• yeather@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    51
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    2 months ago

    Most people realized it was done mostly to skirt the Chinese market. I think the major problem with the other groups is the lack of major starpower. I don’t think I can even name a Romani actress.

    • AhismaMiasma@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      42
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      2 months ago

      This is a good point. Casting a genuine Tibetan actor would cause the house of mouse to lose all that sweet china money.

      • ShinkanTrain
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        7
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        2 months ago

        They could’ve still got someone vaguely Asian.

        • yeather@lemmy.ca
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          9
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          2 months ago

          No I think people would have been more angry if they got someone Asian but not Tibetan to play the character. Changing an Asian Male character to a White Woman makes it more obvious and direct.

        • Iheartcheese@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          2 months ago

          They have talked about that, and said they fucked up. The went with a white chick because they didn’t want to make it seem like Asian is just interchangeable

      • yeather@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        2 months ago

        I suppose, then again it appears the main reason race was changed is to increase star power in a prominent role. Which is not the case in The Little Mermaid, as Halle Bailey is not a star. Doesn’t matter much now since the movie is bad.

    • acockworkorange@mander.xyz
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      2 months ago

      I don’t think I can identify a Romani phenotype. Which just goes to show how little representation they get on mass media.

      • yeather@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        2 months ago

        I thought they were just slavicish. I know Romanian is different but the archetypical gypsy in my mind is a black haired slavic woman.

        • acockworkorange@mander.xyz
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          2 months ago

          From what I read, there’s a North Indian ethnic component, especially their language. But that’s what I remember from reading Wikipedia years ago, so 🤷‍♂️

    • Miaou@jlai.lu
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      10
      ·
      2 months ago

      Considering most Americans lose their shit at the slightest hint of an accent, it’s not really surprising.