I haven't touched on this issue yet, but here goes...

[candyland]

So it sounds like Jesse McCartney is no longer going to be playing Zuko in the Avatar movie. I really haven't said much on the whole issue, but having read this interview (courtesy of the stunning girlquinn), I have to say that this is a step in the right direction.

I guess my personal feelings on the matter are that considering how diverse the A:tLA world is and how visibly it's based off all these different real-world cultures, maybe a little effort could have been made to at least somewhat align things? Just a smidgen? That diversity is one of the things that made the show so awesome--it wasn't completely homogenized.

In the spirit of not counting chickens before they hatch, I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt and see what the finished product looks like, but...I dunno how to explain it. It bothers me, but I'm not as much up in arms about it as some others, though I can understand their viewpoint.

I feel like I should also point out that I really don't dislike Jesse McCartney. The couple of roles I've encountered him in (which have been voice acting only: Roxas from Kingdom Hearts II, and JoJo from Horton Hearts a Who) have actually been quite believable and entertaining. And I'm also going to add that the girl slated to play Katara does actually resemble her--I think it's something about the shape of her eyes. End shallowness.

I'm really only a casual fan of the series overall, but there's enough poorly-worded misinformation in that interview to make me wince. News flash: it's not anime, it was not made in Asia, and there are no ninjas in Avatar: The Last Airbender. I thank you very much.

...okay, and I have to add one other thing because this part does kind of frost my cookies: IF M.NIGHT SHAMALAMADINGDONG PLAYS IROH, AS I HAVE RECENTLY HEARD RUMORED, SO HELP ME CLAUDE SOMETHING IS GOING TO START ON FIRE. IRONY NOT INTENDED.

Comments

[soc_puppet]

I'll give you facial features and structure on Katara's actor, and even on Sokka's, but I'm rather more of the opinion that it's much less offensive to give an already dark-skinned actor color contacts than what Jackson plans: "I think it's one of those things where I pull my hair up, shave the sides, and I definitely need a tan." Yeah, hi, NO.


AND I THINK YOU MEAN IROHNY, AMIRITE? ...I'll shut up now.

[girlquinn.livejournal.com]

Let's face it, Jackson sounds tactless during interviews while Jesse just sounds like a douche.

My only problem with Jackson's casting is that he seems a little too old. Or has the script been re-written so he's at least 5 years older? Because I'm pretty sure the actor is my age.

BTW, can Mark Hamill be Ozai? Yes/No? Yeah, probably not.

[soc_puppet]

Amen to that! -_- GUYS, RESPECT OUR CARTOON SHOW.

Hollywood's been casting twenty-somethings as teenagers for decades now; age isn't something I'm terribly surprised at, nor is it something I'm likely to object all that much to. Ethnicity, on the other hand...

XD See, that's a Caucasian casting decision I actually wouldn't hate all over!