Live-Action The Little Mermaid

[Punisher_MAX]

The fact that black people are happy that Ariel now represents them is stupid. She didn't represent them for 30 years and now changing her race does? Again, I think there is zero progress being made by race changing characters that have an iconic look to them, and I dont care how tired people are with the "create new characters and mythologies" argument, Im just as over the "race change characters to piss off white people" train of thought too.

 

[dark_b]

Why must people always assume a black actor/actress gets casted only for diversity points and never for their talents? Halle can sing her ass off. With the exception of Beyonce, she's actually the best female singer to be casted in any of these live action movies.

some of us here think that they first agreed at the table to cast a black girl and then searched for a good singer actress. they could looked at asians,hispanic,.... We think that for studios diversity means only black actors

 

[Chesterfield]

I thought it was Halle Berry too.

Halle Bailey for MCU Storm!

I think she's too young to he cast as Storm. I prefer a woman in her late 20s to late 30s cast as Storm.

 

[Shuri]

“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.” - Rob Marshall

 

[Marvel united]

That’s not the question I asked. Do you understand why someone might have an issue with doing this? Do you understand why some would want their own mythologies? I find the attitude that because someone doesn’t think along the same lines as whatever group they may belong too as some type of outlier as a pretty awful attitude if I’m honest.

That's what you implied and since there aren't enough of these "some" who use the "make original content!" argument that others resisting diversity use, well then, I don't take that talking point into consideration. Because it's a simple solution with a difficult to borderline impossible plan to execution. Nobody wants to talk about HOW it should be done, just that it SHOULD be done. And it's pretty much the same framework as the "Forced diversity" nonsense. What defines a forced inclusion of a minority in a story?

 

[jolldan]

some of us here think that they first agreed at the table to cast a black girl and then searched for a good singer actress. they could looked at asians,hispanic,.... We think that for studios diversity means only black actors

I believe its just a rumour just now but I think some Asian actor is tipped to place Prince Eric.

 

[Boy Scout]

So does anyone want to talk about how “diversity” isn’t really coming to the fore but it seems “pro-black” casting is? I mean I assume it’s because it’s mostly black celebrities lobbying for it and there isn’t the same attention drawn by other groups, but I just find it bizarre that people use the word diversity when in actuality it’s just creating a more balanced dichotomy between white and black representation.

I find it really interesting that people keep using the word diversity, but that would imply an equal outlook of casting Asian, Native American, Latin, Indian, etc actors but that’s not actually what’s happening.

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.

 

[writer0327]

Do you actually understand why some people might not want second hand characters to represent them and want new mythologies that are more reflective of what modern society looks? The attitude coming across seems to be essentially ‘it’s good enough’, which is as good as saying there’s no point even trying to build on top of our existing stories and mythologies.

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.

 

[kaypain]

Eh. The actress they hired definitely don't look like Ariel. The thing is if you're gonna adapt or remake a well known Animated film like The Little Mermaid, the actors should resemble the character from the animated film they are adapting or remaking, especially the lead role, similar to the Jungle book and Aladdin.

Apart from skin color how does one look like a hand drawn cartoon character?

 

[Dark Raven]

Yeah while I will admit to belting out Under The Sea with my little cousins more times than I can count lol I think generally boys didn't like the female led stories to the same degree that girls liked the male led stories (obviously because they're was a lot more).

I just say that from talking to my friends and we all say that we watched the likes of Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Beauty & The Beast very rarely.

Well I like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine etc, but it's more that I'm not a fan of mermaids because they're missing their entire lower half, and obviously legs are something that guys like about girls.

Also, we definitely need Squidish Rex in this film!

 

[Boy Scout]

Do you actually understand why some people might not want second hand characters to represent them and want new mythologies that are more reflective of what modern society looks? The attitude coming across seems to be essentially ‘it’s good enough’, which is as good as saying there’s no point even trying to build on top of our existing stories and mythologies.

