So, Johnny Depp get a frickin’ pass because he’s "a bona-fide star"? Come on!
Say that to the thousands of Native actors out there right now, "Sorry, you have no right to represent YOUR OWN ETHNICITY because, you’re NOT FAMOUS ENOUGH."
I am disappointed, Carol. With the "Twilight" kid you leapt down his throat with both feet. How is this different? Because it’s Depp? It is that acceptance that has kept Native actors from playing Native roles for so long. In "Running Brave" the Native actor up for the role of Billy Mills lost out to Robby Benson for the same reason. He ended up playing the S. African runner who loses!
"…no Native actor working today has the power that Depp does to get the attention of the mainstream audience and press."
But that IS ALWAYS the justification for freezing Native actors out of Native roles. "Dances with Wolves" got the mainstream attention, "Chief Illiniwek" is supposed to be respectful and a way to get mainstream attention, otherwise we’re the vanishing race, right? But it continues to be the only excuse for not hiring Native actors or actresses for Native roles. The line needs to be drawn and they need to start casting Native for Native.
Let's note that Depp is a well-known star but not a box-office guarantee. And isn't the bottom line what Hollywood cares about? The way to generate big profits is to go with relatively unknown actors and build a franchise around them.
As for the attention-getting factor...sure, Depp will draw a lot of attention. But wouldn't casting a relatively unknown Native actor also draw a lot of attention? "Disney gambles franchise on newcomer from Shiprock (or Tahlequah, or Pine Ridge)"...isn't that a story you'd want to read?
No one knew the stars of Harry Potter or Twilight before they got their roles, but everyone wanted to know about them. And now they're arguably household names--at least among teen audiences. The same thing will happen with Native actors when studios grow brave enough to put them in major roles.
To see all the comments on Carole's essay, go to the original essay. For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies.
Below: The new Robbie Benson?
"Deep Six Depp as Tonto" -
ReplyDeleteSince Tonto is a character who is virtually unknown to anyone under the age of 45, the time is indeed right to "redefine" him for millions of younger movie-goers throughout the world.
But, Johnny Depp is the wrong choice for this redefined Tonto as he, to me, is simply not MASCULINE enough to be credible in this role.
I grew up when "The Lone Ranger" was on tv yet - and the Tonto that Jay Silverheels played was an extremely strong, semi-quiet, very masculine type; the kind of Indian man that most of us actually are.
And certainly NOT the kind of effeminate, boozy-woozy, prancing-about-the-deck of the pirate ship with his arms flailing around figure that Depp has solidly become in the popular American imagination.
I don't think Tonto is unknown today. Since 1963 (45 years ago), there's been an animated series, a big-screen remake, a TV-movie remake, and at least two comic-book series. I think the original productions and these remakes and the many parodies have etched Tonto into our collective consciousness.
ReplyDelete