What do Elves, Mermaids, Demi-Gods, and Sith lords all have in common?
For starters, they’re fictional. As far as I know, the dark side of the force doesn’t actually exist. Neither does Middle-Earth, or an underwater kingdom filled with mermaids, or the hybrid offspring of Gods and humans.
Our technology has advanced so much, particularly in the film industry, that we can now create these amazing worlds and characters in a way that audiences will become emotionally invested in something completely unreal.
In film, TV and even theater, this is referred to as the suspension of disbelief.
Yet, anytime a new adaptation of a beloved IP announces their casting choices for specific characters… people lose their bleeping minds.
From top left to bottom right: Moses Ingram as Reva Sevander from ‘Obi Wan,’ Leah Jeffries as Annabeth in ‘Percy Jackson,’ Ismael Cruz Cordoba as Arondir from ‘Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,’ and Halle Bailey as Ariel from ‘The Little Mermaid.’
I’m no cultural or historical expert, but I do find it very interesting that certain demographics of people can suspend disbelief for any number of creatures or alternate realities, but cannot do the same for a character that might be portrayed by an actor who is non-white.
I know as well as anyone how important it is to see yourself reflected in the characters on screen. People also feel very strongly that the original source material the adaptation is based on be honored as much as possible.
The problem is, one specific demographic dominated and monopolized the entertainment and publishing industries for all of the 20th century and much of the 21st century (specifically in regards to the Western entertainment industries). If you consumed content during that time, which surprise! Is all of us… you’re probably primed to assume any protagonist will be white. This representation problem is no secret, in fact, many of the streamers and studios have pushed hard for representation in front of and behind the camera after a lot of criticism from consumers.
This effort has rubbed many the wrong way. I’m not suggesting it’s a logical or moral take; these same people spam and harass the actors with cruelty, hatred, and even death threats on their social media accounts just for accepting the role of a lifetime. The audacity, right?
Truth is, you can’t tell people how to feel, no matter how repugnant you might think they are. We all hold a world of context and emotions and triggers within our corporeal bodies, even those we dislike.
Casting is a sacred process and is arguably one of the most important choices to make in the pre-production stages. The first is business related. Casting will get any project their budget. It can make or break whether the project gets the green light. International markets will supplement production budgets based on how famous your cast is. So, whatever the market demands will dictate which actors can even be considered.
Second, the actors are the lifeblood of any project (from the perspective of the audience). Finding the right person to bring a character off the page, who can inhabit their entire humanity, is what will move audiences.
Personally, casting is so much more about the “energy” you bring to a character than it is about the phenotypes any given actor possesses. So many communities have been underrepresented for so long, that the stated effort is imperative to balance the historical scales. People, no matter their background, race, religion, etc, can now find something out there that validates their existence… and that is an incredibly powerful thing and a net positive.
I’m confident that there will be more casting announcements that stir the pot in the future, but until then…
What do you think is most important when it comes to casting? Have you ever been outraged by a casting choice and why? Did this post trigger you? If so, tell me why you think I’m wrong.
