Last Airbender movie is ass, let's talk about Legend of Korra.

[The_OG_Nelta]

The Conflict.

Ever since they announced last fall that the big screen, live-action Hollywood studio adaption of the hit animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, would feature an all-white principal cast, fans have been up in arms. Not just Avatar fans, but also folks who generally don't like to see racist nonsense perpetuated in the movies. And let's face it, that's what this is.

Up to now, Paramount hasn't done a hell of a lot of the calm the ran rebellion, posting all sorts of ridiculous casting calls and basically ignoring East West Players and MANAA's calls for a more diverse and inclusive cast. Then, of course, there's cast member Jackson Rathbone's idiotic comments about cutting his hair and getting a tan.

I recently heard from the folks with the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA). After trying to work with Paramount on this behind the scenes, they've decided there's no other choice but to go public with their concerns grievances about The Last Airbender. Here's the press releaseMANAA put out last week:

PARAMOUNT DISCRIMINATES AGAINST ASIAN AMERICAN ACTORS FOR MOVIE ADAPTATION OF ASIAN-BASED TV SERIES

Asian American Advocacy Groups, Fans Condemn Racial Bias in M. Night Shyamalan's "Whitewashed" Casting of "The Last Airbender"

Los Angeles - Thousands of fans and two prominent Asian American advocacy groups are protesting Paramount Pictures' upcoming "The Last Airbender," accusing the production of racial bias in selecting white actors to portray ethnically Asian characters.

The movie—a live action adaptation of the hit animated television series "Avatar: The Last Airbender"—is part of a franchise widely advertised by Nickelodeon as set in a "fantastical Asian world" and is set for release in July of 2010.


Even though all of the series' characters were ethnically Asian or Inuit/Yupik, casting sheets for the leads indicated a preference for white actors—and ultimately, they were chosen for the top four starring roles. The part of the villainous Prince Zuko went to Jesse McCartney. After dropping out, he was replaced by "Slumdog Millionaire's" Dev Patel. Consequently, in a Eurocentric twist, actors of color have been relegated to villain, supporting, and background roles.

Immediately after the initial casting announcement in December, thousands of outraged fans mobilized to protest through a letter writing campaign, petition, and website, racebending.com: striving for diversity and equality in The Last Airbender movie. Fan protest efforts were featured in the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE and THE WASHINGTON POST.

"We're mortified that the film is turning this story we loved and respected into just another symbol of Hollywood discrimination," Marissa Lee, one of the fans protesting the casting, said. "That's why we decided to speak out and fight back. These ignorant casting decisions have compromised the integrity of the original series."

On February 11, The Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA), the only organization solely dedicated to monitoring the media and its depiction and coverage of Asian Americans, sent a letter to Paramount President John Lesher, executive producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, director M. Night Shyamalan, and producer Sam Mercer, requesting a meeting to discuss the casting controversy before filming began in early March.

On March 25—over a month and a half later—and after shooting commenced, MANAA received a letter signed by "the producers," attempting to justify the selection of white actors to portray characters of color. The letter claimed that the film has "a large and ethnically diverse cast that represents many different heritages and cultures from all corners of the globe."

Although they claim the setting will be diverse, the producers ignored concerns regarding a glass ceiling reserving the three primary heroic roles for white actors. Paramount's letter, available on MANAA's website, MANAA | Media Action Network for Asian Americans, fails to answer the organization's charges of discrimination, racial bias, cultural appropriation, imperialism, and the production's use of culturally ignorant language to justify the film's casting practices.

Guy Aoki, founding President of MANAA, says, "It's outrageous that the producers are using their supposed concern for ‘diversity' as an excuse to make an Asian story more white. Conversely, does this mean that in the future, the producers will take a story featuring only white people and make a movie with the top four stars all initially being persons of color?"

"Like other studios, Paramount erroneously believes that white audiences won't pay money to see a film that's ‘too Asian.' Unfortunately, we saw this happen last year with "21" and recently with "Dragonball: Evolution." The different cultures of the four Asian nations were unique enough in the original "Avatar" series. Fans expected to see Asian actors play those parts in the movie. Ironically, most of the outraged fans threatening to boycott the film are white, black, and Latino.

In February, East West Players, the longest-running Asian American theatre organization in the country, founded by late "Avatar" actor Makoto "Mako" Iwamatsu, also wrote a letter expressing its concerns.

When graphic novelist Derek Kirk Kim sent the producers a petition from industry professionals, signatories included one of the "Avatar" series' award-winning directors, Giancarlo Volpe.

Korean American comedian Margaret Cho lashed out at the decision on her blog.

"Why is it better to have white actors play the roles of Asians?" Cho wrote. "I don't understand. Because it sells more tickets? I am not white and I have had no trouble selling tickets. Maybe the powers that be should ask me what to do. I would tell them ‘The Last Airbender' is the last straw to a lot of people:"

On his Twitter, producer Frank Marshall continues to deny the production has discriminated by giving opportunities for actors of color to white performers. After a series of twitters back and forth between angry fans and himself, Marshall made his final comment on the subject last week saying, "The casting is complete and we did not discriminate against anyone," defensively adding, "I am done talking about it."

The folks at Racebending have set up a YouTube channel where fans who object to the whitewashed casting of The Last Airbender can post video messages telling producers (and America) why they won't be going to see this movie. They're taking it to the streets! With real, actual people speaking out.

Meanwhile, Viacom (parent company of Paramount), has decided to exercise its supreme authority over the internet universe by shutting down the Racebending.com protest effort's Zazzle store, claiming all but one of the products "contained content in violation of Viacom's intellectual property rights" -- not just images, but words.

