Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Not Like This: "The Lone Ranger" Remake

my_partner_doug tipped me to a movie remake of The Lone Ranger.  What's wrong with this picture?  The Native American hero, Tonto, is being played by Johnny Depp.  I liked the original TV series because I was amused by how often Tonto had to save the Lone Ranger.  I am not at all amused to see this role go to an actor who is not Native American.  It's bad enough to cross-cast any character whose ethnicity is already specified, but it's especially egregious when said identity is a mainstay of the character and his role in a story.  So I'm not only skipping the movie and leaving my folding green vote in my pocket, I'm encouraging other folks to boycott it as well.
Tags: entertainment, ethnic studies, news
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  • 29 comments
rhodielady_47

rhodielady_47

June 13 2011, 05:22:27 UTC 10 years ago

Speaking of native American actors and actresses, I'd love to see Elaine Miles in a movie or a TV series again. She played Marilyn Whirlwind, the doctor's assistant, in the TV series Northern Exposure.
:)

ysabetwordsmith

Yes...

ysabetwordsmith

June 13 2011, 05:27:02 UTC 10 years ago

Oh, I remember her! That character was very persistent. "I'm here about the job." "There IS NO JOB!" ... "Why are you still here?" "The job."
rhodielady_47

rhodielady_47

June 13 2011, 05:38:32 UTC 10 years ago

I never had a chance to watch the TV show back when it was on TV. Here lately though I've found it on Netflix and I'm now watching the first disc.
:)
the_vulture

the_vulture

June 13 2011, 06:14:50 UTC 10 years ago

Seriously? Johnny Depp? Didn't Hollywood figure out this whole 'whitewashing' thing after all the controversy of the The Last Airbender? Ugh.
ysabetwordsmith

No...

ysabetwordsmith

June 13 2011, 06:25:25 UTC 10 years ago

Not after The Last Airbender, not after Akira either.

Once is chance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action. I'm beginning to suspect that this may not be blind ignorance, but simply Hollywood's way of emphasizing that it doesn't care if people of color get hurt or shortchanged, they aren't important enough to matter.

I hope the movies spurt red ink in spectacular arterial arcs until they bleed out and die gasping on the cutting room floor like they deserve.

I also think that the most appropriate response would be for Asian and Native American folks to take their spending money and crowdfund their own darn movies. Sadly, that's not a project I could launch, as I'm not a movie maker. But if I see one I will certainly boost the signal.
the_vulture

Re: No...

the_vulture

June 13 2011, 06:29:27 UTC 10 years ago

I read some of the comments on that article you posted a link to. Yep. It's all about the almighty dollar. We all need to be going to more independent cinema, methinks.
ysabetwordsmith

Re: No...

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment
the_vulture

Re: No...

the_vulture

10 years ago

  • New comment
rhodielady_47

Re: No...

rhodielady_47

10 years ago

  • New comment
ysabetwordsmith

Re: No...

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment
rhodielady_47

Re: No...

rhodielady_47

10 years ago

  • New comment
the_vulture

Re: No...

the_vulture

10 years ago

  • New comment
rhodielady_47

Re: No...

rhodielady_47

10 years ago

  • New comment
ysabetwordsmith

Yes...

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment
rhodielady_47

Re: Yes...

rhodielady_47

10 years ago

  • New comment
trinker

Re: No...

trinker

June 13 2011, 06:30:56 UTC 10 years ago

Why do you start counting there?
ysabetwordsmith

Re: No...

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment
trinker

Re: No...

trinker

10 years ago

  • New comment
bodhifox

bodhifox

June 13 2011, 06:48:24 UTC 10 years ago

Johnny Depp: IMDB

He has said in interviews that he is of Cherokee, Irish, and German descent, with some Navajo as well.
ysabetwordsmith

Hmm...

ysabetwordsmith

June 13 2011, 06:54:46 UTC 10 years ago

Can he back any of that with a card, or at least plausible genealogical records? I've not heard it mentioned before, and genetic dispersal notwithstanding, a lot of people make false claims in that direction. I think there are better actors for the role. I'll keep an eye out for corroboration though.
bodhifox

Re: Hmm...

bodhifox

June 13 2011, 08:44:22 UTC 10 years ago Edited:  June 13 2011, 08:44:54 UTC

Don't know. Just thought I'd bring it up.

I think Hollywood should try making movies about something NEW instead of rehashing all this stuff. I'm not giving any of them money.
msstacy13

Re: Hmm...

msstacy13

10 years ago

  • New comment
fmanalyst

Re: Hmm...

fmanalyst

10 years ago

  • New comment
msstacy13

msstacy13

June 13 2011, 10:06:37 UTC 10 years ago

I suppose it's too late to give Jackie Chan the role of Tonto?
cluegirl

cluegirl

June 13 2011, 13:42:18 UTC 10 years ago

I'm sure others have said this already, but Johnny Depp is Native American. Half blooded, which was supposedly Tonto's status as well. Check out his IMDB credits, and a movie he made called Brave.
my_partner_doug

Depp's genealogy

my_partner_doug

June 15 2011, 19:14:44 UTC 10 years ago

Following up on the previously cited IMDB reference, and using my own experience as a hobby genealogist, any of the records I can find cite that Mr. Depp's great-grandmother had Cherokee, and/or possibly Creek, ancestry. Even if she were pureblood, which wasn't the claim being made, that would leave the actor as being 1/8 of indigenous culture descent -- not enough, in my opinion, to justify his casting for this particular role on basis of ethnicity.
ysabetwordsmith

Re: Depp's genealogy

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment
paka

paka

June 13 2011, 16:25:32 UTC 10 years ago

What everyone else says, about Depp being part-Cherokee. I vaguely remember that was part of why he liked being in Dead Man, so if that's true, then maybe having him as Tonto will actually make sure to steer that film in a friendlier direction? I dunno, I still find the Faithful Indian Companion thing to be patronizing as hell.
msstacy13

Oh, yeah, I meant to ask this sooner...

msstacy13

June 14 2011, 15:51:35 UTC 10 years ago

Who was that miscast man?

  • Values in Television

    Here's an interesting look at values in pop culture television over 50 years. You can see what goes up and down in importance. Researchers also…

  • From Fiction to Reality

    Here's a fuss over someone building the Euro bridges, remarking about places that exist in imagination before reality. People, please. EVERY place…

  • Killer Asteroids

    There are a lot of them, and without advance preparation, Earth is defenseless. We need to get the Umbrella up.