Live-Action The Little Mermaid

[DeadPresident]

Now this is actually a solid point.

Firstly: race relations between blacks and whites are ostensibly the most contentious in America and because of slavery and institutional racism and a whole host of other things that black people were at the forefront of (and other races were likely affected by), diversity is often painted as a black and white narrative.

Secondly: other groups do ask for more representation. Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinos (at least in my experience) are just as vocal about being represented as black people. They just aren’t given as many opportunities because, again, the black and white narrative is the strongest.

Lastly: I can’t speak for anyone but myself, but I support all forms of representation. Although I understand and appreciate that Ariel carries a degree of visual iconography, I don’t think it’s SO important that she maintains that one look across each and every adaptation of the story. I’d actually argue that it’s more important that she be able to sing.

Well the bolded raises an important question; I'm not state-side so I just have the proverbial internet media as a reference but I've never seen a story about representation from any races besides black creatives and perhaps once something about Japanese-American representation. If it's true that others are just as vocal then A) Where is it in terms of media exposure and B) If it's not as visible then why is that the case?

I think the race-changing of characters is a pathetic non-starter in general as far as representation goes, all it solves is to taint that project with the kind of conversation we're having now.

The better way to do it is to have talented creatives like Jordan Peele create authentic stories featuring black characters rather than play musical chairs with historically white characters getting relinquished to one identity group or another arbitrarily.

Aladdin is set in the Middle East though. Mermaids don't have an ethnicity.

No. But it would be asinine to suggests that the Little Mermaid and most western mermaid representations aren't based on British sailors and the mythology surrounding sirens and those stories, where they're generally depicted as white and pale. It's like saying vampires don't have an ethnicity. No, they don't, but in modern representation where the mythology was primarily rife in Europe they were depicted as pale and white.

IMO the Little Mermaid makes sense in some ways as a race-changing project because mermaid lore is found in many cultures. The only perplexing bit is that race-changing now is almost exclusively black -> white which kills the entire 'diversity' argument.

 

[Marvel united]

Counterpoint: Lana Condor exists and she looks more like Snow White than most white actresses

View attachment 26820

Ooooh, I'd love to see this!

 

[jolldan]

The only thing I seen on the casting news that's generally made me cringe is this line that I have seen dozens of times now in some variation "Well now Ursula has to be white because who else would steal a black woman's voice " sounds like they need to go and hand in their professional victim card

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

Happy 4th of July, y’all!

That took me OUT!! LMAO.

Someone cast Christina Aguilera. Immediately.

 

[Schlosser85]

The only thing I seen on the casting news that's generally made me cringe is this line that I have seen dozens of times now in some variation "Well now Ursula has to be white because who else would steal a black woman's voice " sounds like they need to go and hand in their professional victim card

Because they're "woke".

As a coma victim.

 

[dark_b]

[="Shuri, post: 37753186, member: 170759"][/]
wasnt Zendaya also auditioning? why do you think she got red hair the last week?

 

[dark_b]

edit

 

[jolldan]

Should make it a darker more mature film, can see it now..... Ariel's Adventures In The Trench.

Her and Momoa can be aquabros

 

[DeadPresident]

That took me OUT!! LMAO.

Someone cast Christina Aguilera. Immediately.

It's this petty kind of nonsense that also proves this isn't about representation to many people so much as it's about dragging those evil whites wherever possible. Then people wonder why there's this juvenile back and forth between '*******' hating rednecks and antagonistic 'woke' race-traders.

 

[Marvel united]

Jesus. I can’t with some of you sometimes.

Black people are happy to receive positive representation period. The fact that it’s coming from this specific project - which is going to be seen by people all over the world - is just a bonus. I mean, damn, way to **** all over other people’s excitement for no reason.

Right? It ain't that hard to grasp. My 8 year old niece is going to be able to look at the Little Mermaid and see herself in the character; see her own image reflected in one of the most iconic Disney characters of all time. She can be a mermaid too! That's a beautiful thing. Representation matters, and having it come from something as widely popular as Little Mermaid is even better!

 

[Lencho01]

You know what I love about all these types of discourse on the race of fictional characters? It just shows how geeky and racist people can really be on some of the most simple and trivial things. Like the huge lack of self-awareness of it all. Always amusing to see every single time.

For example, I wouldn’t be shocked if this is getting more attention than what Trump and co. have done to little immigrant kids, or what’s been happening in Sudan, or any number of “bigger” issues that one would think would tug at more heart strings or people would bring more energy to. But, here we are (on the Internet); having to go back and forth about changing the race of a very fictional 16 year old mermaid.

EDIT: Just to sum it all up, this falls under the “Same ****, different day.” category when it comes to entertainment. People know what it is.

 

[Shuri]

Yeah its kind of insulting when you think about it. Its like we're not good enough to have our own original characters created by the studios to represent us, they'll just throw us a bone by casting a black actor/actress in the role.

I won't call it a bone. Hopefully, this is going to do wonders for Halle's career. More people might check out her music, the girl is talented.

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

It's this petty kind of nonsense that also proves this isn't about representation to many people so much as it's about dragging those evil whites wherever possible. Then people wonder why there's this juvenile back and forth between '*******' hating rednecks and antagonistic 'woke' race-traders.

Well to be fair, history shows that those evil whites dragged us first while our ancestors were just minding their own business building dynasties, languages and culture. So turnabout is fair play.

And it’s not even about being woke, it’s simply not falling for the standard BS. Use google, it’s a very powerful tool. The concept of a mermaid branched from West African folklore, which was bleached to become what we know as The Little Mermaid. Now that we live in a time where people are informed, it gives white people a proverbial shock to the system and I’m here for it.

