Hellboy casting of Ed Skrein prompts ‘whitewashing’ backlash over comic’s Asian character
The choice of Skrein for a character who was Japanese-American in the Hellboy comics for reboot Rise of the Blood Queen is being widely criticised, following similar recent outcries regarding Emma Stone and Scarlett Johansson
A Hollywood film yet again finds itself responding to a social-media outcry over the casting of a white actor in a role that was originally Asian-American.
British actor Ed Skrein earlier this week joined the cast of the Hellboy reboot Rise of the Blood Queen, which is to be the third film in the comic adaptation franchise previously helmed by Guillermo del Toro. The character, Ben Daimio, is Japanese-American in Mike Mignola’s Hellboy comics and his heritage is central to his backstory. Daimio’s grandmother was a Japanese Imperial assassin in the second world war.
Hollywood adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians has cast its Chinese male lead – and he’s half-white
Many objected to the role not going to an Asian-American actor and called it another example of Hollywood “whitewashing” Asian characters. “I guess they want this to fail,” said actress Cindy Chu on Twitter.
The film’s distributor, Lionsgate, declined to comment. A representative for Skrein did not respond to queries yesterday.
The backlash follows previous controversies including the castings of Emma Stone as a half-Hawaiian, half-Chinese air force pilot in Cameron Crowe’s Aloha and Scarlett Johansson as the cyborg protagonist in the Japanese anime remake Ghost in the Shell .