Thus, a t-shirt that declares "Aang can stay Asian and still save the world" in a variety of colors and sizes is somehow a copyright violation. Details here: AVATAR: ZAZZLE/VIACOM FAIL. Admit it, Paramount. You're getting annoyed.

Pictures:
No clue if shooped or not.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...9156753112.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...6699259249.jpg

[BadKarma]

The movie looks horrible but did someone light the sharpton signal up in this bitch? BOOHOO RACISM BAWW fuck you asian advocacy groups racism my ass.

Also Zuko was prolly the deepest character in the cartoon and he most certainly turned out to be a hero not a villain.

This Nancy-pants bullshit with race should stop everywhere not just in this so called racist movie. The actors were chosen based on acting talents not skin color. Anyone who fails to see that is an idiot.

[Qalbert]

Lollywood

[Akiyama]

Yeah. While I do realize that racism is an issue, should the big talking heads be bringing it up at a time where this movie is going to be aimed at a younger audience? Granted not everyone who watches will be young, as I enjoyed the series, and I know plenty of people who did.. but god damn, Hollywood. Shut the fuck up.

They do seem to be right in some cases as casting could be way better. The Aang there just looks way too pudgy to me in the face, Haha.. and Zuko's too far away to really tell. I'm curious how they work the scar. It's an important part to his character. Also, Aang's arrow just isn't bright enough, but these are simple nitpicks from a fan. I doubt I could look at this in a biased reaction as I was really into the series. We'll see as more shit pops up though. I know there's a promo for it during I think the Transformers 2 movie? Or is it during Terminator? Shit, I can't remember.

[Xavier]

They are so racist, that they hired a man of Indian descent (M. Night Shyamalan) to direct the movie.

They are so racist, that they cast a man of Indian descent as Zuko! Of course, I realize that Dev Patel (from Slumdog, top picture above) wasn't the initial choice, but he is the actor who will actually appear in the movie.

They are so racist, that they cast a man of Indian descent (Aasif Mandvi) as Admiral Zhao! A man of Iranian descent (Shaun Toub) to play Uncle Iroh!

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Some people just don't sleep well at night unless they are bitching about something.

[BadKarma]

They are so racist, that they hired a man of Indian descent (M. Night Shyamalan) to direct the movie.

They are so racist, that they cast a man of Indian descent as Zuko! Of course, I realize that Dev Patel (from Slumdog, top picture above) wasn't the initial choice, but he is the actor who will actually appear in the movie.

They are so racist, that they cast a man of Indian descent (Aasif Mandvi) as Admiral Zhao! A man of Iranian descent (Shaun Toub) to play Uncle Iroh!

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Some people just don't sleep well at night unless they are bitching about something.

^Truth

[Deftscythe]

I don't think it's racist, I just think it's stupid. When you're adapting from a visual medium into live action you should try to maintain the characters looks as best you can, and those pictures don't fit for me. I'm not sure who I'd cast for Aang but I don't have a talent agency binder in front of me with thousands to choose from. As for Zuko, why not just use his voice actor, Dante Basco?

It's all moot anyways since I doubt the script will be worth a damn.

[The_OG_Nelta]

Technically they didn't hire Knight, he was just watching it with his children one day and was like, oh shit this is awesome, i can totally make this into a movie.

[ZarakiKujata]

Um.. isn't the Avatar movie going to be written/directed by James Cameron and starring Marcus from the new Terminator?

edit: just IMDB'd it, his sounds infinitely better.

[volcanicweather]

I'm wondering how the hell they can make a movie out of this seeing as the story-arch has already been completed. Unless they want to re-tell it, but that' doesn't make much sense.

Also the actor they casted as Aang is ugly as fuck - he had a cute, quirky, childish innocence to him, not a chunker with a bull face

[Parshias]

They are so racist, that they cast a man of Indian descent (Aasif Mandvi) as Admiral Zhao!

Wut.

Love Aasif on the Daily Show. Should be interesting to see him in this...

[Akiyama]

I'm wondering how the hell they can make a movie out of this seeing as the story-arch has already been completed. Unless they want to re-tell it, but that' doesn't make much sense.

Also the actor they casted as Aang is ugly as fuck - he had a cute, quirky, childish innocence to him, not a chunker with a bull face

Agreed. I thought he was too pudgy.

And yeah, just like remakes of other things, Hollywood feels they can turn this into a cash cow of sorts and span three movies over the three books. At least that's what I think they are doing.

[Qalbert]

Um.. isn't the Avatar movie going to be written/directed by James Cameron and starring Marcus from the new Terminator?

edit: just IMDB'd it, his sounds infinitely better.

lolwut

[Rhinox]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar_(film)

This one is better.

[ZarakiKujata]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar_(film)

This one is better.

Avatar (2009)

your link doesn't exist

[NotGreyheim]

Racism? In Hollywood?

WHAT A TWEEST!

[Rhinox]

Avatar (2009)

your link doesn't exist

IT DOES TOO DAMMIT. You must believe


anyway same thing happen when they casted Jake Gyannhaaallalllllllllllllllllllllallala as the prince in Prince of persia movie.

[Akiyama]

Except Jake Gylanhalalalalalala actually fits somewhat as the Prince based on images.

This version of Aang is just too fucking chubby in the face.

[bebeci]

There was the same discussion with the movie 21.
Nearly everyone in real life was Asian, but the movie only had one Asian (who was the kleptomaniac... yup...)
21 (2008 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[ZarakiKujata]

Racism? In Hollywood?

WHAT A TWEEST!

well its a new direction from the usual anti-semitism