Diversity? Not in The Last Airbender
 The Last Airbender
is set to release July 2010. And the tagline should read: In an Asian
world, only three white heroes can save the world.
The film, a live-action adaptation of the hit animated television series
AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, is part of a franchise widely advertised
in 2005 by Nickelodeon executives as set in a “fantastical Asian world.”
Despite the show’s overt use of elements from Asian cultures and concepts—including
Asian religions and martial arts—initial casting calls indicated a preference
for Caucasian actors, and ultimately only Caucasian actors were cast
in the lead protagonist roles. Conversely, all casting sheets for background
roles and non-speaking extras have requested actors of specific East
Asian, Asian, Hispanic and Middle Eastern nationalities.
Fans were outraged by the December 9th, 2008 casting announcement and
immediately mobilized, writing over two hundred letters protesting the
‘whitewashing’ of the movie to producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank
Marshall, and director M. Night Shyamalan. Although the production has
since cast actor Dev Patel (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) as antagonist ‘Prince
Zuko,’ minority actors have again been relegated to supporting and villain
roles. The cast of THE LAST AIRBENDER does not reflect the cultural
diversity of the source material and instead evokes the infamous and
archaic Hollywood practice of “yellowface,” where white actors are ‘made
up’ to play Asian characters.
In addition to "yellowface", Paramount Pictures' casting of THE LAST
AIRBENDER perpetuates the Hollywood stereotype to portray the heroes
as white and the villains as darker-skinned. In the animated series,
the Inuit-based nation (Water Tribe) and Tibetan-based nation (Air Nomads)
are the heroes. In the movie, both the Water Tribe and Air Nomads will
be completely white-washed and populated with white actors. Conversely,
the genocidal, evil Fire Nation will be entirely populated with darker-skinned
actors, who actively oppress and destroy all other Nations.
The Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) and the East West
Players have both taken action to discuss and work with Paramount Pictures.
Also, a variety of newspapers and online magazines have since reported
on this issue, questioning Paramount Pictures for their racial bias
when casting roles for this children's film.
Paramount is trying to put a bandaid on this problem by casting Asian
actors in minor, background and villainous roles, in a world that will
still be saved by three white heroes. For fans, now is the time to tell
them that that isn't good enough.
The pre-production window is closing. This valid concern must be taken
into journalistic consideration. With more attention from media sources,
we hope to show Paramount that their audience -- no matter what their
own race may be -- won't support this project as it stands.
They Said What?
"Dress in traditional cultural ethnic attire...If you're Korean,
wear a kimono. If you're from Belgium, wear lederhosen... We're
trying to create these four different nations so we're looking for different
skin tones, and features, and bone structures...It doesn't mean you're
at a disadvantage if you didn't come in a big African thing. But guys,
even if you came with a scarf today, put it over your head so you'll
look like a Ukrainian villager or whatever."
- Casting director Deedee Ricketts advising prospective extras.
(source)
"There's been some talk that we're casting authentic Asians
as a response to the backlash, which is totally wrong because our world
is multi-ethnic and the 'Avatar' world will be multi-ethnic.'"
- Casting director Deedee Ricketts in regards to fan protests.
(source)
”I think it's one of those things where I pull my hair up, shave
the sides, and I definitely need a tan. It’s one of those things
where, hopefully, the audience will suspend disbelief a little bit.”
- Actor Jackson Rathbone (Sokka), on portraying his character
(source)
”I’ve been in kung-fu, dude, for like, three hours a day. Like, Martial
arts and stuff. Fighting with like, different ninjas, and, it’s crazy,
man.”
– Pop singer Jesse McCartney, since replaced by actor Dev Patel.
(source: transcript from a radio interview with JohnJay Rich Show)
Timeline of Events
 2005
The animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender—marketed by Nickelodeon's
Marjorie Cohn as set in a “fantastical Asian world” premieres to critical
acclaim.
(source)
January,
2007
Paramount Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies announce the signing
of M. Night Shyamalan to write, direct, and produce a trilogy of live-
action films based on the series. According to an interview with SFX Magazine,
Shyamalan came across the Avatar animated series when his daughter wanted
to be Katara for Halloween.
April
- June, 2008
Over a course of months, director M. Night Shyamalan says in multiple
interviews that his interest in the Avatar lore was due largely to its
"Buddhist philosophy and Hindu philosophy".
(source;
source;
source)
August,
2008
Released casting call sheets for the four lead roles read: “Caucasian
or any other ethnicity.”
