• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

George Takei shames Marvel white-washing The Ancient One in Doctor Strange

May 3, 2016 by Luke Owen

The topic of white-washing has been in the news a lot lately, following the first image of Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in the Shell (which was denounced by Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Ming-Na Wen) and the casting of Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One in Marvel’s Doctor Strange. The latter of which has caused George Takei to take to Facebook to discuss the issue.

Takei was responding to this article, in which Marvel announce they cast Swinton in the role – traditionally a male Asian character – to appease the Asian market. The former Star Trek star responded, “So let me get this straight. You cast a white actress so you wouldn’t hurt sales…in Asia? This backpedaling is nearly as cringeworthy as the casting. Marvel must think we’re all idiots.”

“Marvel already addressed the Tibetan question by setting the action and The Ancient One in Kathmandu, Nepal in the film,” he continues in the comments section. “It wouldn’t have mattered to the Chinese government by that point whether the character was white or Asian, as it was already in another country. So this is a red herring, and it’s insulting that they expect us to buy their explanation. They cast Tilda because they believe white audiences want to see white faces. Audiences, too, should be aware of how dumb and out of touch the studios think we are.”

He added: “To those who say, ‘She an actress, this is fiction,’ remember that Hollywood has been casting white actors in Asian roles for decades now, and we can’t keep pretending there isn’t something deeper at work here. If it were true that actors of Asian descent were being offered choice roles in films, these arguments might prevail. But there has been a long standing practice of taking roles that were originally Asian and rewriting them for white actors to play, leaving Asians invisible on the screen and underemployed as actors. This is a very real problem, not an abstract one. It is not about political correctness, it is about correcting systemic exclusion. Do you see the difference?”

Takei has been outspoken on the subject of white-washing Asian roles, particularly in his petitioning against the American remake of Akira.

What do you make of Takei’s comments, let us know in the comments below.

“Doctor Strange follows the story of neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange who, after a horrific car accident, discovers the hidden world of magic and alternate dimensions.”

Doctor Strange is set for release on October 28th in the UK and November 4th in the US, with Scott Derrickson (Sinister) with a cast that includes Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) as Stephen Strange, Tilda Swinton (Snowpiercer) as The Ancient One, Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) as Baron Mordo, Benedict Wong (The Martian) as Wong and Rachel McAdams (True Detective) and Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal) in as-yet-unconfirmed roles.

. url=”.” . width=”100%” height=”150″ iframe=”true” /]

Filed Under: Luke Owen, Movies, News Tagged With: Doctor Strange, George Tak, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

The Must-See Horror Movies From Every Decade

7 Underappreciated Final Girls in Horror

10 Incredibly Influential Action Movies

Ten Controversial Movies and the Drama Around Them

The Prisoner: The Classic British TV Series Revisited

10 Stunning Performances Outrageously Snubbed by the Oscars

The Rise of Paul Thomas Anderson: A Living Legend

Peeping Tom: A Voyeuristic Masterpiece of the Slasher Subgenre

Great Cult 90s Horror Movies You Have To See

Underappreciated Action Stars Who Deserve More Love

Top Stories:

7 Underrated World War II Romance Movies

Great Tarantino-esque Movies You Need To See

Whatever Happened to the Horror Icon?

The Rise of Paul Thomas Anderson: A Living Legend

Movie Review – Jurassic World Rebirth (2025)

Movie Review – The Shrouds (2025)

Comic Book Preview – Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes & Rivals

Back to the Future at 40: The Story Behind the Pop Culture Touchstone

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

The Essential Action Movies of the 1980s

The Essential Cannon Films Scores

13 Underrated Horror Franchise Sequels That Deserve More Love

The Essential Richard Norton Movies

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket