In case you hadn’t heard, Deadpool villain Ed Skrein decided to step up and do the right thing.
When he found out the Hellboy role he’d scored was half Japanese in the comic books — and that his playing him, inadvertent or not, would be another example of Hollywood whitewashing — he quickly dropped out of the project with a thoughtful announcement.
Related: The Long History Of Hollywood Whitewashing
Chloe Bennet, the Chinese-American star of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., was just one of many stars who took note and applauded the unselfish move.
She posted to her Instagram:
DAMN, that’s a man. Thank you @edskrein for standing up against hollywoods continuous insensitivity and flippant behavior towards the Asian American community. There is no way this decision came lightly on your part, so thank you for your bravery and genuinely impactful step forward. I hope this inspires other actors/film makers to do the same.├░┼╕ΓÇÿ┬Å├░┼╕┬Å┬╝├░┼╕ΓÇÿ┬Å├░┼╕┬Å┬╝├░┼╕ΓÇÿ┬Å├░┼╕┬Å┬╝–Also, dayum cute af AND a pioneer for social injustice?! Fellas, take note. That’s how it’s done.A post shared by Chloe Bennet (@chloebennet) on Aug 28, 2017 at 11:57pm PDT
Most agreed with Chloe — but a few have their own problems with her as well.
See, Bennet’s birth name is Chloe Wang. She changed it for a better chance at getting roles in Hollywood, something a few commenters on the post called another version of whitewashing — and Chloe a hypocrite!
Related: Star Wars FINALLY Introduces Its First Woman Of Color In A Leading Role!
Well, she wasn’t about to stand for that! She fired back:
“Changing my last name doesn’t change the fact that my BLOOD is half Chinese, that I lived in China, speak Mandarin, or that I was culturally raised both American and Chinese. It means I had pay my rent, and Hollywood is racist and wouldn’t cast me with a last name that made them uncomfortable.”
It’s a sad but very solid point. There’s a very real chance the system wouldn’t even have let her in; then no one would even be having the conversation about what Chloe Wang thought of Ed Skrein’s words.
Whereas Chloe Bennet, TV star, was able to create RUN, or Represent Us Now, a non-profit that organizes the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to make positive change in Hollywood and beyond.
Changing the system requires maneuvering within the system. She continued:
“I’m doing everything I can, with the platform I have, to make sure no one has to change their name again, just so they can get work. So kindly love, fuck off.”
Hell yes, girl! Quake that bitch!
[Image via Brian To/WENN.]
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