Andy Serkis Gets Asked Why New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Cast Is All White Actors: ‘I Don’t Think We’ll Be Doing a Politically Correct Casting-for-the Sake-of-Casting Version of the Film’
Posted by yourfavchoom
Andy Serkis Gets Asked Why New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Cast Is All White Actors: ‘I Don’t Think We’ll Be Doing a Politically Correct Casting-for-the Sake-of-Casting Version of the Film’
Posted by yourfavchoom
25 Comments
What kind of a fucking jackass wants black hobbits and elves anyways. Make your own shit
*points at Magic the Gathering: Lord of the Rings set emphatically*
It’s essentially like saying “why would I make Journey to the West and try to cast a diverse pool”. LotR is essentially a European period fantasy. There is no reason to do so.
Please do not Google “black British person” please bro please dont
Serkis is based. He might be a weak director and this whole project is questionable at best, but he is based in his response.
“New ‘Lord of the Rings’ cast”
I’m sorry what, is there a remake? how is this the first I’m hearing of it?
I don’t understand how Serkis was able to get this (likely very expensive) directing role considering his track record. Is he paying for some of it? Were they just sick of hearing him beg to make the movie?
Tolkien specifically described the southerons and Haradrim as those with “black faces.” Which implies that is different from the men of the North, Westernese, Hobbits (as it is Sam who says it). So, the people included in those stories shouldn’t be people of colour. In the way he says it it also implies it’s a foreign aspect he hasn’t encountered, so you could take it as neither Elves or Dwarves look like that either, but they aren’t specifically described as such.
The fact is Tolkein was an Englishman of a certain era writing a medieval fantasy inspired by European Epics such as Norse Mythology, Beowulf and King Arthur. He also said he believes middle earth to be our Earth very far into the past. All of Middle Earth is very European in it’s mythology and culture. It’s unlikely he was ever imagining anyone in his stories to represent anything but white Europeans, otherwise he would have described them so. At least in the stories he got around to telling. Who knows what his stories about the far east or Southerons would be.
This is a little crazy now. I don’t think every movie needs diversity. If they hire actors after they have them read the script well for the part, I don’t think they need to consider race.
As a black woman I’m so tired of this discussion we have black characters and representation in the 80’s and 90’s. Why is it such an issue now? I would rather we have our own shows with original characters so those angry folks would stop crying online but as a person who understands why diversity matters when actors or directors pander to those groups it hurts. When I was a kid I didn’t have princess/ or make believe characters that looked like me and seeing how my nieces and nephews have characters that look like them in shows they like it means something to us. He could have just said no comment and leave it at that I like lord of the rings these are made up characters who cares what color elves or dwarfs are. They have different races in the ring of power what’s the matter now? Anyway let’s wrap this up, folks are showing u who they are so believe them.
i swear some people have nothing better to do than to find something to be mad about.
Jerry Seinfeld had the best response to this non-sense. Not everything has to be this perfect representation of diversity.
When Marlon James’ fantasy series “Dark Star Trilogy” is adapted for film or TV (Michael B. Jordan owns the rights and it’s fucking amazing), will anyone be asking why there isn’t much white or brown character representation in a series set in fantasy version of Africa?
I hope not, because that would make it weird.
I love when people commit to historically accurate fantasy casting. I’d argue that Lord of the Rings really has nothing that makes skin color relevant to the story
Edit: and by that i mean, fantasy is fictional and there is no historical accuracy. So there’s no reason why all the hobbits, elves, etc would be the same skin color
Its being seamless with Peter Jackson’s trilogy. Not Amazon’s lotr tv show. It shouldn’t have to be politically correct.
Thank God someone finally said what needed to be said. He has the balls to see and reject what made Rings of Power such a failure.
Who cares about inclusion? I genuinely don’t. If it makes sense, sure, why not. LOTR is full on fantasy, so if they decided on a diverse cast, whatever. Seems like they decided against it. Good. They can do whatever the fuck they want. What, are we gonna forget that black people exist and have rights if fucking lord of the rings doesn’t have a black guy in it? It’s all so stupid
As a person of colour, thank you.
It’s funny. Diversity is okay representing your country in the World Cup, Olympics, and to fight for your country but not to exist in a fantasy world too much.
Another movie I don’t need to support! Thanks for the heads up!
Because- and I can’t stress this enough – IT’S STAYING TRUE TO THE WAY TOLKIEN WROTE IT.
Not that hard to understand.
Nolan, take notes
If it’s a prequel and the original had white characters what is the problem especially if lore accurate. What is stupid is inserting a random dark skin elf where it simply was not possible to happen in the lore.
For people that often say they don’t ” think about us”, they seem obsessed with making black people the primary target of all their ire when talking about diversity or inclusiveness. Like Brown, Asian, gay, etc doesn’t also fit into that.
Really wish when a Chinese or Korean film came out he would have that same energy.
Why are these movies all Asian?