‘Gods of Egypt’ Director, Studio Apologize for Mostly White Cast: ‘We Failed to Live Up to Our Own Standards’
Alex Proyas and Lionsgate address controversy that’s flared up over film starring Gerard Butler and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as ancient Egyptian characters
Director Alex Proyas and Lionsgate, the studio behind “Gods of Egypt,” have come out and apologized after the film’s casting prompted online outcries.
The fantasy epic came under fire after placing white actors like Gerard Butler, Brenton Thwaites and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in the roles of gods and mortals who set off on an adventure in ancient Egypt.
“The process of casting a movie has many complicated variables, but it is clear that our casting choices should have been more diverse,” Proyas said in a statement obtained by TheWrap. “I sincerely apologize to those who are offended by the decisions we made.”
The studio itself came out with even stronger words in its own apology.
“We recognize that it is our responsibility to help ensure that casting decisions reflect the diversity and culture of the time periods portrayed. In this instance we failed to live up to our own standards of sensitivity and diversity, for which we sincerely apologize,” the company said. “Lionsgate is deeply committed to making films that reflect the diversity of our audiences. We have, can and will continue to do better.”
“Gods of Egypt” is not the first film to attract criticism over casting white actors in roles that would seem to call for more diverse selections.
Ridley Scott‘s “Exodus: Gods and Kings” came under similar fire when it was released late last year, and his “The Martian” this year was also criticized for casting a white actress in the role of a character who was Korean-American in the book on which the movie is based.
Joe Wright‘s “Pan” was also criticized when he cast Rooney Mara to play the role of Tiger Lily, a Native American.
While Scott and Wright have each been made to answer for their decisions, neither had come out with a full-throated apology the way Proyas and Lionsgate has.
More caricature than character, Rooney starred as the buck-toothed, Japanese Mr. Yunioshi in the 1961 film, which has faced volumes of criticism since.
The "Jailhouse Rock" singer played a Native American rodeo rider in the 1968 comedy Western. Along with this miscasting, many also criticized the film's use of stereotypes and offensive humor.
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Peter Sellers in "The Party" (1968)
The English actor wore brown face for his role as Hrundi V. Bakshi, an Indian actor, in the comedy film. "The Party" was also called out for its racist humor and perpetuating South Asian stereotypes.
Schneider seems to play a different ethnicity in every Adam Sandler movie. In "The Waterboy" he was the "You can do it!" guy, in "Big Daddy," he was a Middle-Eastern deliveryman, and in "50 First Dates," he plays a native Hawaiian. Badly.
In the 2007 drama film, Jolie plays Mariane Pearl, a real-life journalist of Afro-Chinese-Cuban descent, though the actress herself is of mixed-European descent.
The movie follows a group of math students who come up with a card-counting strategy to win big in Vegas. While the movie had a predominantly white cast, the real-life MIT students were Asian American.
Sony
Jake Gyllenhaal in "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" (2010) Gyllenhaal plays a Middle Eastern prince in the film, which many called "insulting" and "the perfect example of whitewashing."
Johnny Depp played a Native American in Disney's film, which sparked outrage among fans and critics despite the actor's claims that his great-grandmother had mostly Cherokee blood.
Scarlett Johansson, who consistently takes on roles for nonwhite actors, plays the Japanese lead in this lackluster film. Nevertheless, this miscasting sparked a larger conversation on Hollywood's whitewashing of Asian roles.
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Rooney as Japanese? Stone as Chinese/Swedish/Hawaiian? TheWrap looks at history of racially misguided castings
Hollywood just doesn't seem to learn from its mistakes as it continues to cast white actors in nonwhite roles again and again. And again.