The majority of voice actors in this movie are black. Because, you know, race is an key element when it comes to voice actors playing wild animals that live in Africa...
"Damn blacks taking people's jobs again!!"
shareWell yeah it's a way to get black people to support the movie, this sort of manipulation actually works. Just look at Crazy Rich Asians and Aladdin. When you give a voice to minorities who feel unheard they usually come out in droves to support the project.
shareSadly so tru and reviewz usually overinflated 2 make up for white ppl guilt. I mean blk panther get Óscar nom but not iron man? Cmon, there is no way blk panther is best marvel movie eva?
shareThe first Iron Man movie absolutely rocked!
Yes, it's neither wrong, nor is it racist, to suggest that a major film with an all or predominately Black cast has a better than even shot at awards these days, and it's disingenuous to state otherwise.
Before 'Black Panther' one could safely attribute the lack of professional recognition for superhero movies, however well made, to snobbishness; quite honestly, it's tough now to say that an urge toward PC has not become a factor.
Gingers are a minority thats are even more unheard than blacks are but that didnt seem to matter when it came to casting the little mermaid though...
shareBeing a "ginger" - or as most people in the U.S say, a "redhead" - doesn't seem to be the problem, in terms of image or popularity, in this country as in Britain...although I suspect that some Americans have taken up the dissing of "gingers" in an effort to appear...what, cool? About the only stereotype I can think of about red-haired people in America is that redheaded women are supposed to have fiery tempers. I've been on British discussion forums and read the comments on Brit news sites, and anyone with any hair color but black, dark brown or platinum blond is in danger of being labeled a "ginger" and then the moaning begins. I remember when Daniel Craig was selected to be the new James Bond, there arose a loud, weird chorus of anguish that they'd chosen "a ginger" to play the role. In what universe does Daniel Craig have red hair?
shareMaybe they just got the best actors for the roles and many of them happened to be black....
shareWell, if we're talking about James Earl Jones, that could be. He's one of the best voices you can get out there.
The other black actors in the cast... not so much. You check a movie like Toy Story 4, or Secret Life of Pets 2, you see the actors have quite some experience in voice acting. Patton Oswalt, the main voice actor in Secret Life of Pets 2, have been voice actor in several dozens of movies. Chiwetel Ejiofor, main voice in Lion King, well, he was voice actor once in a movie. John Kani? his first rodeo. Penny Johnson Jerald? She was voice actor twice before this movie. Alfre Woodard? she has more experience, but she's still in the low tier.
So the best voice actors for the role couldn't get jobs as voice actors before?
They were just a RC cast (racially correct)
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Toy Story was released in the 95. Back then there was no CGI movies (Toy Story was the first mainstream one), no cinematic videogames and almost no animated movies (Disney was restarting it, Dreamworks wasn't there yet). Tom Hanks didn't have any CV in voice acting industry for adults... because there was no voice acting industry for adults back then.
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You didn't realize those examples actually support my point, did you?
It's obvious that those actor weren't hired because of being amazing voice actors, but because they were popular*. Sometimes it works: Cumberbatch made a wonderful job in The Hobbit. Sometimes it doesn't: Owen Wilson was f*cking terrible in Cars, Bonnie Hunt, who was a proven good voice actress and plays his romantic interest Sally Carrera, eats him alive.
But at least they were hired for marketing reasons: they wanted to have some popular name in the movie poster.
Here? Well, it's because of political reasons. We want them black!!! Because racial correctness is what matters now.
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*With the exception of Idina Menzel. She was likely hired for being a professional singer, and her character in Frozen being the lead singer in the most important songs.
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• «Chiwetel Ejiofor is an academy award nominee, star of 12 Years a Slave»
I was not talking about one specific actor being black, but about almost the whole cast being black for political racial reasons.
• «Chiwetel Ejiofor is an academy award nominee [...] Chiwatel is a great actor. [...] You're changing your point now lmao. Your original complaint was Chiwetel had no voice acting experience»
My original claim was the same as my current one: almost the whole cast is black political racial reasons. I DIDN'T mention specifically Chiwatel Eljiofor.
Please, don't assign to me words that you have made up.
• «Again, the fact you're so offended by this amazing»
That a part of the white population is promoting a society based in racial casts, and then putting their own as the low cast because of political/religious reasons is stupid, naive, insane, dangerous and probably suicidal. But... offensive? Nope.
