Live-Action The Little Mermaid

[OtherwiseKnownAs]

This is going to make the right people angry.

 

[jmc]

It’s the hypocrisy I don’t like. People can’t say on one hand it’s just fiction when justifying one type of race bending then on the other hand scream bloody murder when it’s another type of fictional race bending.

 

[RockSP]

Keep that same energy if they recast blade as a white man or black panther down the line.

So you think they may recast Blade as either a white man or a black panther? That would be an interesting casting choice...don't think we've had any species-bending yet. Maybe Siegfried & Roy have a tame panther that could fill the role.

 

[kaypain]

Keep that same energy if they recast blade as a white man or black panther down the line.

Never gonna happen

 

[CB Fan]

Should she actually be cast I do hope someone tells Halle to stay off social media and comment sections.

 

[Primal Slayer]

Should she actually be cast I do hope someone tells Halle to stay off social media and comment sections.

She has been cast and I am sure she knows what she is in for.

 

[Schlosser85]

That's just a good rule of thumb for actors in general, I think.

In one of his interviews for FFH, Tom Holland said he avoids reading Instagram comments because it doesn't put him "in a good place".

 

[Lencho01]

 

[Man in the Suit]

Now they should replace Rob Marshall if they want a good movie.

 

[Schlosser85]

It’s like when people got Harvey Fierstein mixed up with Harvey Weinstein and sent Fierstein (who is openly gay) hate messages for sexually assaulting women.

 

[LoganGambit87]

all for inclusion and diversity but imo this is the wrong way to do it and comes across as forced

make an original story like coco did for latinos and moana did for Polynesians

instead of racebending a white character i'd much prefer a live action princess and the frog for a black princess atleast that film shows black culture

 

[Sithborg]

I for the life of me, cannot understand why this matters.

 

[jmc]

It's because the character is iconic. In all honesty, Disney would have been better off just calling the character something else entirely. Do the remake if you must, but do a different mermaid altogether. At least then the ruckus wouldn't have been as bad.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Her red hair is iconic. Not being white. Oh, and being a mermaid.

 

[Marvel united]

I don't understand what "forced diversity" means. So because somebody isn't white, they are forced into the medium? Also, there is no equivalent to "black washing" and white washing. Because the latter makes up the VAST majority of the film industry. While poc barely have any roles in comparison. It's like saying that taking 20 dollars fron a millionaire is the same as robbing from a poor peddler. The millionaire is not hurting for money, the homeless man IS.

Context is important.

Excited for the movie and Halle as Ariel

 

[Lencho01]

Halle Berry's response...

 

[jmc]

Her red hair is iconic. Not being white. Oh, and being a mermaid.

Her skin colour is literally part of the character design. I don't get how anyone can argue against that.

 

[Fincher]

Yeah, no thanks.

 

[flickchick85]

It's because the character is iconic. In all honesty, Disney would have been better off just calling the character something else entirely. Do the remake if you must, but do a different mermaid altogether. At least then the ruckus wouldn't have been as bad.

So her skin color makes her suddenly not Ariel, even if she has Ariel's story, Ariel's personality, and sings Ariel's songs? The skin color is that vital to her identity to you?

Yeah, Ariel was drawn white. Most Disney characters were. Doesn't mean they always should be.

 

[jmc]

I don't understand what "forced diversity" means. So because somebody isn't white, they are forced into the medium? Also, there is no equivalent to "black washing" and white washing. Because the latter makes up the VAST majority of the film industry. While poc barely have any roles in comparison. It's like saying that taking 20 dollars fron a millionaire is the same as robbing from a poor peddler. The millionaire is not hurting for money, the homeless man IS.

Context is important.

Excited for the movie and Halle as Ariel

The issue is more to do with the lack of new characters and mythologies being developed. By chopping and changing ethnicities and genders to existing properties essentially what's happening is studios are trying essentially have their cake and eat it to. They are trying to remake iconic things people like whilst trying to give appeal to more diverse audiences. I don't know if that's what people mean by 'forced diversity' but that's the core of the issue.

 

[jmc]

So her skin color makes her suddenly not Ariel, even if she has Ariel's story, Ariel's personality, and sings Ariel's songs? The skin color is that vital to her identity to you?

Yeah, Ariel was drawn white. Most Disney characters were. Doesn't mean they always should be.

Then when shouldn it be?

 

[flickchick85]

Then when shouldn it be?

I'm not sure what you're asking. When's it ok for them to be not white? Any time, as far as I'm concerned, as long as their skin color doesn't play a part in their identity/background/upbringing in some vital way.

 

[X Knight]

well, just saw the news. it's exactly what I feared was going to happen when Zendaya was rumored for the role.

and I'm sorry, but I can't accept this. It may not be the PC reaction, but it's how I feel. Ariel is not some obscure, secondary, tertiary supporting character. She is an iconic character who kicked off the Disney renaissance and has been in the public culture for the last 30 years.

And throughout those years, her look and image has always stayed consistent. She has always been fair skinned with red hair. and the red hair has been her most striking feature. and the hair color kind of goes with the skin color, imo.

It's the same issue I have with Zendaya playing quasi MJ in the MCU Spidey films. I don't know who this young actress is and I have nothing against her. But she is the wrong choice for the character, imo.

Aladdin didn't cast a bunch of white people to play Middle Eastern characters. I wouldn't want a white actress to play Moana or Mulan or Tiana. why is it ok to change a white character's race? That's a double standard. Little Mermaid is based on a European fairy tale by a Danish author. And Disney's Ariel has always been fair skinned and a redhead.

Stop trying to change or "update" these characters. Especially iconic, well established characters who have been in the public culture for multiple decades.

I can no longer feel interested in this film. Again, not the PC reaction, but it's how I feel.

 

[mclay18]

Now they should replace Rob Marshall if they want a good movie.

I have to agree with you. After seeing Mary Poppins Returns, I’m convinced Marshall is just going to do a shot for shot remake of the animated film.

We got that with BATB and TLK already...

 

[flickchick85]

Aladdin didn't cast a bunch of white people to play Middle Eastern characters.

Because white people have not been underrepresented (or represented in a racist manner) since the dawn of the medium. How is this so hard to grasp? White-washing =/= racebending a formerly white character. White people have been dominant in the medium since it was born, and abused that dominance for decades. Context matters. Giving some positive representation back to those who've been denied it all those years, like casting a WOC as a beloved imaginary fairy tale character, hurts no one.