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[MHWilliams]

Can anyone fill me in as to why people are upset at the casting?

There are two problems:

One, there are few leading roles for Asian-American actors in Hollywood and Marvel Cinematic itself is largely deficient in that area, unless you count Agents of SHIELD.

Two, it's been covered earlier in the thread, but in short, Iron Fist is a character that was created back in the 70s. Many of the heroes created back in the day were white because that's who had the leading roles then. Iron Fist thus becomes a recipient of the White Savior trope, where a white hero lands in an indigenous culture and become the best of it. People bring up the fact that Rand is a bit of a fuck-up, but that's more of a recent addition to the character; back in the day, he was played completely straight.

Given these origins, people felt Marvel could fix both problems at the same time by casting a non-white Danny Rand.

There is hope that Shang Chi, who actually preceded Iron Fist in his creation, would perhaps gain his own show, but I personally doubt Marvel will produce two martial arts shows. If it was going to happen, they would've done Shang Chi instead of Iron Fist.

 

[Litan]

The people suggesting we might get a Shang Chi show later down the road know damn well that has a 0% chance of happening.

 

[QisTopTier]

How do you feel about MCU Nick Fury?

Was like eh? At first but Samuel Jackson earned his spot couldn't really see anyone else doing it these days. Hell they wrote him into the comics.

Changing stuff from the source material can pay off and it has at times. It just always is weird to me when people say they want such and such BUT CHANGE THIS ABOUT IT BECAUSE I WANT MORE OF THIS. And I get that there is a bunch of under representation going on in Hollywood which is why I said I hate when roles get whitewashed as well.

An Asian-American Danny Rand could be awesome but that wasn't the original story so at first glance I'll always view it as change for the sake of change at first glance even if the actor was fucking awesome as hell. Dr.Strange is an example of that for me with the acient one I was heavly on the WHY THE FUCK DID THEY CHANGE THE ANCIENT ONE and after seeing it was like ok she did a great job.

 

[miller.skippins]

We're talking about the problem of making a white character the hero in the middle of a predominantly Asian setting.

I am chinese...and that's what Iron Fist is about in the book.

If i am not offended, why should you?

In HK Cinema, you have all the caucasians as bad guys (seriously, watch many of those 80s/90s Jackie Chan movies or Jet Li's Once upon a time in China) as the Chinese are nationalistic heroes. You don't see Hong Kong studios cast a white dude as the hero as well.

Same thing, when's the last time a French movie cast a Japanese as a protagonist?

Movie studios cast their leading man based on their audience and demographic. I don't see what's the problem?

If you wanna see a chinese superhero, you can watch a chinese movie.

What pissed me off are when hollywood 'tries' to cast a chinese in their movie or attempt to make a chinese movie. You ended up duds like Forbidden Kingdom or the Rush hour movies or Shanghai noon movies. Some of you westerns may enjoy the Jackie Chan Rush hour movies but here in Asia, we think those movies as stinkers. No joke. Asians like to see the protrayal of their heroes in a certain way that the hollywood studios can never understand so i rather they stop attempting to cast chinese in their movies. Adding more minorities for the sake of appeasing the liberals without understanding them is even more offensive than an 'all white' cast.


P.S....Again, i am chinese.

 

[TickleMeElbow]

I am chinese...and that's what Iron Fist is about in the book.

If i am not offended, why should you?

In HK Cinema, you have all the caucasians as bad guys (seriously, watch many of those 80s/90s Jackie Chan movies or Jet Li's Once upon a time in China) as the Chinese are nationalistic heroes. You don't see Hong Kong studios cast a white dude as the hero as well.

Same thing, when's the last time a French movie cast a Japanese as a protagonist?

Movie studios cast their leading man based on their audience and demographic. I don't see what's the problem?

If you wanna see a chinese superhero, you can watch a chinese movie.

What pissed me off are when hollywood 'tries' to cast a chinese in their movie or attempt to make a chinese movie. You ended up duds like Forbidden Kingdom or the Rush hour movies or Shanghai noon movies. Some of you westerns may enjoy the Jackie Chan Rush hour movies but here in Asia, we think those movies as stinkers. No joke. Asians like to see the protrayal of their heroes in a certain way that the hollywood studios can never understand so i rather they stop attempting to cast chinese in their movies. Adding more minorities for the sake of appeasing the liberals without understanding them is even more offensive than an 'all white' cast.


P.S....Again, i am chinese.

To me this about Asian Americans, who have a different experience with representation in media when compared to Asian people living in Asia.

 

[FusedAtoms]

Glad to see that they don't want Danny to be a white savior , I'm more worried about the quality of the show overall tbh

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

I am chinese...and that's what Iron Fist is about in the book.

If i am not offended, why should you?

In HK Cinema, you have all the caucasians as bad guys (seriously, watch many of those 80s/90s Jackie Chan movies or Jet Li's Once upon a time in China) as the Chinese are nationalistic heroes. You don't see Hong Kong studios cast a white dude as the hero as well.

Same thing, when's the last time a French movie cast a Japanese as a protagonist?

Movie studios cast their leading man based on their audience and demographic. I don't see what's the problem?

