It looks like Hollywood is going to have to start re-working their recruitment game. It is just no longer acceptable to have a White actor play the role of a non-White character anymore. After stars like Oscar winner Emma Stone was bashed for portraying a Hawaiian in Aloha, no actor wants to let themselves into this whole whitewashing kerfuffle. The latest in the scandal is Ed Skrein, who was brought on to play a role in Hellboy.
The actor, who has played significant roles in major films like Deadpool and Transporter recently opened up about him voluntarily dropping out of a plump role he received in the upcoming Hellboy film. Ed Skrein was being cast as Major Ben Daimio, and he claims that at the time of accepting the role, he wasn’t aware that the original character is not White.
“I accepted the role unaware that the character in the original comics was of mixed Asian heritage. There has been intense conversation and understandable upset since that announcement, and I must do what I feel is right.”
He continued in his statement, “It is clear that representing this character in a cultural way holds significance for people, and that to neglect this responsibility would continue a worrying tendency to obscure ethnic minority stories and voices in the Arts. I feel it is important to honour and respect that. Therefore, I have decided to step down so the role can be cast appropriately.”
Ed Skrein continues, getting more personal about ethnicity. “Representation of ethnic diversity is important, especially to me as I have a mixed heritage family. It is our responsibility to make moral decisions in difficult times and to give voice to inclusivity. It is my hope that one day these discussions will become less necessary and that we can help make equal representation in the Arts a reality.”
He ended by saying, “I am sad to leave Hellboy but if this decision brings us closer to that day, it is worth it. I hope it makes a difference.”
Image Credit: IMDb.com
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