NS: Why Dr. Strange's Ancient One is a woman

[lucean]

I just wanted to share this writer explanation as I honestly found it kind of hilarious. So, as some of you may be aware, there has been some dislike about the fact that Tilda Swinton was cast as the Ancient One in Dr. Strange, as the character in the comics was a Tibetan man. The interview can be found here: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/27/world/asia/china-doctor-strange-tibet.html?_r=0

It is a really interesting summary of the interview. Something that baffled me in it was that the writers argument about the Ancient One being an oriental stereotype is true, but what I continue to struggle with is that if they decided to change the ethnicity of the Ancient One because of that, why did decide everything is Tibetan. So in an attempt to avoid racial sensitivity, they decide to have a white person have teach another white person to be the bestest magic while dressed in Tibetan clothes in a Tibetan building surrounded by Tibetan people in Tibet.

The comment that killed me, though, was how insulting the writer considered casting a Chinese woman to act a Tibetan character.

Comments

[sadoeuphemist]

Was anyone really complaining about the Mandarin? I was under the impression that it was pretty well received, aside from the 'it's not accurate to the source material' folks.

[freezer]

I recall complaints that the character should've been Asian, even if you weren't going to make him the "real" Mandarin (Kingsley being half-Indian was as mollifying as half-Chinese Kristin Kreuk playing Chun-Li).

[lilacsigil]

I remember comments about using racist imagery to promote the movie even if the movie itself subverted that, but I'm not sure what could really be done about that.