Quoted: IO9 on The Akira Whitewashing

November 4th, 2011 by Arturo

Back when Warner Bros. greenlit their Americanized Akira movie everyone was buzzing that Tron Legacy star Garrett Hedlund was the lead contender for the role of Kaneda. Now it seems he’s been offered the part. Gah.

Listen, we don’t have anything really against Hedlund, he’s nice to look at on screen and his acting certainly wasn’t the only reason Tron Legacy failed so dreadfully. But come on, Hollywood, this is just boring. Can we at least consider an Asian actor, just one? And are we really going to call this guy Kaneda? Or are you going to Americanize all the Japanese names as well? Will Shotaro Kaneda be turned into Kenny, and Tetsuo Shima into Timmy?

- From “Garrett Hedlund offered lead role in Akira. Crap,” by Meredith Woermer

Posted in asian, casting, celebrities, ethnocentrism, hollywood, movies | 5 comments

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  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CIPKMOXHLA5KG34HMH55OXHCVM Angel H.

    But, if you were to read the comments at io9, you would realize that the most important issue here is whether or not “Tron Legacy” actually sucked.

  • Leo the Yardie Chick

    But of course. *eye roll*

  • http://momsomniac.wordpress.com/ Momsomniac

    What the…

    Need a big name draw Hollywood?  How’s about John Cho? Daniel Dae Kim? Ken Leung?  I don’t know Akira, but those are names of Asian actors I pulled out of thin air.  No Googling, no contemplation.  Seriously, you’ve got SF fans out the wazoo who’d flock to see these guys.  The last 2 get you the Lost fans.  How many millions of people is that?

    I am a middle-aged suburban Mom living in Colorado, for Pete’s sake.  If I can do that, surely folks in California should be able to do me one better? The folks who cast these films apparently think we are all extremely limited. 

  • Anonymous

    Yeah, amazing how they just glossed over the actual subject to defend Garret Hedlund.
    And really, because something had people doing fan art means it didn’t suck? Twilight inspired lots of fangirl stuff, doesn’t mean it was a great film.
    Anyway,  John Cho and Daniel dae Kim might be older than Akira but there are still LOADS of young Asian faces out there. I mean damn!

  • LurkerG

    Hollywood…in this instance really wants to push their ‘selects’, i.e. Garrett or Zac Efron (wasn’t he rumored) and others.

    To this I say NAYYYYYYYY. Stop white-washing. I mean, AKIRA!!!

    I like Garrett, too, but there are tons of good-looking, talented Asian actors that would fit the bill for ALL OF THE CHARACTERS in this new feature. I think I remember reading somewhere something about Justin Timberlake and some other White males inconsideration for this cast. Makes me hang my head. Too many Asian actors are out there. Hollywood’s just not looking for them.