 

[Snow Queen]

Have to say, it's quite funny to see some of the same people that'll cry 'faux outrage' whenever topics like racism and sexism in media come up go to bat on this one. I guess the only real outrage is over black Ariel.

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

And I’m waiting for someone to be bold and say Storm should be played by Gwyneth Paltrow when Disney does X-Men.

I know it’s on the tip of one of y’all’s tongues. LOL.

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

This is hands down one of the dumbest things I've ever had the misfortune of reading on these forums, and I hang out in the politics section all the time. "White people started it so it's fair game"? Don't go crying when the evil whites harden their stance then.

Let me know how antagonizing whites ends up going for you in the long term

If that’s the only thing you took away from that, then we shouldn’t be talking in the first place.

Enjoy the holiday.

 

[THORin]

I won't call it a bone. Hopefully, this is going to do wonders for Halle's career. More people might check out her music, the girl is talented.

Exactly! I had never heard of her before yesterday, but her music, and her duo with her sister, is really great.

 

[Shuri]

Just find it ironic aladdin a month ago was championed for casting the characters based on there race in the original but in this case its bold and

are you saying disney didnt cast for diversity?

Are you saying they did? How are you sure? Were you there? I'll take the word of the director over yours.

“After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role.”

 

[DeadPresident]

And I’m waiting for someone to be bold and say Storm should be played by Gwyneth Paltrow when Disney does X-Men.

I know it’s on the tip of one of y’all’s tongues. LOL.

So this post combined with:

If that’s the only thing you took away from that, then we shouldn’t be talking in the first place.

Enjoy the holiday.

Now you're trying to play it off like I'm reading into things. My friend, you know exactly what you came here to do. You're all about passive-aggressively rubbing people's faces into things - your starting line made it clear. if you think it's a winning tactic, keep going on with our bad self.

P.S - Google is a powerful tool, you're right. In fact, it suggests the first images of mer-things came from Mespotamia and the Eastern Mediterranean around 1800 BC and associated with Neo-Asyrrian culture …so before you climb on that high horse maybe you should sign a petition so they recast
Ariel to be played by someone of Arab extraction because they seem to have come up with it first.

You enjoy the holidays, too - No bull****.

 

[Prettyricky]

Are you saying they did? How are you sure? Were you there? I'll take the word of the director over yours.

Pretty abundantly clear they did and wanted a different racial take. Sorry Im not naive enough to take a hollywood director on his statement released. Hollywood would never lie to us right?

 

[Arachnerd]

Jesus Christ, this thread is a disaster.

I don't particularly care much for the live-action Disney remakes (minus Jungle Book and the upcoming Lion King), but good god, some of you need to calm the f*** down. Even though I'll probably won't be checking this movie out, I hope the girl does well and I wish her the best.

 

[Marvel united]

And I’m waiting for someone to be bold and say Storm should be played by Gwyneth Paltrow when Disney does X-Men.

I know it’s on the tip of one of y’all’s tongues. LOL.

It's coming. As soon as Marvel racebends one white character, they'll come out the woodwork trying to create a false equivalent w poc. Exactly as they're doing now with the non-white Disney princesses.

This is hands down one of the dumbest things I've ever had the misfortune of reading on these forums, and I hang out in the politics section all the time. "White people started it so it's fair game"? Don't go crying when the evil whites harden their stance then. And now you're trying to play the "Black people came up with it first!" card…Jesus Okay.

Let me know how antagonizing whites ends up going for you in the long term

No, but you should understand that historical context matters. And that black people are STILL dealing with the fallout of racist, oppressive laws, social norms and attitudes of the past, which wasn't even that long ago. My grandama was alive during a time when she couldn't even drink from the same water fountain as a white person. She's still alive today and she remembers.

So any white person who goes full-on Klansman because black people don't want to so easily forget centuries of oppression and subjugation, would have probably been one when horrible acts like lynching were in fashion-- during the time it was acceptable.

It's like getting pisssed off at the man whose arm you chopped off, for being understandably irritated that you chopped off his arm

 

[Shuri]

I do it because I don’t like the division this nonsense causes and the way forward is to generate new ideas and concepts, not to make band aid solutions that does nothing but have people get angry at each other.

People are always going to be angry. Better to keep it up till it becomes the norm.

 

[DeadPresident]

No, but you should understand that historical context matters. And that black people are STILL dealing with the fallout of racist, oppressive laws, social norms and attitudes of the past, which wasn't even that long ago. My grandama was alive during a time when she couldn't even drink from the same water fountain as a white person. She's still alive today and she remembers.

So any white person who goes full-on Klansman because black people don't want to so easily forget centuries of oppression and subjugation, would have probably been one when horrible acts like lynching were in fashion-- during the time it was acceptable.

It's like getting pisssed off at the man whose arm you chopped off, for being understandably irritated that you chopped off his arm

Don't worry, I do understand historical context matters - this is just one of the most asinine and unproductive ways in which one could possibly try and 'address' historical context.

You want to talk about your grandma not being able to share infrastructure with whites in a thread about a fictional character being turned into a black character…Jesus, I can't take that seriously.

You want me to take you seriously? Talk about reparations for slavery because that has infinitely more merit than bull**** co-opting white characters now and then and making it sound like that's progress. For many people (Shaw being a good example) isn't about progress, it's about pissing off whitey and throwing the race card around when people call you out on ****ty discourse.

The actual progressives are talking about real things like reparations, not this nonsense.

 

[Shuri]

[="Shuri, post: 37753186, member: 170759"][/]
wasnt Zendaya also auditioning? why do you think she got red hair the last week?

I think it's mostly for Far From Home premiere.