As speculated in earlier reports, DreamWorks’ adaptation of Ghost in the Shell received the green-light, and has even been scheduled for release in two years – to be exact, 14 April 2017.
Amidst dissenting cries of whitewashing from fans and non-fans alike, it is confirmed that the cast would be led by Scarlett Johansson, who has been enjoying a slew of action roles lately with Marvel’s Black Widow and the titular Lucy to add to her oeuvre. That a white actress was casted as a Japanese character living in a futuristic Japan, instead of an ethnically Japanese actress, speaks of Hollywood’s tendency to erase non-white representations on screen.
Quite simply, this means it doesn’t matter if a character is Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Malay, Indian – all Asians, right? – they are all going to be portrayed by white actors and actresses. Does this matter? Even if we place a phenomenally big and morally deficient metaphorical pin on the issue of racial discrimination, would it not be odd to see white characters strutting about an Asian city with signs in a language not distinctly their own, on a mission to save this Asian country?
To bring it back to Ghost in the Shell, what would a Ghost in the Shell with a white Major Kusanagi look like? Well, I know how she’ll look like, but what would it feel like? And would it affect my enjoyment of the story?
Those on the pro-Johansson camp would point out that the Major is, after all, a cyborg and her body completely cybernetic. Does it matter so much that she is white? In addition, it’s not like the movie is going to be in Japanese, anyway; so isn’t it better to have an actress who can actually speak the language the movie would be in? These are valid points of argument, if we are to merely look at the issue from a practical standpoint.
But, this writer stands with many other fans and asks the question: why not Rinko Kikuchi? She is Japanese and speaks English well enough. While she recently gain popularity for her role in Pacific Rim, it is telling that her much lauded Hollywood debut was as a deaf mute Japanese girl.
With just the first name of the cast announced, this production has already garnered much discussion and debate. It would be interesting to see how fans would react as we get to know more in time to come.
Source: The Verge
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