Bold Casting Decisions Hollywood Whitewashing Problem

Photo: Dave Allocca/StarPix/REX/Shutterstock.

Earlier this week, a Hollywood writer mentioned potential casting for a future film that has now become a hashtag on Twitter, pointing out all the ridiculous choices that could potentially come out of Hollywood. David Franzoni, who wrote Gladiator, spoke to The Guardian about a future project he was working on about the life of the poet Rumi. You have probably read a quote or two from him; the BBC reported was he the best-selling poet in America in 2014. Rumi was born in the (then) Persian Empire and wrote a bafflingly impressive amount of poetry in his lifetime — close to 70,000 pieces. He'd be 811 years old if he was still alive and a movie about him would pretty amazing. And guess who Hollywood wants to cast as Rumi? You know, a Persian poet; a Muslim preacher and scholar. How about...Leonardo DiCaprio? Oof. When news broke that the Franzoni was considering DiCaprio as Rumi, Twitter was quick to voice its disgust. But then, things escalated.

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The "Gladiator" writer wants to cast Leonardo DiCaprio as poet Jalaluddin al-Rumi – but #RumiWasntWhite. pic.twitter.com/euvRcgKBpB
— AJ+ (@ajplus) June 8, 2016

Leonardo Dicaprio as Rumi?

I will RIOT you dumb whitewashing fools! https://t.co/6YP4hkSf9S
— rabia chaudry (@rabiasquared) June 6, 2016

Then, accidentally making matters worse, Twitter decided to feature the story on its Moments page, bringing a whole new slew of users into the fray. To further the conversation, someone decided to enact a conversation centered around two hashtags: #BoldCastingDecision and #Whitewashing. #BoldCastingDecision is basically a weird excuse for not casting a Persian man to play a Persian man. DiCaprio is a fantastic actor, as is Zoe Saldana, who was recently in the news for similar outrage for her role as singer and activist Nina Simone. But that doesn't mean they should play every ethnicity, ever. Has Hollywood really learned nothing? Of course, Twitter decided to take matters into its own hands. People have taken over the #BoldCastingDecision and are creating their own casts for future biopics. Rachel Dolezal as Beyoncé? Sure!

@brandonrambles Your Beyoncé #BoldCastingDecision pic.twitter.com/DnyRvHzB3k
— kathulhunicorn (@kathulhu) June 8, 2016

Emma Watson as Billie Holiday? Why not?!

The spitting image? Emma Watson knocks it out the park as young Billie Holiday in new docudrama #BoldCastingDecision pic.twitter.com/DOJk5HpTET
— Jonathan McAloon (@jonniemcaloon) June 9, 2016

The rest of the proposed #BoldCastingDecisions are as equally outrageous.

Meryl Streep wins another Oscar for her portryal as India's only female PM Indira Gandhi. #BoldCastingDecision pic.twitter.com/ZeLXvkBts6
— Prem (@sk25_) June 9, 2016

Tragic that we will never get that Yoko Ono biopic now, it was such a #BoldCastingDecision... pic.twitter.com/2noLNehSil
— Femmes in the Fridge (@FemmesinFridges) June 9, 2016

At least Richard Pryor's story will get told despite the #BoldCastingDecision pic.twitter.com/TKPDmoEbxa
— Geonn Cannon (@GeonnCannon) June 9, 2016

Mary kate and Ashley Olsen in Gospel Biopic Mary Mary #BoldCastingDecision pic.twitter.com/snAREnfe3W
— Calabar Boy (@MisterRisby) June 9, 2016

You want revolutionary? Cast Brad Pitt as Mahatma Ghandi. Best actor for the job, right? #BoldCastingDecision pic.twitter.com/M4xTykNqc2
— Alan Mark Tong (@AlanMarkTong) June 8, 2016

Hilary Duff, Christy Carlson Romano, & Ashley Tisdale as Destiny's Child, amazing. #BoldCastingDecision pic.twitter.com/kibGOvyytp
— Brandon Taylor (@brandonrambles) June 8, 2016

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