Alleluia
Kyoshi Mai
Earthbending General of the Zutarian Army
Icon by Youkaislayer
Posts: 2,384
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Post by Alleluia on Dec 17, 2008 18:25:40 GMT -5
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Post by I Can Fly Now on Dec 17, 2008 18:37:50 GMT -5
I'm personally not terribly fussed about ethnicity of the actors. Of course, I'd prefer the characters to look as close as possible to their original selves, but as long as the people who are cast fit the character and can play them well, I'm open. I'd like to see people cast because they would be good for the character, not simply because they're well-known. This was my problem with Twilight. They found the latest teenage hearthrob and stuck him in the main role, because the fangirls would like it. I'm sure some would disagree, but to me, the actor didn't fit at all with the image the books gave. The studio picked a face, rather than an actor, and that seems to be what's happening with the Avatar movie also. I don't know. Maybe Jesse McCartney is more versatile than I thought. Maybe the actors really were cast for the right reasons. But I have doubts. I'll still go and see the movie, because I am morbidly curious. And, like I always do, I'll try REALLY hard to keep an open mind. But I'm not expecting much at this point.
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Post by teknomage on Dec 18, 2008 13:27:05 GMT -5
You know, I remembered that Jesse McCartney was in Summerland, I had forgotten about that. he was kinda... sulky in that. Or something. I dunno. But looking at IMDb, I see he did a voice in Tinker Bell (which I haven't seen yet, but want to). Which Mae Whitman is also in. So heck, I'd almost like to see Jesse in this movie just to enhance my plan of finding as many connections between Avatar and Peter Pan as possible...
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Post by travellingfay on Dec 18, 2008 14:54:53 GMT -5
They found the latest teenage hearthrob and stuck him in the main role, because the fangirls would like it. I'm sure some would disagree, but to me, the actor didn't fit at all with the image the books gave. Um. Sorry? Robert Pattinson was "the latest teenage hearthrob"? Reeeeeally? I think if you pause for a moment and reflect, you'll realise that the guy has only become a teen hearthrob BECAUSE HE'S IN TWILIGHT. It's not like Ring of the Nibelungs, The Bad Mother's Handbook or The Haunted Airman garnered him a huge fanbase of screaming teenage girls (I mean, I'd never heard of them myself until 5 minutes ago, when I checked out his imdb stats) - and, okay, sure, Cedric Diggory - but, seriously, how many people could have told you the name of the guy who played Cedric? Jesse McCartney may well be flavour of the week with teenage fangirls, because High School Musical has been insanely popular - but Robert Pattinson? Prior to Twilight? Yeah - not so much. If they miscast him, I really don't think you can accuse them of doing it just because he was the latest popular prettyboy. He was, to all intents and purposes, an unknown when he got cast in Twilight. I do sympathise with you - watching the movie version of a beloved book is pretty much ALWAYS disappointing, because the picture in your head is not usually the picture on the screen. If you loved Twilight, and had a definite idea of how Edward looked, I'm sorry that you found the movie version unsatisfying - but this is normal, my friend. Them's the breaks.
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Post by teknomage on Dec 19, 2008 1:52:00 GMT -5
The other day I had an idea for the latest installment of my infrequent stripcreator comic "hilarity n suze." I mean, I knew the first panel, in which suze would have bad news, and hilarity would think it was about Jesse playing Zuko. But I had no real bad news, so i didn't do the comic. But then tonight I read some real bad news, and I used it for my stupid comic. And I feel bad about it. Because the news really does suck... www.stripcreator.com/comics/hilaritynsuze/450826
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Ana
Metalbending Cop
Posts: 5,061
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Post by Ana on Dec 19, 2008 6:50:02 GMT -5
That Shyamalan cast these people himself, and that they agreed with everything I said about this not being Asia, just an Asian-like culture, and, not only that, they wholeheartedly support and like the actors they hired? I would loose my respect for them. If they accept this blatant Orientalism they are ignoring their very own show and the ideals from it. However, I can no see way that Mike and Bryan (or other staff members) would support this. Avatar is their "baby". They went to Korea for a year to research it and worked with lots of Korean animators. No way.
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nandireya
Zuko's Path to Redemption Mod
...tickled pink...
Posts: 6,822
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Post by nandireya on Dec 19, 2008 6:59:24 GMT -5
They may have lost all control of their 'baby' when they signed on the dotted line to allow the movie to be made...
...always read the fine print, people.
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Post by Darryl on Dec 19, 2008 9:23:16 GMT -5
Well, actually i'm not really that surprised. And, not that ticked either.