If you wanna see a chinese superhero, you can watch a chinese movie.

What pissed me off are when hollywood 'tries' to cast a chinese in their movie or attempt to make a chinese movie. You ended up duds like Forbidden Kingdom or the Rush hour movies or Shanghai noon movies. Some of you westerns may enjoy the Jackie Chan Rush hour movies but here in Asia, we think those movies as stinkers. No joke. Asians like to see the protrayal of their heroes in a certain way that the hollywood studios can never understand so i rather they stop attempting to cast chinese in their movies. Adding more minorities for the sake of appeasing the liberals without understanding them is even more offensive than an 'all white' cast.


P.S....Again, i am chinese.

it's not about you brah. we talking about asian americans bro, and asians being in America.

 

[Dongs Macabre]

I am chinese...and that's what Iron Fist is about in the book.

If i am not offended, why should you?

In HK Cinema, you have all the caucasians as bad guys (seriously, watch many of those 80s/90s Jackie Chan movies or Jet Li's Once upon a time in China) as the Chinese are nationalistic heroes. You don't see Hong Kong studios cast a white dude as the hero as well.

Same thing, when's the last time a French movie cast a Japanese as a protagonist?

Movie studios cast their leading man based on their audience and demographic. I don't see what's the problem?

If you wanna see a chinese superhero, you can watch a chinese movie.

What pissed me off are when hollywood 'tries' to cast a chinese in their movie or attempt to make a chinese movie. You ended up duds like Forbidden Kingdom or the Rush hour movies or Shanghai noon movies. Some of you westerns may enjoy the Jackie Chan Rush hour movies but here in Asia, we think those movies as stinkers. No joke. Asians like to see the protrayal of their heroes in a certain way that the hollywood studios can never understand so i rather they stop attempting to cast chinese in their movies. Adding more minorities for the sake of appeasing the liberals without understanding them is even more offensive than an 'all white' cast.


P.S....Again, i am chinese.

Asian people live in America.

 

[miller.skippins]

To me this about Asian Americans, who have a different experience with representation in media when compared to Asian people living in Asia.

then it's time for the westerners living in Asia to make a stand and demand more western heroes in Chinese cinema, goddamnit!

Need more white people in my ancient china kungfu dramas!!!

Jokes aside, let's be real. America is majority white...so it make sense that majority of its media is white. Same as every other country. You don't go to the annual Golden Horse awards (basically Chinese Oscar) and hashtag #GoldenHorseSoYellow.

I am no American Chinese but i lived in London. you don't see me go watch BBC Sherlock and then complain why is the cast of Sherlock 100% white.

I am not saying minority shouldn't be represented. I am saying that forced representation is worse than no representation. The Avengers are mostly white guys (with the occasion female). I have no problem with that. That's how i see them since i was a kid reading comic books. If for some reason some SJW start to insert a chinese dude as an avenger to pander to me as a minority, i will be even more pissed.

 

[wandering]

then it's time for the westerners living in Asia to make a stand and demand more western heroes in Chinese cinema, goddamnit!

Need more white people in my ancient china kungfu dramas!!!

The Great Wall just came out, so you can sit down

 

[Messofanego]

then it's time for the westerners living in Asia to make a stand and demand more western heroes in Chinese cinema, goddamnit!

Need more white people in my ancient china kungfu dramas!!!

Jokes aside, let's be real. America is majority white...so it make sense that majority of its media is white. Same as every other country. You don't go to the annual Golden Horse awards (basically Chinese Oscar) and hashtag #GoldenHorseSoYellow.

I am no American Chinese but i lived in London. you don't see me go watch BBC Sherlock and then complain why is the cast of Sherlock 100% white.

I am not saying minority shouldn't be represented. I am saying that forced representation is worse than no representation. The Avengers are mostly white guys (with the occasion female). I have no problem with that. That's how i see them since i was a kid reading comic books. If for some reason some SJW start to insert a chinese dude as an avenger to pander to me as a minority, i will be even more pissed.

Oh here we go, unironic use of "SJW".

China isn't a melting pot like America is, which is a nation built on immigrants so America has always been about multiculturalism and multi-ethnicity.

What is forced representation is straight white males since forever, in place of any other representation. Media doesn't have to reflect the demographics of real life 1:1 population data, that's because it's fiction. It can be an ideal version, which leads to even more minority representation in casting and further roles for minorities. Plus, you get more variety in your stories and media. Diversity is not only good morally, it's good business.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

The Great Wall just came out, so you can sit down

lmfao

Oh here we go, unironic use of "SJW".

China isn't a melting pot like America is, which is a nation built on immigrants so America has always been about multiculturalism and multi-ethnicity.

What is forced representation is straight white males since forever, in place of any other representation. Media doesn't have to reflect the demographics of real life 1:1 population data, that's because it's fiction. It can be an ideal version, which leads to even more minority representation in casting and further roles for minorities. Plus, you get more variety in your stories and media. Diversity is not only good morally, it's good business.

Also, This. We appreciate your Chinese asian perspective, but for Asian Americans, especially ones who were born and lived thier whole lives in America, it's a very different and important issue that you just won't be able to comprehend. I could write a book on this subject.

