Iron Man 3 Ben Kingsley is The Mandarin!

[JerseyJoker]

I could understand people being upset that they casted a non Asian to play the part, but when it comes down to it is when you have a chance to sign Ben Kingsley up for a role like that, something where he could have fun with it and hopefully make it terrifying, you have to go with it.

 

[DigificWriter]

I personally would've let Kingsley keep his natural accent even if the character is meant to be of Asian lineage/descent and have ties to the Middle East, but it sounds as if they tried to go with something that was more 'exotic-sounding', which makes things feel a bit 'off', at least to me.

 

[The Question]

I could understand people being upset that they casted a non Asian to play the part, but when it comes down to it is when you have a chance to sign Ben Kingsley up for a role like that, something where he could have fun with it and hopefully make it terrifying, you have to go with it.

Ben Kingsley is Asian. He's just not east-asian. His family is from India.

 

[JerseyJoker]

I know, but people seem upset that they didn't go with an East Asian actor for the role.

 

[The Question]

I know, but people seem upset that they didn't go with an East Asian actor for the role.

It is kind of weird, yeah. But I think part of that might be wanting to de-emphasize the "yellow peril" aspects of the character. Of course, that just brings up implications of a west-asian brown skinned terrorist, so it might be trading one stereotype for another.

 

[DigificWriter]

TheQuestion: I didn't know that about Kingsley's family ancestry, so thanks. Personally, I actually like the idea of an Indian/British Mandarin, which is why would've let Kingsley keep his natural British accent.

 

[Dark Raven]

I personally would've liked to have seen an East Asian actor getting a big part like that. There aren't enough opportunities for them all round in Hollywood, so having a role like this would've been great. At least though they made Mandarin an older guy and not some young upstart, which would've been the pits. Mandarin needs to be older to give him some gravitas.

I noticed that the Mandarin seems to be wearing some kind of hood when he first appears.

I also would've kept Kingsley's British accent. It would've sounded more intimidating.

 

[JerseyJoker]

I agree with Dark Raven too, because when there are so many roles in big films for actors of different divirisites and then one in a big blockbuster is given to someone of the background that isn't of the character, I kinda feel like why not give someone of that background a chance.

But at the same time, Ben Kinglsey is a hell of an actor and sometimes when it comes to films I really am looking for, if they did test East Asian actors for the role and Ben still did the best, I'm ok with that, cause quality over all as well.

 

[DigificWriter]

Re: this East Asian thing, I honestly can't think of any major East Asian actors who are currently active in Hollywood, and none with the pedigree and persona of Kingsley.

 

[JerseyJoker]

Maybe when you use "active in Hollywood", but if you are just going off pedigree alone, I always thought Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa could of been a good choice, he has a great acting pedigree, but is not a name like Ben is.

 

[Rock Sexton]

Never did like Kingsley as a baddie ..... ala "Prince of Persia". He's just too noble of a man for me to buy into his depiction of somebody maniacal.

The rest of the movie looks intense so I'll put up with it (and hope I'm pleasantly surprised by him), but it would've been so bad ass to get a literal on-screen translation of the Mandarin. Damn the world over-sensitivity LOL!

If I saw a Chinese movie where an American was the bad guy, I wouldn't give two craps.

 

[Brother Jack]

Is that Kingsley doing the voice over in the trailer? It's a pretty strange voice and not particularly Asian.

 

[Micromind]

BEHOLD THE RINGS !

I've got to get me one of those.. t:

 

[DigificWriter]

If you definitively wanted an East Asian actor to play the role, Hiroyuki-Tagawa is clearly the best choice because he does have the pedigree, although he's not nearly as recognizable in the US as he is elsewhere, especially not amongst 'casual moviegoers'.

 

[TheComicbookKid]

It is kind of weird, yeah. But I think part of that might be wanting to de-emphasize the "yellow peril" aspects of the character. Of course, that just brings up implications of a west-asian brown skinned terrorist, so it might be trading one stereotype for another.

Slow clap.

I mean, we all know why they did it. And it wasn't for the lulz.

Just make that dude Russian so we can relive the Cold War awesomeness!! Rocky! Rocky!

 

[JerseyJoker]

Never did like Kingsley as a baddie ..... ala "Prince of Persia". He's just too noble of a man for me to buy into his depiction of somebody maniacal.

The rest of the movie looks intense so I'll put up with it (and hope I'm pleasantly surprised by him), but it would've been so bad ass to get a literal on-screen translation of the Mandarin. Damn the world over-sensitivity LOL!

If I saw a Chinese movie where an American was the bad guy, I wouldn't give two craps.

This is nothing to do with a "Chinese" person being a bad guy.

 

[The Overlord]

It is kind of weird, yeah. But I think part of that might be wanting to de-emphasize the "yellow peril" aspects of the character. Of course, that just brings up implications of a west-asian brown skinned terrorist, so it might be trading one stereotype for another.

Yeah, but the thing is China is huge market and the Chinese helped fund this film, so the film makers are not going to want to insult them with a yellow peril villain.

 

[JerseyJoker]

And to be fair, we dont even get a taste of the stuff they filmed in China in the trailer and there are a lot of East Asian casted actors in this film.

 

[Micromind]

Ken Watanabe looked more like Mandarin then Ras Al Ghul to me in Batman Begins. (IMO.)

 

[Dark Raven]

Ken Watanabe looked more like Mandarin then Ras Al Ghul to me in Batman Begins. (IMO.)

I wouldn't have minded a Mandarin who looked like that but with hair or a Ming skullcap.

 

[Ironfan72]

I tend to agree that Marvel did not want to offend a huge market in China by having one of their biggest movie characters arch enemies being Chinese, we live in a PC world whether we like it or not.
Casting Kingsley as Mandarin is a bold move, but I like as a life long Iron Man fan and collector the new more realistic approach to Mandarin, Kingsley is without a doubt one of the finest actors of our generation, and all his performances are incredible, no matter how poor the movies themselves have been, he has stood out. This is a man who likes playing the villian, even stating he wanted to be a bond villian.
So, personally, I am thilled by what I have seen thus far and can not wait for the film.

 

[knowsbleed]

Ken Watanabe is a powerhouse of a dramatic actor... but I don't know if a Japanese cast in a Chinese role would have been any better than what we have now. Either way, it's not ethnically correct.

 

[Hyde]

I have a feeling Mandarin will be an extradited American in this.

What with the American-ish accent and the Captain America tattoo on his neck.

 

[Doc Ock]

Is that Kingsley doing the voice over in the trailer? It's a pretty strange voice and not particularly Asian.

It is a strange voice, but I like it!

 

[Dark Raven]

Ken Watanabe is a powerhouse of a dramatic actor... but I don't know if a Japanese cast in a Chinese role would have been any better than what we have now. Either way, it's not ethnically correct.

No, but it's closer to the look.