I mean, i'm Asian and all, but then again, I think that its well, kinda okay that Avatar actors aint Asian. Anyway, i don't really know any "good" Asian stars.
C'mon. Would you want Chow Yun Fatt to play Iroh?
Okay I don't know where this is going. My point is that, well, I don't really mind the cast Mr.M chose. But maybe that's just me.
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nandireya
Zuko's Path to Redemption Mod
...tickled pink...
Posts: 6,822
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Post by nandireya on Dec 19, 2008 20:07:40 GMT -5
C'mon. Would you want Chow Yun Fatt to play Iroh?Actually...I thought he'd make a better Ozai... Personally, I don't really care that much...I had no intention of seeing the films anyway. And who knows, these kids could surprise us all. When I heard Heath Ledger had been cast as the Joker in The Dark Knight I never thought he could pull it off...to me he was just a pretty boy... Give 'em a chance.
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Post by luthien on Dec 19, 2008 21:47:37 GMT -5
Well, Heath had already proven his chops in "Brokeback Mountain," a role which required him to dig deep and act against type. When I heard he was going to be the Joker, I thought, "interesting choice, not the first person I would have picked, but I can see it."
I don't have problems with these kids personally. They might be fantastic actors. I *am* disappointed that they've decided to whitewash the production. What's the harm in adding a little authenticity to the production? Does Shyamalan *really* want me to believe that there are no Asian, Inuit, or Pacific Islander actors who can measure up to the skills of Jackson Rathbone, Nicola Peltz, and Jesse McCartney? Because if he does... I'm not buying that bill of goods. He can't tell me there are no ethnic actors who could do the job just as well, or better.
If you're going to wholesale appropriate a culture's customs, traditions, clothing, food, language, music, and religion, it would at least be nice to involve a couple of them in the proceedings, right?
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Post by I Can Fly Now on Dec 20, 2008 1:17:11 GMT -5
I do sympathise with you - watching the movie version of a beloved book is pretty much ALWAYS disappointing, because the picture in your head is not usually the picture on the screen. If you loved Twilight, and had a definite idea of how Edward looked, I'm sorry that you found the movie version unsatisfying - but this is normal, my friend. Them's the breaks. Oh, I wasn't being a disappointed fan. I'm actually not a huge fan of the books. They're just "okay" for me. So the casting decisions truly didn't make me that sad. I was just making an observation. And it wasn't the actor's looks that I thought were wrong. He looked fine. It was his portrayal of the character I thought was off. Like I said before, I can forgive the fact that the actor doesn't look like I think the character should as long as they can portray the character well, which I just don't think he did. But of course that's all my opinion; I don't expect everyone to agree with it. Anyway, back to the topic at hand: with all the discussion about the ethnicity of actors, I have to wonder if they're going to try to make them look like their respective ethnicities through makeup and things. As it was pointed out before, it can be done. Or are they just going to pretend that there are no different ethnic groups?
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Post by wildimagination on Dec 20, 2008 3:07:12 GMT -5
Well, if they're not using Asians, my guess is they'll pretend the Four Nations are different ethnic groups.
I have to wonder, though, if there will be ANY Asians at all in the trilogy. Pure Asians, 1/2 Asians, 1/3 Asians, or even 1/4 Asians. Really- watch Lost and 24. There are PLENTY of Asians in those TV Shows (along with other ethnicities...). I still don't get why they won't at least TRY to get some Asians in the movie.
Or were they not looking for ethnicity?
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Post by Azuna the Screaming Gopher on Dec 20, 2008 15:02:02 GMT -5
All depends. Has anyone heard anything else on Zuko???
If they hire Jesse.....That won't be too good.
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Post by ZamKenobi on Dec 20, 2008 17:08:59 GMT -5
The only thing that really bothers me about the choices is how old Sokka's actor is, especially when compared to how young Katara's actress looks, and their ethnicity. I wasn't really expecting many asian actors, even though it seems fairly obvious to me that the Fire Nation is asian, but really, would it have killed them to find some actors with a tan? You can't pass Katara and Sokka off as white, they're clearly Inuit. I don't want orange, spray-on tan waterbenders.
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Reka
Zhao
Also known as 1JennyFan
Posts: 841
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Post by Reka on Dec 20, 2008 18:17:16 GMT -5
I don't mind the ethnicity. I mean, I'd rather have a white person who could act than an Asian who can't. What I DO mind is that they cast the actors in the right parts. I mean, you don't cast a 23 year old as Sokka. And Jesse McCartney as Zuko? No. Just no.
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