So, AGAIN, don't assign to me words you decided to made up.
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• «So again, I ask you, why don't you have the same whiny complaint as the other actors I mentioned?»
I already answered that question. I guess you were so busy assigning to me words I didn't say (and calling me names) that you didn't pay attention to what I actually said.
Anyway.
I copypaste what I already said: "at least they were hired for marketing reasons: they wanted to have some popular name in the movie poster". I don't really like when a movie includes popular names as voice actors just for the sake of having some popular names in the movie poster, but the reason behind that it's not political or religious: it's just popcorn marketing.
Casting the voice actors based in political/religious reasons*, well, that's a different story.
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*More religious than political. Diversitarianism has become less a political ideology and more a Religious Cult.
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• «So again, Benedict Cumberbatch. You refuse to acknowledge him. When he was cast as Smaug, he had no prior voice work experience»
I see. So what remains is repeating the same question again and again, writing in derogative terms, and calling terms.
For anybody else: I already answered that question. Twice. I understand (even if I don't like) that popular actors with zero experience in voice acting are casted to boost the movie's box office.
It's a different story when you limit the cast to a CHOSEN RACE for political/religious reasons. As it happens with many religions, the Modern Left AKA SJW AKA Diversitarians or Cult of Diversity has found some chosen people, with blacks at the top of them.
And anything but worshipping the chosen race is racism. And fascism. And nazism.
As many religions, Diversitarians demonize those who don't belong to the Cult.
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Cumberbatch became extremely popular because of BBC's Sherlock, he was the trendy actor back then, so popular that Sherlock barely could have some more episodes shot after season 2 because of Freeman and Cumberbatch busy agenda.
Not to say Frodo was played by Martin Freeman, so having Cumberbatch voicing Smaug was a stroke of genius, marketing wise.
So what?
shareBecause choosing someone for something based on their race, is in fact regressive and not a good thing. Hard concept to understand, I know.
shareI think you're way too sensitive about race. Why do you care so much about what color an actor's skin is? Personally, I see nothing "regressive" about casting African-American actors to voice African characters, human or animal, in a cartoon.
shareIf you read up you will learn that the team wanted actors of African descent to keep with the tone of the film, to make it more authentic, if you like. Funnily enough, they happen to be black as that's usually the case if you're of African descent. It's not racist, it's just what they chose to do.
I was waiting for someone to pick on this. Just waiting 😂
Dude, it's a movie about wild big cats. They have zero relation with black Africans beyond living in the same continent and eating them once in a while.
Anyway, it that's the way to go, and for the sake of coherence... toys are made in China, so... to keep with the tone of the film, to make it more authentic, if you like, they should have cast Chinese actors to voice Toys Story 4!! shouldn't they?
Kuku, cats and black Africans have no relation, no, but you're missing the point, which is the theme and setting - Africa! You just said it yourself when you mentioned that they live in the same continent. That's part of it.
Toy Story 4? If the movie was set it China then maybe. It would be entirely up to the makers of it. But that example does not back up your opinion because it's not even relevant. It's not the same thing.
but you're missing the point, which is the theme and setting - Africa!
My god, does it really matter? Just enjoy a film for what it is.
I can't tell you how many times I've heard people scream 'racism' against black people if there are too many white people in a film, and vice versa.
The voice actors are all of African decent (or so I read). So what if they have never set foot in Africa? Hey, Scar and Zalu are played by British actors......so it can't be completely 'racist', can it....
It was a creative choice by the makers. I bet if the entire cast were white people, folks would still scream racism because 'there's not a single black person in it'.
Besides, it's different with voice actors as opposed to screen actors. In animation you can't see the actor, so what's the problem?
As far at The Little Mermaid goes, well, it doesn't bother me at all. As I said in another comment, is the girl can do Ariel justice then what's the problem, you know?
He just destroyed your argument when he pointed out the black little mermaid. Disney hates white people, just admit it!
shareNo, he didn't actually, because pointing out that The Little Mermaid is portrayed by a black woman means nothing. And what does it matter?
Besides, if you guys hate the fact that Disney are supposedly racist then why endorse/condone it by watching and buying their films, huh?
Right Kuku. What an embarrassment. Black people are not 'Africans'. I can understand if they wanted an African accent or something, but they didn't get that. Lions have zilch to do with any ethnicity.
shareI would agree with you ... bu then explain "The little mermaid" being swapped with a black girl. you know, a story of european descent. And yes, by the same company.
shareAsom, I'm not sure what you're getting at there. Why would she be swapped with a black girl?
shareShe shouldn't. But she is.
