but they're also wrong).
Even some of the creators are unhappy with the casting of their obviously-based-on-Asian-culture show.
I'm a big Avatar fan. I'm getting really tired of people complaning about them not being asians because first off ITS ONLY ASIAN INFLUENCED!!! Also asian by definition means from,native,or desandant from Asia ,but ASIA IS NOT IN AVATAR! Some people have even complained about Aang not being black?!? Yet nobody has applauded M Night Shamaylan for, unlike other movie adaptation directors HE ACTUALLY WATCHED THE FREAKING MOVIE!!!!!!!!!! Anyways I respect your opinion about the movie.
I'm not offended by it all. But it will be a hell of a flop of a moive as you can get....Every thing I've seen form it just looks wrong to me..Plus on top of it..if you seen the cartoon then there is no point to see a live-action moive..
This is for Spillers who like going out regularly like myself. From now on I will regularly organize nights out with other Spillers and we'll do a pub crawl, go bar hopping or go out clubbing. These are not Spill Parties. These are Spill Outs