Should Characters with Defined Physical Characteristics be Played by Actors Who Don't Share the Same Features?

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

✰ G a g e - get in loser, we're going shopping ✰ wrote: "In retrospect, does the race of the character matter to the plotline? For example, I'm all for "race" swapping in media if it's ethical, but think about how snow white's actress LOOKS. We often ass..."

Well yes because the whole point is shes white. Like if Mulan was played by a non chinese woman, id be mad

[✰ g i g i - jisung season ✰]

lizzie ౨ৎ wrote: "like "im rcta too ! i was lightning befroe the thunder! 🥰🥰""

rcta people SCARE ME

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

Wait why dont you support rcta when race is a social constrcut and so is gender?

[gia]

wait, i see your point. with every counter i could use, it could very well be used the same way with lgbtq.

[gia]

but being transgender, for example, is a biological reality, because gender identity is a brain function that is based on brain structures formed before birth

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

lizzie ౨ৎ wrote: "wait, i see your point. with every counter i could use, it could very well be used the same way with lgbtq."

Exactly

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

lizzie ౨ৎ wrote: "but being transgender, for example, is a biological reality, because gender identity is a brain function that is based on brain structures formed before birth"

Okay but the issue is that we didnt know that before and still theres no proper concerte defnitnion on that (then you also go into, hold on, gender is a bioloigical relatiy and not a social construct)
So then therell be studies where peoples brains are wired to be more "black" or "white" or whatever than others

I habe low chilli tolerance therefore i must be white

Sounds stupid now, but so did transgenderism a few decades ago

[gia]

I mean, many experts agree that race is not genetic, soo

[gia]

But they contend that even though race is a cultural construct, its impossible to change your race. However, they also said that about transdgender, although there may not be concrete evidence about how that differs from being transracial, which confuses me

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marti...

[Barnette ⋆˙⟡ (my girlfriend's version), Creator, Head Moderator]

I don't see a problem with RCTA, though it's a new concept to me so I don't know a whole lot about it. Just like for non-cisgender people, it's just however you feel most comfortable identifying. Just because you can't relate doesn't mean it's bad/should be made fun of.

[gia]

cultural appreciation involves genuine respect and understanding of another culture, whereas cultural appropriation involves borrowing from another culture without understanding or respect, often for aesthetic reasons. however, i guess people arent obliged to be respectful, its still disrespectful, and i believe rcta is not valid

[Barnette ⋆˙⟡ (my girlfriend's version), Creator, Head Moderator]

lizzie ౨ৎ wrote: "cultural appreciation involves genuine respect and understanding of another culture, whereas cultural appropriation involves borrowing from another culture without understanding or respect, often f..."

Good point, I see what you mean.

[gia]

if youre rcta though, i wont shame you for it. i just dont support it. im not saying rcta people are bad people, i just thing RCTA is disrespectful

[gia]

MidnightButterfly wrote: "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marti..."

you can be baptised as another race...?

[gia]

ray ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi-hiatus till summer) wrote: "MidnightButterfly wrote: "Wait why dont you support rcta when race is a social constrcut and so is gender?"

race is a social construct based off of not just appearance but is also determined by et..."

i completely agree, gender identity is based on brain structures formed before birth

[Barnette ⋆˙⟡ (my girlfriend's version), Creator, Head Moderator]

MidnightButterfly wrote: "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marti..."

Interesting /gen

[gia]

ray ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi-hiatus till summer) wrote: "lizzie ౨ৎ wrote: "But they contend that even though race is a cultural construct, its impossible to change your race. However, they also said that about transdgender, although there may not be conc..."

good point

[gia]

ray ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi-hiatus till summer) wrote: "Barnette wrote: "I don't see a problem with RCTA, though it's a new concept to me so I don't know a whole lot about it. Just like for non-cisgender people, it's just however you feel most comfortab..."

bro read my MIND

[Sai :), Assistant Moderator]

Tessie ~face of an angel, mind of a killer~ wrote: "I think any race can be put in any position, WITHIN REASON. So, snow white being played as a latina actress, i believe that is in reason because there are few white women with black hair, so its no..."

agree

[Sai :), Assistant Moderator]

Austin wrote: "Lol lowkey there should be some copy-write laws made so people cant use classic names and distort the story beyond recognition lol"

YES disney keeps warping everything and ruining all the best stories 😭

[ash ³³ ᵈᵘ ᵈᵘ ᵈᵘ]

ray ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi-hiatus till summer) wrote: "lizzie ౨ৎ wrote: "But they contend that even though race is a cultural construct, its impossible to change your race. However, they also said that about transdgender, although there may not be conc..."

jupiter has suns?

