Homecoming The Zendaya is possibly someone, maybe thread - Part 2

[Spider-Gnome]

There have been set pics and Atlanta Filming (the one who has taken most, if not all, of the set photos) has said there's been no red hair dye or wig.

Ooo! I thought of something! Much like how they took care of Spidey's costume in post production of Civil War, maybe they'll do the same for MJ's big reveal at the end of Homecoming!

 

[TheVileOne]

Z on set & in character:

So ya, you can see where the concern is coming from. Wish they let Zendaya look like her normal self instead of dressing her down & making her frumpy to try and squeeze MJ into the Hughes character type.

Even her so-called "normal self" that you are referring to is after considerable time in hair and makeup chair.

 

[KalvinEllis]

and here's this article about Netflix Matt not being a redhead.

http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2014/08/04/outrage-matt-murdock-not-a-ginger-in-netflixs-daredevil

don't know if it's being serious or a bit tongue in cheek.

but I did note this part:

"Will anybody care that Matt Murdock isn't a redhead? It's a weird question, but this is nerdtown - people get really tweaked out about physical discrepencies between actors and characters. You couldn't have a Mary Jane Watson who wasn't a redhead, despite her hair color having no bearing on her character."

and yet. that's exactly what we seem to be getting in Homecoming, amongst other changes.

unlike Matt, who has a costumed alter ego, MJ does not have such an alter ego. Her civilian look is her look. and her red hair is the most iconic, visually distinct part of that look.

take that away, and you've already taken away a unique, distinguishable feature. Just look at that comic panel above where she's blonde. There, she looks like another blonde female - she looks like Gwen more than MJ.

change her look further by making her plain and frumpy looking, and you've altered the character even more.

and if that's not enough, you then change her personality to be almost the complete opposite.

oh, and if even that's not enough, you change her name to something else, or give her some contrived backstory where she uses a different name for most of the film.

at that point, she's essentially a whole different character. what's the point of even using the character if she looks and acts nothing like how the character should?

Knight dropping heavy truth bombs as usual.

 

[Amadeus Arkham]

Hulk smash.

 

[X Knight]

Knight dropping heavy truth bombs as usual.

I do what I can.

and I find it funny how people can change their tune.

The article I linked to was a 2014 Devin Faraci article. He says in that article that you can't have a MJ who isn't a readhead.

yet, fast forward 2 years, and Devin praises the racechange casting even though that contradicts his assertion that you can't have a MJ who isn't a readhead - since Devin is aware of the set pics of Zendaya in character without redhair.

guess when that PC/SJW train comes rolling by, you have to jump on board.

 

[ItchyWebShooter]

I do what I can.

and I find it funny how people can change their tune.

The article I linked to was a 2014 Devin Faraci article. He says in that article that you can't have a MJ who isn't a readhead.

yet, fast forward 2 years, and Devin praises the racechange casting even though that contradicts his assertion that you can't have a MJ who isn't a readhead - since Devin is aware of the set pics of Zendaya in character without redhair.

guess when that PC/SJW train comes rolling by, you have to jump on board.

That's what truly bothers me here. I'm not overly concerned with a POC playing MJ, but I can understand why some are. They're legitimate reasons that have nothing to do with "racism," but people like Faraci and plenty of others seem to feel like they have to support and love it regardless of anything else to avoid being branded bigots. I think that's asinine and wholly unfair.

 

[X Knight]

That's what truly bothers me here. I'm not overly concerned with a POC playing MJ, but I can understand why some are. They're legitimate reasons that have nothing to do with "racism," but people like Faraci and plenty of others seem to feel like they have to support and love it regardless of anything else to avoid being branded bigots. I think that's asinine and wholly unfair.

exactly.

 

[TheVileOne]

Once again, if Zendaya is playing Mary Jane, the whole redhead thing is pretty much gone at this point. If it's a mixed race Mary Jane, were sort of beyond the point of bickering about the shade of her hair color like with Kirsten Dunst.

 

[Dark Raven]

Once again, if Zendaya is playing Mary Jane, the whole redhead thing is pretty much gone at this point. If it's a mixed race Mary Jane, were sort of beyond the point of bickering about the shade of her hair color like with Kirsten Dunst.