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-little-mermaid-ariel-halle-bailey-20190703-story.html
To be honest, I don't see a problem with it. If she can do Ariel justice then why not, you know.
shareWell....Yes...and No. In the original story, Andersen describes the Little Mermaid as having clear white skin and blue eyes. (He DOESN'T, at any point, describe her hair color.) But as there's nothing in the original story to indicate that the color of her eyes or skin is integral to the plot, I certainly don't see an issue with the character being played by an African American actress if LM were being produced by Warner Brothers or Walden or some other film company altogether. But since it is being produced by Disney and, from what I understand, is supposed to be a live action version of the animated film, then they should stick with how they established their character -- fair skin, red hair, and blue eyes.
Although given how they portrayed several of the characters in Cinderella, it appears Disney tends to play fast and loose with this. Cate Blanchett doesn't look anything like the animated Lady Tremaine.
Animals don't talk at all. So why even make a distinction between male, female, old and young voices? This is actually one of the few times I do get purposely casting black people. It gives the movie more authenticity and black people often have a different kind of voice than white people.
shareCasting black people exclusively.....gives lions more authenticity.............?
shareGives animals from Africa more authenticity, yes.
But like I said, why cast an actress to do the voice of a female lion? How does that manner?
There is no fuckong authenticity to the voices of animals. Are you yelling me that childish Gambino sounded just as majestic and regal of a lion than liam Neeson as Aslan? Like fuck. Give me a fucking break. You're really pulling for straws here to the point of playing 6 degrees if separation. Absolutley absurd. Especially considering that all of the "African" voice actors arent even African in the first place. If we were even going to attempt to play this game then how about casting actual Africans from Africa as the voices of lions? A white south African in this case would sound more authentic than a black American.
sharePulling at straws? Your reading comprehension skills suck. I actually said that this is ONE OF THE FEW TIMES I understand casting black people specifically. In no way am I making a case for diversity casting.
No, I don't think Glover sounds majestic or regal. In fact, I think he totally sucks. I actually think that almost everybody in this movie was miscast. That has nothing to do with my point that black voices add more authenticity. And yes, actors directly from Africa would be even better, but you can't expect Disney to cast totally unknown people. And it's not like they cast European actors for all the European roles before.
The fact that you had to use so many curse words and straw men makes you absolutely absurd. Get your head out of your behind. It's not the first time your anger gets in the way of you thinking logically.
Oh ibsee. So bow casting actors with the most authenticity doesnt matter because name brand actors matter more? So much for authenticity I guess. You completely contradicted yourself and destroyed your argument in a single fucking line.
- "Black actors because they add authenticity to African animals"
-"Then why not just use African actors to voice African animals? Authenticity right?"
-"because name brands sell"
Gotcha. Just Like I thought. Race means absolutely fuck all about it.
How the hell did I contradict myself by saying that it makes more sense to cast famous black actors from the US than casting unknown black actors from Africa? Nothing you brought up pointed to a contradiction.
If you can't get a famous African actor, you go for the next best thing, a famous American actor of African descent. And if you can't get a famous Asian actor, you go for a famous American actor of Asian descent. And if you can't get a famous European actor, you go for a famous European actor of Asian descent
Of course race/ethnicity would mean something when casting these roles. Just like it means something when casting for Cinderella. Or would it make sense not to look for white actors specifically when the story takes place in France???
I'm someone who gets annoyed by diversity casting just like most people. But let's be honest here, you're just a very angry racist. The fact that you think I have some kind of diversity agenda makes you looney as well.
I literally just fucking told you how you contradicted yourself. I spelled it out point by point. Did you not read the post? It's either authenticity or fame. The way you try to work your way around the goalposts is how you contradict yourself. You dont get to say were going to be as authentic to African animals by casting native African dialects, and then get to say, native African dialects arent as popular so we settle for American. I'm sorry but this is the biggest load of horseshit reasoning I've read on this forum.
share"I literally just fucking told you how you contradicted yourself."
No, you did not. I said it's more authentic to cast black actors. Then I said it's more preferable to cast African actors, but understandable to go for American actors of African descent as they are more well-known. Still black actors, nothing contradicting about that.
"It's either authenticity or fame."
It's not a matter of one or the other. You can go for both, famous American actors of African descent.
