Marvel has defended its upcoming film Doctor Strange against accusations that the casting of Tilda Swinton is “whitewashing” a traditionally Asian character, the Ancient One.
Benedict Cumberbatch will play the title role, while Swinton’s character, a mystic who helps Doctor Strange develop his powers, originates from Tibet in the original comics. Marvel pointed out that it has previously changed the racial makeup of iconic characters, and that Strange’s mentor was not required to be Tibetan.
“Marvel has a very strong record of diversity in its casting of films and regularly departs from stereotypes and source material to bring its MCU [Marvel cinematic universe] to life,” said the studio in a statement issued to Mashable. “The Ancient One is a title that is not exclusively held by any one character, but rather a moniker passed down through time, and in this particular film the embodiment is Celtic. We are very proud to have the enormously talented Tilda Swinton portray this unique and complex character alongside our richly diverse cast.”
The Disney-owned studio has come under fire after Doctor Strange screenwriter C Robert Cargill hinted that the casting of the role was an effort to avoid upsetting China.
Describing the Ancient One as “a racist stereotype who comes from a region of the world that is in [a] very weird political place”, Cargill told the Double Toasted podcast: “He originates from Tibet, so if you acknowledge that Tibet is a place and that he’s Tibetan, you risk alienating one billion people who think that that’s bullshit and risk the Chinese government going, ‘Hey, you know one of the biggest film-watching countries in the world? We’re not going to show your movie because you decided to get political.’”
In 2010, Marvel cast the black British actor Idris Elba as the Norse deity Heimdall in Kenneth Branagh’s Thor. The studio also shifted the character of Nick Fury from white to black on the big screen to accommodate the casting of Samuel L Jackson, following a similar shift in some versions of the comics.