[gia]

ashes and diamonds wrote: "ray ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi-hiatus till summer) wrote: "lizzie ౨ৎ wrote: "But they contend that even though race is a cultural construct, its impossible to change your race. However, they also said that about ..."

ermm

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

Can we have a sepearate topic on rctas and make this topic name clearer to do with movies etc?

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

ray ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi-hiatus till summer) wrote: "MidnightButterfly wrote: "Can we have a sepearate topic on rctas and make this topic name clearer to do with movies etc?"

that’s what I was gonna suggest or maybe just make the name clearer cuz I ..."

I think theres a far bigger debate to hv on it lol

[Barnette ⋆˙⟡ (my girlfriend's version), Creator, Head Moderator]

MidnightButterfly wrote: "Can we have a sepearate topic on rctas and make this topic name clearer to do with movies etc?"

Sure, how should I phrase the new topic?

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

This topic
Should characters with defined physical characteristics be played by actors who do not share the same features?

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

New topic
Should "race change to another" identities be accepted?

[Barnette ⋆˙⟡ (my girlfriend's version), Creator, Head Moderator]

Okay thank you Mini!

[Barnette ⋆˙⟡ (my girlfriend's version), Creator, Head Moderator]

This topic was previously called "Race Swapping".

[Barnette ⋆˙⟡ (my girlfriend's version), Creator, Head Moderator]

Have any of you seen Hamilton? What's your opinion on the race-swapping they have there?

[Alexandria]

If it's a historical piece, no, races should not be swapped. Fictional characters are fine, as they aren't real. And fairy tale retellings have different creative liberties taken all the time in books and everything. I do, however, believe that disabled characters should be played by disabled actors. And trans and queer characters. Just because of how easy it is to perpetuate stereotypes.

[deb {Nina the Killer version}]

I think it depends on the character and the characteristic for a lot no but let’s say it’s a book character who is supposed to be 6’4 it wouldn’t make since having a 5’2 actor or actress play them

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

Alexandria wrote: "If it's a historical piece, no, races should not be swapped. Fictional characters are fine, as they aren't real. And fairy tale retellings have different creative liberties taken all the time in bo..."

But it is easy to perpeutste sterortypes of races, too

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

I think theatre takes a lot of creative liberties anyway. I woukdnt be that bothered about thetatre because most of it is not really supposed to be realistc. Unles the charactersits play a part in the story.

Films on the other hand try to go with realism. So it matters more

[Alexandria]

MidnightButterfly wrote: "Alexandria wrote: "If it's a historical piece, no, races should not be swapped. Fictional characters are fine, as they aren't real. And fairy tale retellings have different creative liberties taken..."

Less likely if the person of that race is playing that character. If a character's race is important to the story, they should stay that race. Like Black Panther. Black Panther has to be Black. Blue Beetle has to be Hispanic, more specifically, Mexican. Miles Morales has to be Black. In these instances, these characters should be played by actors that fit their race/ethnicity.
If you're doing a biopic on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., you'd cast a Black man, not a white or Asian or Hispanic one.
It's easy to perpetuate race stereotypes, yes. But it's less likely to happen if that actor/actress is that race as well.

The only reason I specifically said disabled and queer characters should be played by actors who fit that identity is because I've found that in those instances, most people don't care who plays them.
They're fine with a straight guy or cis guy playing a gay or trans character on screen. And they're okay with a non-disabled person playing a wheelchair using paraplegic on screen.
They're less okay with a Black character playing a historically white character or a white character playing a historically Black character or any other racial or ethnic minority.