 

[Baron Aloha]

I totally understand their reasons for casting Tilda Swinton as the ancient one but they should have taken it farther and cast an Asian in the role of Doctor Strange.

As for the show, we will see how it turns out.

 

[Matty77]

And let's be real, we're not getting a Shang Chi series.

But it's okay to Dream right? I mentioned it first as a wouldn't it be cool hypothetical/good solution, never thought it would happen, but I'll stand by thinking it would be awesome if it did.

 

[NEO0MJ]

Anyone that read the comics would know this

Obligatory?

 

[kunonabi]

To me this about Asian Americans, who have a different experience with representation in media when compared to Asian people living in Asia.

So if Asian actors don't represent you because they don't share the American experience why does it matter if Asian characters are played by an Asian-American in the first place? By your own admission the character shouldn't mean anything to you either. It seems to strange to leverage your Asian heritage when you want opportunities but then ignore it otherwise.

 

[suzu]

Shang Chi will never happen. lol

.

I'm Chinese American and I don't agree with you at all. For reasons others have already stated.

P.S.

Spoiler

Chinese American.

 

[SuperStiltzkin]

I am not saying minority shouldn't be represented. I am saying that forced representation is worse than no representation. If for some reason some SJW start to insert a chinese dude as an avenger to pander to me as a minority, i will be even more pissed.

Lol dude. As a Chinese person, how could you not see that you're already being pandered to? Chinese actors and locales popping up in all kinds of movies these past few years in roles that you can barely call roles. Being pandered to as a cash cow is better than being pandered to as a human being who wants more representation?

 

[Mix Master]

A white dude plays a white character? Having asians play all the 'kung-fu' types is stereotypical. Show looks kinda dull tho, and LC and JJ burned me bad so I'll remaain tepid for this.

Daredevil season 1 is the only passable cape show from Netflix tbh.

 

[TickleMeElbow]

So if Asian actors don't represent you because they don't share the American experience why does it matter if Asian characters are played by an Asian-American in the first place? By your own admission the character shouldn't mean anything to you either. It seems to strange to leverage your Asian heritage when you want opportunities but then ignore it otherwise.

Because it's about Asian American actors getting significant roles. Chinese actors in China have opportunities. Japanese actors in Japan have opportunities. Asian American actors in America have few opportunities.

I grew up in both the US and Japan, so it's nice seeing Asian faces in media in general, no matter where they come from, but it's not about me specifically. When they have a show called The OC, set in Orange fucking County, with barely any Asian Americans in it, you don't think that's shady?

 

[Glass Rebel]

Series needs to start with flashbacks to previous Iron Fists killing it and then Randy getting fucked up by the Thunderer or Davos.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

So if Asian actors don't represent you because they don't share the American experience why does it matter if Asian characters are played by an Asian-American in the first place? By your own admission the character shouldn't mean anything to you either. It seems to strange to leverage your Asian heritage when you want opportunities but then ignore it otherwise.

we are talking about asian faces and representation period in american media. for me, whether its asian or asian american, its all good. but the subject of the matter is American media. Not chinese media. Im not in china. Not japanese media, Im not in Japan, etc.

there are literally millions and millions of asians in America yet we not only have almost zero representation in media, when we are represented, it usually falls into a trope of some kind to perpetuate stereotypes that only reinforce peoples everyday perspective on asians.

 

[SuperStiltzkin]

Because it's about Asian American actors getting significant roles. Chinese actors in China have opportunities. Japanese actors in Japan have opportunities. Asian American actors in America have few opportunities.

I grew up in both the US and Japan, so it's nice seeing Asian faces in media in general, no matter where they come from, but it's not about me specifically. When they have a show called The OC, set in Orange fucking County, with barely any Asian Americans in it, you don't think that's shady?

Seriously, you can't take two steps without tripping on a pho restaurant. I have family in Westminster and it's pretty much all Vietnamese people there.

 

[The Artisan]

There are two problems:

One, there are few leading roles for Asian-American actors in Hollywood and Marvel Cinematic itself is largely deficient in that area, unless you count Agents of SHIELD.

Two, it's been covered earlier in the thread, but in short, Iron Fist is a character that was created back in the 70s. Many of the heroes created back in the day were white because that's who had the leading roles then. Iron Fist thus becomes a recipient of the White Savior trope, where a white hero lands in an indigenous culture and become the best of it. People bring up the fact that Rand is a bit of a fuck-up, but that's more of a recent addition to the character; back in the day, he was played completely straight.

Given these origins, people felt Marvel could fix both problems at the same time by casting a non-white Danny Rand.

There is hope that Shang Chi, who actually preceded Iron Fist in his creation, would perhaps gain his own show, but I personally doubt Marvel will produce two martial arts shows. If it was going to happen, they would've done Shang Chi instead of Iron Fist.

here's two threads dedicated to this topic

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1145360
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=788801

 

[TickleMeElbow]

Seriously, you can't take two steps without tripping on a pho restaurant. I have family in Westminster and it's pretty much all Vietnamese people there.

My friend teaches middle school in Orange County, and most of his students are Asian.