Did they really not see this coming?
Paramount Pictures is still being haunted by Ghost in the Shell‘s whitewashing controversy, and the latest promotional campaign for the action flick didn’t help!
Fans of the popular manga and anime franchise have been up in arms over Scarlett Johansson playing the lead role of Major — a Japanese character named Major Motoko Kusanagi in the original — and were just handed a golden opportunity to troll the studio over the miscasting.
Paramount unveiled a meme-generator over the weekend with the hashtag #IAmMajor, encouraging fans to upload photos of themselves and add empowering phrases like “I am strong” and “I am a fighter.”
Video: Scarlett Has The Worst Bachelorette Party EVER!
Well, that plan completely backfired. And critics instead used the generator to chastise the casting of ScarJo!
The results included images of the white actress with the words “I am not Japanese,” and photos of the anime character with eulogy-like captions.
Other posts suggest Japanese actresses that could have been considered instead of the Avengers actress, like Kaede Aono, Keiko Kitagawa, and Pacific Rim star Rinko Kikuchi.
Can’t say we’re surprised — this whitewashing conversation is only getting louder as time goes on. See the result of Paramount’s promotional fail (below)!
2017 and this is still how Hollywood casts a Japanese character. #iammajor pic.twitter.com/FxjdzMZOZ0
— Kara & Deb (@KaraAndDeb) March 13, 2017
The Ghost in the Shell Website https://t.co/eqy8CpndC6 has a meme maker of sorts where anyone could “become Major” so I had some fun…. pic.twitter.com/EadKs04H9a
— VzA (@ValerieComplex) March 11, 2017
I Am White. I Am Appropriated. #IAmMajor https://t.co/SrLHTgQgsT pic.twitter.com/KVzk4XAHqk
— Pink Veronica 🏳️‍🌈 (@riotgrrlriot) March 13, 2017
#IAmMajor The Real Major.
5 Real Japanese actresses who should be Major in #GhostInTheShell. #UnderratedAsian #WhiteWashedOUT pic.twitter.com/93hxLTEyq7
— Jigme (@JigmeUgen) March 12, 2017
#IAMMAJOR pic.twitter.com/N8qGVP59hM
— 葵白 (@darkpastels) March 13, 2017
@ValerieComplex pic.twitter.com/L7d3UwrcNa
— Jimaur 卡机吗 (@MaurMaur82) March 12, 2017
I AM REGRETTING PRETENDING
TO BE ASIAN#IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/driIySTQep
— Sky Crompton (@GUNGHOSCREEN) March 15, 2017
Nice job, kids! You can’t even tell it was brown! #IAmMajor @ValerieComplex pic.twitter.com/UCOes4QKUR
— Kenneth (@thesuperken) March 14, 2017
Hollywood only has that 1 famous Asian actor… #IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/Xu2qILAcJv
— ❄️Ellen Oh❄️ (@ElloEllenOh) March 14, 2017
#IAmMajor
Am I doing this right? pic.twitter.com/TVXMe23BjJ
— Madeleine Roux (@Authoroux) March 14, 2017
[Image via Paramount Pictures.]