I find it interesting that you like to speak up for minority communities every time something like this happens. “Don’t you think they’d like it better if the studio created characters that were black/Asian/gay/trans whatever from the start instead of changing a character to fit a progressive agenda?” Not only do I find it inappropriate and a tad borderline holier-than-thou, but you have some of those same folks telling you that they don’t give a flying ****. And yet you keep doing it.

 

[Charzhin0]

The fact that black people are happy that Ariel now represents them is stupid. She didn't represent them for 30 years and now changing her race does? Again, I think there is zero progress being made by race changing characters that have an iconic look to them, and I dont care how tired people are with the "create new characters and mythologies" argument, Im just as over the "race change characters to piss off white people" train of thought too.

100%. Its pure tokenisation. Its essentially sending the mesage that ''we cannot create successful original black characters, so we are taking one of these sucessful, iconic white characters and turning them black. That should work!''

It's condescending and insulting the intelligence of their supposed target audience

 

[Abudefduf]

Well I like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine etc, but it's more that I'm not a fan of mermaids because they're missing their entire lower half, and obviously legs are something that guys like about girls.

 

[Chesterfield]

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.

Just as vocal? I wouldn't say so.

 

[Boy Scout]

The fact that black people are happy that Ariel now represents them is stupid. She didn't represent them for 30 years and now changing her race does? Again, I think there is zero progress being made by race changing characters that have an iconic look to them, and I dont care how tired people are with the "create new characters and mythologies" argument, Im just as over the "race change characters to piss off white people" train of thought too.

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.

 

[Prettyricky]

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

Why must people always assume a black actor/actress gets casted only for diversity points and never for their talents? Halle can sing her ass off. With the exception of Beyonce, she's actually the best female singer to be casted in any of these live action movies.

are you saying disney didnt cast for diversity?

 

[Schlosser85]

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

 

[Boy Scout]

Just as vocal? I wouldn't say so.

I qualified by saying “in my experience.”

 

[jmc]

I find it interesting that you like to speak up for minority communities every time something like this happens. “Don’t you think they’d like it better if the studio created characters that were black/Asian/gay/trans whatever from the start instead of changing a character to fit a progressive agenda?” Not only do I find it inappropriate and a tad borderline holier-than-thou, but you have some of those same folks telling you that they don’t give a flying ****. And yet you keep doing it.

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.

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

This whole discussion also goes to show that white people really have no concept of other mythology besides the European ones (which funnily enough a lot of that was stolen from African/other cultures to make the fairy tales we all know today).

The deity Mami Wata and her tales had existed EONS before Andersen even conceived The Little Mermaid.

Google Mami Wata and thank me later. Apropos that Ariel is black now.

 

[Chesterfield]

I qualified by saying “in my experience.”

Ah, fair enough.

 

[Punisher_MAX]

MERMAIDS dont have an ethnicity. ARIEL is a red headed character.

You can have mermaids of whatever color, they exisit in african, aboriginal, sumerian, asian etc etc mythology. But Ariel as we know it since 1989, and based on the track records of the last two Disney Renaissance remakes, will adapt such movies where she is white with red hair.

People for the most part don't care if a cast is diverse, people have an issue with race changing iconic characters especially for half baked reasons like "well now X minority can say we threw them a bone".

 

[Chesterfield]

This whole discussion also goes to show that white people really have no concept of other mythology besides the European ones (which funnily enough a lot of that was stolen from African/other cultures to make the fairy tales we all know today).

The deity Mami Wata and her tales had existed EONS before Andersen even conceived The Little Mermaid.

Google Mami Wata and thank me later. Apropos that Ariel is black now.

QFT.

 

[writer0327]

100%. Its pure tokenisation. Its essentially sending the mesage that ''we cannot create successful original black characters, so we are taking one of these sucessful, iconic white characters and turning them black. That should work!''

It's condescending and insulting the intelligence of their supposed target audience

And its really sad my folks aren't seeing it this way. It's tokenization disguised as diversity and inclusion, and its pathetic and an insult.

 

[Lencho01]

Happy 4th of July, y’all!