[Sai :), Assistant Moderator]

Alexandria wrote: "MidnightButterfly wrote: "Alexandria wrote: "If it's a historical piece, no, races should not be swapped. Fictional characters are fine, as they aren't real. And fairy tale retellings have differen..."

i agree! if the characteristics are something trivial, and don't hold any significance to the story, then it's okay. but if it is significant, then no.

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

Lol, i get that, but then again i do think that should be the case for everyone. You cant swap out white characters for non white actors.

Most of the time isnt even about the race like if youre ethnically ambigious its whatever you look like. When i see a film, i want to see somoene who looks like the race for example. Even if you arent, but you look it.

[gia]

This is going to sound racist, but if you want diverse stories, just make them, there's no reason to change pre-made ones. I feel like this could also be classified as (insert ethnicity/race)-washing.

[Sai :), Assistant Moderator]

exactly! i hate it when people change an original story so much it's basically unrecognizable

[gia]

Sai :) wrote: "exactly! i hate it when people change an original story so much it's basically unrecognizable"

yes! like the new annie, like its okay shes black im not saying anything towards that, but the entire storyline is completely modernized and different! at that point just dont call it Annie anymore. its not a bad movie or anything, its just not Annie. also snow white, the actress is perfect of course, but the storyline is entirely different. like make the movie, just dont call it snow white

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

lizzie ౨ৎ wrote: "This is going to sound racist, but if you want diverse stories, just make them, there's no reason to change pre-made ones. I feel like this could also be classified as (insert ethnicity/race)-washing."

No that is totally valid

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

Meyer?

[gia]

ray ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi-hiatus till summer) wrote: "my only exception is twilight knowing the author was racist asf I want to watch her suffer with a remake of twilight with all poc cast just cuz I’m a petty little shit /hj"

ive been doing research on stephenie meyer about this and i cant find anythinggg 😭

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

ray ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi-hiatus till summer) wrote: "lizzie ౨ৎ wrote: "ray ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi-hiatus till summer) wrote: "my only exception is twilight knowing the author was racist asf I want to watch her suffer with a remake of twilight with all poc cast ..."

I thought taylor lautner has some native ancestry

[Alexandria]

MidnightButterfly wrote: "ray ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi-hiatus till summer) wrote: "lizzie ౨ৎ wrote: "ray ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi-hiatus till summer) wrote: "my only exception is twilight knowing the author was racist asf I want to watch her suffer ..."

During his preparation for the role, Lautner discovered some distant Native American ancestry on his mother's side, specifically of the Ottawa and Potawatomi tribes. But that's not his primary ancestry. And he's not Indigenous. He's never claimed to be though.

[butterfly is back (barely, mostly on insta)]

I see. Well personally i think it is fine as long as you can pass as the ethnicity.
Like little people you cant pass off as.
Like if youre ethnically ambigious (like me lol)

[˚₊‧⁀➷Chadlotte˚₊‧⁀➷ (MERRY CHRISTMAS)]

MidnightButterfly wrote: " ౨ৎ Chadwick ౨ৎ (Sylus's Version) wrote: "Another thing about the snow white is that why use cgi dwarves that look like polar express animation when you could use literal dwarf people

Not only wou..."

Yeah. However apparently Peter Dinklage who, is a little person himself, said something about it so they scrapped the idea

[˚₊‧⁀➷Chadlotte˚₊‧⁀➷ (MERRY CHRISTMAS)]

ashes and diamonds wrote: "my only, only problem with httyd is that the twins look nothing alike. like cmon 😭 theres gotta be at least one pair of twin actors that could play them"

EXACTLY
LIKE THEY GOT TUFFNUT PRETTY RIGHT BUT RUFFNUT LOOKS NOTHING LIKE- RUFFNUT

[*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺Freddy༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚]

I don't have any real issues with characters getting casted as people who don't look the way the original characters was designed because if a persons a good actor then they're simply a good actor who can accurately portray this character and do the person justice appearance regardless.
I also think it's really inspiring for people now to see character they used to love and now be able to relate to them more because they've been redesigned or casted as someone who looks like them- HOWEVER I feel it'd be better to just make new stories/shows/movies with whole new plots and with a large variety of people so that this new media piece isn't expected to live up to the standards of the original and it doesn't give intolerant people a reason to be pissy about something as simple as an updated cartoon or refilmed movie