Los Angeles Times: "Casting of ‘Last Airbender’ stirs controversy"
Oh M. Night. Oh no you didn't.
Shyamalan took issue with the idea that "The Last Airbender" presents a lily-white version of the cartoon's universe. "Ultimately, this movie, and then the three movies, will be the most culturally diverse tentpole movies ever released, period," he said. "So if I'm failing the bar, I'm not sure whose bar is set higher than this movie."
Wow.
Also, according to the Times:
Although creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko were heavily influenced by Asian martial arts lore and incorporated elements of Chinese and Tibetan cultures, the characters had no explicit race.
And Shaun Taub explains why "race-based casting would have come with its own problems."
"If they would have put all Asians in a certain nation, I think then there would be people who come out and said, ‘Well, now you're stereotyping, saying that anything that has to do with martial arts has to do with Asians and chop suey and all that.' So it's nice to mix it up and just do the unexpected."
Well, okay then.
This story will be printed in the Los Angeles Times on May 2nd. Unfortunately, it only features quotes from the production-- M. Night Shyamalan, Shaun Taub (movieIroh) and Frank Marshall--so it's pretty one-sided.
Click here to read more. Please take the time to leave polite and well thought out comments if you can.
EDIT: Okay, yeah. Everyone unhappy with this article? Please leave polite and rational comments over at the LA Times!
Shyamalan took issue with the idea that "The Last Airbender" presents a lily-white version of the cartoon's universe. "Ultimately, this movie, and then the three movies, will be the most culturally diverse tentpole movies ever released, period," he said. "So if I'm failing the bar, I'm not sure whose bar is set higher than this movie."
Wow.
Also, according to the Times:
Although creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko were heavily influenced by Asian martial arts lore and incorporated elements of Chinese and Tibetan cultures, the characters had no explicit race.
And Shaun Taub explains why "race-based casting would have come with its own problems."
"If they would have put all Asians in a certain nation, I think then there would be people who come out and said, ‘Well, now you're stereotyping, saying that anything that has to do with martial arts has to do with Asians and chop suey and all that.' So it's nice to mix it up and just do the unexpected."
Well, okay then.
This story will be printed in the Los Angeles Times on May 2nd. Unfortunately, it only features quotes from the production-- M. Night Shyamalan, Shaun Taub (movieIroh) and Frank Marshall--so it's pretty one-sided.
Click here to read more. Please take the time to leave polite and well thought out comments if you can.
EDIT: Okay, yeah. Everyone unhappy with this article? Please leave polite and rational comments over at the LA Times!