I have a love/hate relationship with blackwashing in movies. Or any form of racewashing, really.
You see, I believe in selecting the best person for a role, regardless of race or any other things people might object to. As long as they’re the best, I say select ‘em.
There’s this quote from Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins that describes it perfectly. During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she had this to say regarding the casting of Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark.
“And you know people may get thrown, say, by the color of an actor’s hair or maybe something physical, but I tell you: If Josh had been bright purple and had had six foot wings and gave that audition, I’d have been like “Cast him! We can work around the wings.” He was that good.”
I say that people should adopt this kind of idea when it comes to casting any character in an adaptational work. But unfortunately, that hasn’t always been the case. Especially in blackwashing.
Blackwashing works when they hire the best person for the job. A perfect example is Idris Elba as Heimdall.
Elba nails his portrayal of ‘The Whitest Asgardian’ in the Thor films, despite not being white in the slightest. His casting wasn’t any affirmative action bullshit, Marvel just decided to cast the best man for the role of Heimdall, and that man happened to be black.
That’s the kind of blackwashing I can get behind.
But the kind I can’t get behind?
Black Human Torch
Why did they do this? Especially when his sister, Sue Storm, is white.
Black Kingpin
They decided to make Kingpin black for Ben Affleck’s Daredevil in 2003, and it did not work well. Not in the slightest.
What are my thoughts on blackwashing?
I wish it wasn’t about race. I wish adaptations could provide fresh new takes on existing characters without it being made about the race of the actor portraying them.
Look at other times an adaptation has drastically changed a character. Heath Ledger’s Joker was nothing like anything any previous iteration of the character. Then again, neither was Jared Leto’s.
I support whatever works, regardless of race. Whether black or white, just make the character good, for Christ’s sake.
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