"You dont get to say were going to be as authentic to African animals by casting native African dialects, and then get to say, native African dialects arent as popular so we settle for American."
I said nothing whatsoever about "native African dialects", let alone their "popularity".
The fact that you keep using profanity and straw men shows you haven't got a leg to stand on. Like I said, you're a racist and a looney.
So if it's more authentic to cast black actors in animals roles (!?) and that's your argument for their casting decisions ... why did they just cast a black girl as ariel, the white skin mermaid with red hair and blue eyes? Authenticity is not so important after all? Or only when it comes to replacing white characters is not important?
shareWhy do you act like I am Disney???
I said that I get going for a black cast for this particular movie. I didn't say Disney chose the right actors or that they have a consistent policy.
Casting a black girl while Ariel is a white redhead is stupid and a clear example of PC diversity casting. I have no idea why you assumed I agree with that decision.
Seems you're another one who can't think logically because of their paranoia getting in the way.
Or you are another one that can't think logically because you are blinded by PC culture.
Yes, you are not disney, but you are defending Disney, while you fail to take into account that in another case they did NOT adhere to the same principles that you argument that they are using.
So no, either they do it for all movies either they don't. And we know from more than one movie that they don't.
Funny how PC defenders can't make simple logical deductions and see the bigger picture.
Casting ariel as a black girl is clearly a stupid, PC decision (and we agree on that) but miscasting VOICES just to make things more "authentic" with black actors is not PC by any means ...
And look at Marvel (owned by Disney): Thor? Replaced by a black Valkirie ... (wtf? since when norse gods were black???) Iron Man? Blacked - WarMachine. Captain America? Blacked - Falcon or what's his name.
I don't have a problem with black characters as super heroes. I have a problem when they remove white superheroes to make space for them, when they replace well established characters just for PC points.
Do you need a bigger picture to see it?
You must be a troll or you were born without a brain.
In case you're actually serious, please learn how to read, it's a beautiful thing.
I've made clear multiple times, even in my last post, that I dislike PC diversity casting. I don't know how I could make it any clearer. I literally said that casting a black girl for Ariel was stupid and an example of PC diversity casting. How the heck did I not acknowledge it???
I did not "defend" Disney. I said that I understand casting black people for this movie. The same goes for anybody making a cartoon about native African animals. Likewise, I would understand casting white actors for a movie about native European animals.
Again, I never said Disney was consistent. I was expressing my own view on this issue.
Not only do you and virus suffer from paranoia, you both also use lame straw man arguments. I have to believe you're a troll, because no one can be this stupid.
You must suffer, as most americans, from a severe case of cognitive dissonance. look up the term before replying :P
It is the same company making decisions. To believe that, somehow, the company makes stupid decisions in most of it's late movies and suddenly they are making an exception in LK is quite stupid.
Not sure how am i a troll when i show you that "they are right but only in this case" is quite short sighted and idiotic.
And actually yes, Disney WAS consistent, that's the whole point. That you fail to see. Or you don't want to see.
Yeah, i would have no problem with "let's have authentic characters and actors" argument if that would be the norm, i would fully support it - notice i didn't say anything about 007 being a black girl. But it is not.
No, you cannot treat LK like a single, isolated event because really it isn't.
Okay, so you are absolutely brainless.
You need to get it through your thick skull that I wasn't commenting on Disney's policy, but merely on the casting of black actors to portray African animals, which the OP doesn't seem to find logical regardless of PC motivation ("race is an key element when it comes to voice actors playing wild animals that live in Africa"). I simply disagreed. If I made a movie about African animals I would probably also cast African/black actors for authenticity. That doesn't mean I assume Disney did it for the same reason. Read back my words, I said:
"This is actually one of the few times I do get purposely casting black people."
I did not say, "I get why Disney cast black people". Get the difference? No, of course you don't, you're brainless.
And you really need to stop with your lame straw man argument about Ariel. Yes, it's stupid (no, I never claimed this was just "a stupid decision" and TLK an exception) and also PC (I don't know how often I need to repeat this) they cast a black girl, but it has freaking nothing to do with the issue the OP raises, the casting of black actors to portray African animals.
Also, just stop making a fool of yourself all together.
Yes, i saw that but you still don't get it:
the OP, and not only the OP, sees that as a part of the trend, so even though it might seem "one of the times when bla bla" it is not when you consider it a part of the larger equation. The issue raised by the OP is not the particular case of LK but the trend. His post was more rhetorical than you think.
