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

[cainofdreaming]

Next: Amistad remake with all white cast to avoid stereotypes.

[freezer]

Heh. Shades of the "What if they made an all-white version of The Wiz" whining. (Yes, that was a real thing)

[md84]

But...but The Wiz was basically a modernized reinterpretation of the Wizard of Oz, which ALREADY had a white cast! That's just...WHAT?!

[freezer]

It flared up during the live Wiz special a few months ago. NEVER underestimate the power, numbers or stupidity of Angry White People on The Internet.