(source)
December
9, 2008
Entertainment Weekly leaks the core cast of The Last Airbender– newcomer
Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone (Twilight) and pop star Jesse
McCartney. None of the lead actors are ethnically Asian, resulting in
fan outcry.
(source)
December
11, 2008
A group of fans launch the “Saving the World with Postage” campaign at
aang-aint-white,
urging the public to write letters to producers Kennedy & Marshall at
Paramount Pictures, and Shyamalan at his company, Blinding Edge Studios.
December,
2008
A Facebook group for anyone protesting the white-washed casting of The
Last Airbender is created, currently with over 2000 group members: People
Against Racebending: Protest of the Cast of The Last Airbender Movie
January,
2009
Over 200 letters are ignored and returned to sender. Campaign organizers
are given out-of-date and conflicting contact information by Paramount
employees, but fans continue to send in letters to the Kennedy/Marshall
Company. There is no response, and Asian American artist Derek Kirk Kim
creates a petition of industry professionals who plan to boycott the film.
What if someone made a “fantasy” movie in which the entire world was
built around African culture. Everyone is wearing ancient African clothes,
African hats, eating traditional African food, writing in an African language,
living in African homes, all encompassed in an African landscape…but everyone
is white.
- Derek Kirk Kim
(source)
January
24, 2009
First Open Casting Call for background extras held in Philadelphia. Flier
reads: "dress in the traditional costume of your family's ethnic background.”
February
7, 2009
Dev Patel (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) replaces Jesse McCartney as antagonist
Prince Zuko. Studio attributes this change to ‘scheduling conflicts.’
Heroes of the film remain Caucasian actors depicting ethnically Asian
characters.
(source)
February
7, 2009
The second background extras casting call is held for “Near Eastern, Middle
Eastern, Far Eastern, Asian, Mediterranean and Latino” people. At the
audition site, fans stage a small protest.
(source)
February
11, 2009
The Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) sends a letter to
producer Sam Mercer, voicing their concern and requesting a meeting.
(source)
February
16, 2009
Casting call for adult principal roles seeks: “Chinese and Korean actors-
MEN ONLY, age 30-60.” The East West Players sends a letter to producer
Sam Mercer requesting a meeting.
(source)
February
25, 2009
Casting call for backdrop/extras of "Mongolian, Cambodian or Laotian heritage"
in Arlington VA, as well as extras of "Cambodian, Mongolian, Chinese,
Korean and Thai Descent" in Flushing NY will be held on March first.
(source)
March
1, 2009
Auditions from the Flushing, NY Casting Call reveals that Paramount intends
to cast according to the race of the lead roles. The evil, genocidal Fire
Nation will therefore all be Indian or SE Asian; the heroic, oppressed
Air and Water Tribes will be white.
(source)
March 13, 2009
Aasif Mandvi, Shaun Toub and Cliff Curtis have joined the cast of M. Night Shyamalan's THE LAST AIRBENDER as Fire Nation characters,
thereby confirming that Fire Nation will be the dark-skinned enemy against white-skinned heroes.
(source)
March 15, 2009
Filming begins in Greenland. Photo confirms that the Water Tribe's villiage is Inuit-based, which means the entire canonically dark-skinned, heroic tribe has been white-washed for the movie.
(source)
March 25, 2009
More than a month later, Paramount Pictures Producers decide to respond to MANAA.
(source)
April 9, 2009
MANAA writes back, requesting another meeting with Paramount and explaning to Paramount that they will not be distracted by supplementary roles being cast 'ethnically'.
(source)
April 14, 2009
Protest videos created for new YouTube racebending channel. Over 20 protest videos are made in the span of a month.
(source)
April 15, 2009
Zazzle.com removes racebending protest products from the storefront, citing 'copyright infringement' on Viacom's 'intellectual property, despite the fact that the merchandise used no images from the cartoon and the words were protected under Fair Use protest purposes. Nickelodeon is owned by Paramount Pictures, which is owned by Viacom.
(source)
May 3, 2009
BoingBoing.net reports: Viacom uses copyright to censor racism protest. Viacom responds, claiming that they did not tell Zazzle to remove the products. Zazzle restores racebending merchandise.
(source)
May 21, 2009
Paramount releases photos of the lead character Aang as played by unknown actor Noah Ringer. Also releases image of Dev Patel as the antagonist Prince Zuko.
(source)
July
2, 2010
Projected release date of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender.
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