That's why she may end up as Michelle_J who abbreviates her name to MJ, making it just a small nod or homage to the comic character with her initials, but otherwise a completely different character.

It would be a bit like Nick Nolte being called "David" Banner instead of Brian Banner as a nod to the Incredible Hulk TV series, but not being anything like that noble and decent character but completely the opposite.

 

[Spider-Gnome]

Ugg. If Zendaya is to be the MJ of the series, then just make her Mary Jane. And give her red hair. It looks like she can pull off Mary Jane (but I don't know anything of her acting).

 

[SAUspartan]

Z on set & in character:

So ya, you can see where the concern is coming from. Wish they let Zendaya look like her normal self instead of dressing her down & making her frumpy to try and squeeze MJ into the Hughes character type.

She looks amazing here. Why people keep referencing her in this outfit as not being stunning I don't know what they are smoking.

 

[NotSoLongAgo]

I do what I can.

and I find it funny how people can change their tune.

The article I linked to was a 2014 Devin Faraci article. He says in that article that you can't have a MJ who isn't a readhead.

yet, fast forward 2 years, and Devin praises the racechange casting even though that contradicts his assertion that you can't have a MJ who isn't a readhead - since Devin is aware of the set pics of Zendaya in character without redhair.

guess when that PC/SJW train comes rolling by, you have to jump on board.

Not defending the dude or anything but with the way he worded it I took as him saying you can't have an MJ who isn't a redhead because the fans will go bat****. Not necessarily that he himself believed MJ should be a redhead no matter what. In that case he isn't contradicting himself at all, he's actually staying consistent.

 

[X Knight]

Not defending the dude or anything but with the way he worded it I took as him saying you can't have an MJ who isn't a redhead because the fans will go bat****. Not necessarily that he himself believed MJ should be a redhead no matter what. In that case he isn't contradicting himself at all, he's actually staying consistent.

maybe that was his intent or maybe not.

but he himself was complaining about Netflix Matt Murdock being a brunette instead of a ginger. unless that was tongue in cheek, faux outrage, too.

but even so, just him using MJ as an example of nerdrage if she isn't a redhead just shows how closely tied that hair color is to the character - even as he said it has no real bearing on her character.

 

[marijuanawatson]

"Racists when all their white male faves get black love interests"

Lol.... this may or not apply to some of you in this forum

 

[X Knight]

"Racists when all their white male faves get black love interests"

Lol.... this may or not apply to some of you in this forum

doesn't apply to me.

 

[marijuanawatson]

Ya'll, what if Marvel/Sony is trolling us so hard with all this casting/role bs?

What if Zendaya is actually the real redheaded, gorgeous MJ we know? And has been this whole time? In order to surprise fans and the GA with the jackpot line? Let us all go crazy with theories and discussions while Z has actually been MJ ever since she was cast. And I mean this with all the casting BTW. Something else seems fishy here, rather than just Marvel being cocky and not caring about the source material/trying to be different. I mean, we haven't even got an official confirmation on Michel Keaton's character, lol.

I actually am starting to think this is more about surprising the audience.

Is this all an elaborate trick? Or am I doing some wishful thinking here?

 

[X Knight]

Ya'll, what if Marvel/Sony is trolling us so hard with all this casting/role bs?

What if Zendaya is actually the real redheaded, gorgeous MJ we know? And has been this whole time? In order to surprise fans and the GA with the jackpot line? Let us all go crazy with theories and discussions while Z has actually been MJ ever since she was cast. And I mean this with all the casting BTW. Something else seems fishy here, rather than just Marvel being cocky and not caring about the source material/trying to be different. I mean, we haven't even got an official confirmation on Michel Keaton's character, lol.

I actually am starting to think this is more about surprising the audience.

Is this all an elaborate trick? Or am I doing some wishful thinking here?