If it was just a single event, unrelated to disney's clear PC policy, no one would have argued against it, as i said, i would support is as well. The way it is integrated in the rest of the trend and disney's (actually not just disney) policy makes it a problem.
Why is so hard to understand?
So, yeah, for some it might look "a one time" or whatever, but that's, again, just short sighted. Shall we give Disney a prize for being so ... authentic in this special case (which just somehow happened to be with black actors)?
When someone shoots in your direction 30 bullets and one misses you are you going to be ok that there was a bullet that missed or are you going to be worried that someone shoots in your direction?
The OP is worried about the later.
No, you still don't get it.
I am well aware what the point was of the OP. Unlike you, I can actually read between the lines. My comment was simply directed at his argument that it makes no sense to cast black actors specifically to play African animals. Because if you had paid a little attention you'd realized long ago that I do not agree with PC diversity casting, not by Disney or anyone else ("this one of the FEW times"). It's mindboggling you still don't understand that while I've explained it time and time again.
The point is that this is not the right movie to complain about diversity casting. If Disney did not have their SJW policy, they probably would've cast black actors as well. If you do want to complain about PC casting, focus on the actors themselves, because casting Beyoncé, Donald Glover and John Oliver is so political it's vomit-inducing. Choose your battles more wisely, otherwise it's so easy to accuse us critics of racism.
• «I am well aware what the point was of the OP. Unlike you, I can actually read between the lines»
You know what lies between lines? Blank spaces. And blank spaces have an interesting property: they can be filled with whatever you want. And that's how I end answering 'I haven't said such a thing' 'you're putting words in my mouth' again and again.
I say exactly what I say. Anything else that you decide to 'read between lines' is your business. @asom has synthesized my position quite well, probably because he's less busy making up stuff and focus instead in the actual words.
• «If you do want to complain about PC casting, focus on the actors themselves»
That's miserable. If an actor is offered a job because of the current political agenda, he would be stupid if he doesn't take it. The problem are the people who are deciding to implement this agenda. Trying to pin it on the actors is a low.
Okay, so you were born without a brain as well.
Didn't asom say there was "more rhetoric" to your post? That means we have to read between the lines. Not once did you literally say in your post that Disney casting black people was just another PC move. You have to read between the lines to understand that was your point. It was a very obvious point, but that was not what I responded to in my reply.
"That's miserable. If an actor is offered a job because of the current political agenda, he would be stupid if he doesn't take it. The problem are the people who are deciding to implement this agenda. Trying to pin it on the actors is a low."
Sure, if you leave out the rest of that sentence you can come to such a moronic conclusion. In no way did I say to blame the actors (not even between the lines). Obviously I am talking about Disney's choice to cast specific actors with a certain political background. Complain about that, because that's where the actual PC politics are in this case. Casting black actors to play African animals in itself is not strong enough evidence of Disney's PC policy.
It's incredibly sad how many of you are in need of a decent education.
Maybe that is why lots white people aren't going to see it. Dropped 60% in the second weekend. I don't think it should be an issue, but maybe it is for white people. Race is so important now and I didn't feel that it was as much of an issue when I was a kid back in the 70's. Not sure why that changed.
shareThe constat push by the left. Everything that happens it is somehow related to race.
Something happens to a white guy? Silence. The same thing happens to a black guy? Racism.
They even invented incidents to point and call out the “racism”.
Not saying that there is no racism, just pointing out that not everything is.
True, back in the 70's we knew that something was racist and there was no controversy surrounding it. Now every racial issue is surrounded by controversy. I feel that this is only tearing us apart, instead of bringing us together. The media definitely uses this to get bigger ratings for their newscasts.
shareSeriously, I grew up (late 80s/90s) with the concept that we were moving beyond any racial divides - to where I didn't care or even think about someone's skin color. Now, it matters more than ever apparently, and everyone is judged based on it... truly regressive and sick.
share1.6 billions dollars. Multiple records broken. And all of that without whities support, according to you. Get woke, go broke, eh?
shareI said "maybe" and I said it "shouldn't be an issue". There are lots of racists out there and I am not one of them. Just ask my sister and her family...nuff said!
And all of that without whities support, according to you. Get woke, go broke, eh?
lol, the delusion...
shareDisney hates duh whities.
Seriously, they do.