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.

[randomaicoholic.livejournal.com]

"SO HELP ME CLAUDE SOMETHING IS GOING TO START ON FIRE. IRONY NOT INTENDED."
Uh?I'm supposed to help you 'cause something is going to start on fire?(confused) ^^; XD

[juneaddams.livejournal.com]

I'm not an avid follower of the series but, having read the casting shenanigans from a couple of sources, I feel sorry for Avatar fans who somehow have the worst of luck to have their series directed by a director mostly known for forced ~plot twists~

I also feel sorry for actors of Asian and Inuit origin...well, non-white actors, in general. It just further highlights the fact that the studio bigwigs and the industry now is too small-minded to see that diversity sells, too. One doesn't need blue eyes and blonde hair to be appealing. I think it would be a different case if, say, it was a Hollywood remake of Death Note, which content and characters can be easily transferred to American or European setting ( although in that case, I'd rather they say 'inspired by...' or 'loosely inspired by...'). Avatar, as I get it, is heavily influenced by Asian culture, so to see it so under-represented ( well, non-represented, to be exact) is disappointing.

I...don't know who Jesse McCartney is, though his name reminds me of nineties' pop. um.

[soc_puppet]

I...don't know who Jesse McCartney is, though his name reminds me of nineties' pop. um.

You're exactly correct, actually; I've even got some of his music, if you're desperate to listen (I blame lyzzle). He also did the English language voice acting for Roxas in Kingdom Hearts II, and apparently JoJo in the computer-animated Horton Hears a Who.

[randomaicoholic.livejournal.com]

(pokes the Juny)
It's been a while since the last times we've seen you...

[juneaddams.livejournal.com]

*laughs*

actually, I ran a check on Wiki and turns up I knew some of his songs and used to have them in my old computer before...well, I don't know what happened to those songs. Must've gotten wiped out.

I'm not familiar with his voice acting work, though. For that matter, I know very little about American VAs...is he good?

[juneaddams.livejournal.com]

Wha? I'm always here! In lj, I mean, not...MSN. I play ninja on MSN these days.

[randomaicoholic.livejournal.com]

(grumbles like a spoiled brat, and clings to the Juny like the little Shiho clinging to her sis...)
's not the same... I miss the good old silly convos filled with glompage on Msn... DX

(That being said, I hope that everything is still allright outside of the net, and if you don't have enough times in your hand to wastes it, I hope that it wouldn't last for long...^_- )

(Hehehe, icon accurate, now I picture you as an Akemi grumbling at his spoiled little siblings) XD

[juneaddams.livejournal.com]

oh dearie...

*pats*

how's msn-dom, anyway? is dag around?

[randomaicoholic.livejournal.com]

Nope, not seen her since the last times...Y-Y

(patted)X3

[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.

[kaitodoushi.livejournal.com]

Well, that's... better. I haven't seen Slumdog Millionaire, but... yeah. I now wonder why McCartney was pushing for the part when he knows nothing about Avatar o_O;

Again, I would like a diverse cast, but the people going "EVERYONE HAS TO BE ASIAN ASD;FLKJASDF" just confuse me. Some Asians would be nice. Some Inuits would be nice. Some *insert race here* would be nice. It's a diverse world.

...OH DEAR GOD, I WILL NOT GO TO THE FIRST MOVIE IF HE IS IROH. NO WAY.

Can we resurrect Mako and have him play Iroh? ;o; Black magic FTW?

[ehrenyu.livejournal.com]

I watched a special a couple years ago about the making of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I too had thought it was an anime until then, and was quite pleased to know it was completely homegrown. I mean there's a couple of episodes of stupid, but for the most part I love what I see when I'm able to watch it. :D :D -snug-

[juneaddams.livejournal.com]

Also sorry for the spam again, but Dev Patel is all kind of adorable and amazing. I hope for his sake the movie won't suck.

[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!

[soc_puppet]

For the record, I'm pretty sure most of us are blanket-stating Asian because three of the four nations are Asian-based, and Asian-and-Inuit can be something more of a mouthful. Similarly, I'm willing to settle for something other than Inuit for the Water Tribe members, if only because it's a vanishing race - though some sort of Native American/First National would be nice for the roles.

I also rather object to the idea of randomly throwing, say, Scotsmen in the background, simply because it's a heavily Asian (and Inuit) world to begin with, and really, where would the Scotsmen (etc) come from?

I LIKE THIS PLAN, LET'S DO THIS.

[soc_puppet]

I think he did a pretty decent job? I don't know, it's not something I really pay all that much attention to.

Here's one of his scenes from Kingdom Hearts 2; he shows up about a minute and fifteen seconds in, if you want to take a look.

[chakrus.livejournal.com]

I do think however, being "too" pissy over the whole "OMG HIS NOT EVEN THE RIGHT RACE" thing is rather.. petty, I think if overall the rest is ok, I don't think it matters? I mean, you can't expect it to be -perfect- but if the guy doesn't look the roll, but plays it perfectly then you can't complain, I'd think how they play it would be better than how they look in it.

of course that other guy had no idea what hell kind of thing he was getting into and glad they re-cast that part. at least look up the part your going to play before any kind of interveiw for god's sake

[kaitodoushi.livejournal.com]

I know what you're saying. I know there's a ton of Asian based things in the show, but honestly outside of like the Fire Nation I never sat there and thought the characters were supposed to be Asian. It's a separate world so they're their own separate races. I guess I just feel like some of the "They all have to Asians" sentiment is following the whole "They are were all white" thing going on in the cast.

Oh, yes, I agree, random stuff like that is stupid. But yeah, I really think the Water Tribe should be Native Americans/natives of some kind, Chinese or Japanese for the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom could be diverse since it's so big, and Aang... take your pick.

YES *goes to find a chicken*

[soc_puppet]

There's really much bigger and better arguments than I could give re: why the main cast at least should be Asian and/or Native over at aang_aint_white (see sidebar). Probably the best one I can remember is where this little boy of Asian descent, upon finding out about the all-Caucasian casting, asked his aunt, "Does this mean I can't be Aang when I play Avatar with my friends?"