Rooney as Japanese? Stone as Native Hawaiian? TheWrap looks at history of racially misguided castings
Katharine Hepburn in “Dragon Seed” (1944)
Caucasian Hepburn played a Chinese woman in this big-screen adaptation of the Pearl S. Buck novel.
Marlon Brando in “The Teahouse of the August Moon” (1956)
Brando starred as an Okinawan translator for the U.S. Army in this comedy about the American occupation of the island nation.
John Wayne in “Conquerer” (1956)
Wayne was cast as Mongol conquerer Genghis Khan in what’s considered by many to be one of the worst films of all time.
Charlton Heston in “Touch of Evil” (1958)
Heston starred as Ramon Miguel Vargas in the 1958 crime film, a Mexican narcotics officer.
Mickey Rooney in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961)
More caricature than character, Rooney starred as the buck-toothed, Japanese Mr. Yunioshi in the 1961 film, which has faced volumes of criticism since.
Natalie Wood in “West Side Story” (1961)
Wood plays...
Katharine Hepburn in “Dragon Seed” (1944)
Caucasian Hepburn played a Chinese woman in this big-screen adaptation of the Pearl S. Buck novel.
Marlon Brando in “The Teahouse of the August Moon” (1956)
Brando starred as an Okinawan translator for the U.S. Army in this comedy about the American occupation of the island nation.
John Wayne in “Conquerer” (1956)
Wayne was cast as Mongol conquerer Genghis Khan in what’s considered by many to be one of the worst films of all time.
Charlton Heston in “Touch of Evil” (1958)
Heston starred as Ramon Miguel Vargas in the 1958 crime film, a Mexican narcotics officer.
Mickey Rooney in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961)
More caricature than character, Rooney starred as the buck-toothed, Japanese Mr. Yunioshi in the 1961 film, which has faced volumes of criticism since.
Natalie Wood in “West Side Story” (1961)
Wood plays...
- 6/22/2021
- by Wrap Staff
- The Wrap
Hank Azaria has issued an apology for voicing Kwik-e-Mart owner Apu on “The Simpsons,” a controversial role he played for 30 years despite Apu being Indian.
“I apologize for my part in creating that and participating in that,” Azaria said. “Part of me feels I need to go round to every single Indian person in this country and apologize.”
Azaria, who began voicing the convenience store owner in 1990, spoke about the recent controversies surrounding his character on Dax Shepherd’s “Armchair Expert” podcast. In January 2020, he stepped down from voicing Apu on “The Simpsons.” The voice actor insists the character was created with good intentions but said there were real negative consequences to the portrayal.
“I really didn’t know any better,” Azaria said. “I didn’t think about it. I was unaware of how much relative advantage I had received in this country as a white kid from Queens.”
Azaria...
“I apologize for my part in creating that and participating in that,” Azaria said. “Part of me feels I need to go round to every single Indian person in this country and apologize.”
Azaria, who began voicing the convenience store owner in 1990, spoke about the recent controversies surrounding his character on Dax Shepherd’s “Armchair Expert” podcast. In January 2020, he stepped down from voicing Apu on “The Simpsons.” The voice actor insists the character was created with good intentions but said there were real negative consequences to the portrayal.
“I really didn’t know any better,” Azaria said. “I didn’t think about it. I was unaware of how much relative advantage I had received in this country as a white kid from Queens.”
Azaria...
- 4/13/2021
- by Antonio Ferme
- Variety Film + TV
On Monday’s episode of the Armchair Expert podcast, The Simpsons actor Hank Azaria apologized for participating in “structural racism,” via his longtime portrayal of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon.
While the Emmy winner continues to voice other parts on the Fox comedy, including Moe Szyslak, and gave voice to Apu from his first appearance on the show in 1990, he announced in February of last year that he would no longer be playing the role. The decision emerged as part of a broad cultural shift in animation, as the industry came to the belief that characters of color should not be voiced by white actors, with other Simpsons roles also being recast.
In the course of his conversation with Armchair Experts hosts Dax Shephard and Monica Padman, Azaria said that he wished he’d committed to exiting the Apu role many years before he actually did. “I’ve had a date with destiny...
While the Emmy winner continues to voice other parts on the Fox comedy, including Moe Szyslak, and gave voice to Apu from his first appearance on the show in 1990, he announced in February of last year that he would no longer be playing the role. The decision emerged as part of a broad cultural shift in animation, as the industry came to the belief that characters of color should not be voiced by white actors, with other Simpsons roles also being recast.
In the course of his conversation with Armchair Experts hosts Dax Shephard and Monica Padman, Azaria said that he wished he’d committed to exiting the Apu role many years before he actually did. “I’ve had a date with destiny...
- 4/13/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Hank Azaria announced in January he would be stepping away from voicing Apu on “The Simpsons” following years of controversy over his stereotypical portrayal, and the actor says in a new interview with The New York Times that he was unaware one of the major inspirations for Apu was racist to begin with. Azaria tells The Times writer Dave Itzkoff that he based Apu not only on Indian and Pakistani clerks he heard in New York City but also on Peter Sellers’ character in Blake Edwards’ 1968 comedy “The Party.” The movie stars Sellers as Hrundi V. Bakshi, an unknown Indian film actor who mistakenly finds himself invited to an exclusive Hollywood party. Sellers dons brownface in the film. The character inspired such prolific characters as Azaria’s Apu and Rowan Atkinson’s Mr. Bean.
“That represents a real blind spot I had,” Azaria told The Times “with some disappointment” about...
“That represents a real blind spot I had,” Azaria told The Times “with some disappointment” about...
- 2/25/2020
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
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