I suppose it could be an elaborate trick.

but the thing is. this is MJ. there's no need for such convolution and mystery and tricks.

plus, they've already shot footage which was seen at CC. and the description of Zendaya's character matches both the set pic looks ( her hair especially ) and her personality as described by Zendaya herself.

now, it could be an elaborate ruse to just throw us off. but I doubt they would waste time and money to do that.

if they had filmed Zendaya with a totally different ( and more traditional ) look for MJ, with red hair, you'd think a set pic and/or report would have leaked out about that by now. Someone would have seen it and blabbed.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

Has it been confirmed she is playing mj


As for the casting couldn't really give two ****s about skin tone as long as she is the strong smart character that mj character was in the comics though I do think she should have red hair that's just a character trope to me it's similar to gwen if she was a brunette it just wouldn't be right



Ahh sure what's the point of *****ing anyway once we hit movie three the relationship it'll all be wiped away by the devil and fans mocked over it.......nah marvel wouldn't be that stupid to ever do that

 

[Abudefduf]

Well, Marvel Studios already managed to take the controversial Civil War story and adapt it into a successful movie. Who's to say that they couldn't do the same with One More Day.

 

[Dark Raven]

Maybe one day we'll get a Zendaya biopic where the actress doesn't look or act anything like her and the character she's playing doesn't even have that name. Maybe her name is Ziggy, and at the end she just shortens it to Z.

 

[Chesterfield]

Ironically enough Zendaya actually reminds me of Mary Jean.

 

[X Knight]

^ who's Mary Jean??

 

[X Knight]

Has it been confirmed she is playing mj


As for the casting couldn't really give two ****s about skin tone as long as she is the strong smart character that mj character was in the comics though I do think she should have red hair that's just a character trope to me it's similar to gwen if she was a brunette it just wouldn't be right



Ahh sure what's the point of *****ing anyway once we hit movie three the relationship it'll all be wiped away by the devil and fans mocked over it.......nah marvel wouldn't be that stupid to ever do that

technically, nothing has been "confirmed" about Zendaya being MJ.

it was strongly speculated when she was first cast, even though her name was said to be "Michelle."

then, speculation died down around CC when the director did in fact call her Michelle. also, the set pics and descriptions of the character coming out around that time also seemed to point away from her being MJ. also, a call sheet leaked that listed names for various characters, and Z was listed as Michelle.

then, a few weeks ago, El Mayimbe posted a report to the Wrap saying that he heard from his sources who've seen a recent draft that Michelle would "drop hints" that she's MJ.

that's it. and then every site ran with that story. People like James Gunn and Stan Lee came out to defend the casting without actually confirming it.

so, most likely, it's probably true. though nothing has been officially confirmed yet.

 

[Dark Raven]

technically, that is true.

but "visually," Zendaya looks black ( or certainly more black than white ). and therein lies the "problem."

if you didn't know Zendaya is bi-racial, you would think she's black upon first seeing her.

just like I've posted before how other bi-racial actresses ( like Meghan Markle from the Suits show ) look more white than black. If you didn't know Meghan was bi-racial, upon first glance, you would probably think she's white.

if the role of MJ ( or Michelle or whoever she is ) had been down to Zendaya and a younger Meghan Markle, and Meghan got the part instead, I think there would be much less of an issue - for the simple fact that Meghan looks more white and thus looks closer to the source material. even though, technically, MJ would still be part black with Meghan in the role.

it's all about the "visuals" and whether or not the actor/actress looks like the source material.

we as fans really do respond when said actor/actress literally looks like the comic book come to life on the screen. Like RDJ as Tony Stark or Henry Cavill in costume as Superman or whatever.

Interestingly enough, if Sarah Rafferty (who plays Donna in Suits) had been much younger (say about 20 years younger), she would've been an awesome Mary Jane, and not just because she has red hair. She has that spunky and bubbly personality needed and that sense of allure.

 

[X Knight]

Interestingly enough, if Sarah Rafferty (who plays Donna in Suits) had been much younger (say about 20 years younger), she would've been an awesome Mary Jane, and not just because she has red hair. She has that spunky and bubbly personality needed and that sense of allure.

yes. she has that confident "I'm Donna and I'm awesome" attitude that would fit 616/SSM MJ.

and if you watch the flashbacks on that show, you see that's always been part of Donna's personality. She didn't start as some mousey, buttoned up quiet secretary who transformed into her confident self.