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Well I agree with you and I will suggest an actor that could Play the part. http://michiko280.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/kumar.jpg Sorry but he is the only Arabic actor I can think of at the moment. | |
Make him up right and he could probably pull it off. | |
I was always struck by how prince of persia: sands of time gave all the characters mock-english accents... There aren't really any big Iranian actors (The Persian capital being in modern day Iran) so you would have to get an unknown, not that that's a problem. Studios seem to think you always need a big name to sell a film, but sometimes an unknown actor adds an added level of realism a film... | |
I don't really see the issue so long as they don't portray the prince talking with a ridiculous accent or making "durka" noises. The experience would seem a little more authentic with somebody of the correct ancestry portraying the part, but I see nothing sinister in casting a white person to play role of differing ethnicity. It's probably the case that Gyllenhaal was the best man for the job. I would think it more racist or offensive if he were denied the role, in spite of his acting prowess and his suitability for the character, because of the colour of his skin. | |
He is the only one I can find as of now too. But I am sure that some awesome Persian actor is out there that would have fit the bill. | |
How about the guess who played the Giglo in the original Deuce Bigalo? | |
ya.... at one point white people were painted black to fill those roles,as well as having them Act like Whatever race they happen to need at the time, id hoped we would be beyond this stuff Already... but i suppose sadly Not | |
Well, the prince has always looked more white to me than anyone else, maybe that's because I haven't seen too many Persians, who knows, but I can see where you are coming from with this. However, I also agree with WewontDie.
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Would you think it stupid to put a black person to act in a role for George Bush? Somebody like Omar Epps off House? | |
Big budget summer blockbuster = Hollywood regular a must for the main role. Its just the way the system works. Only "ethnically accurate" actors I could think of with any name recognition in the US are Kal Penn, or maybe Oded Fehr. Id have liked Irrfan Khan to play it but that had a snowballs chance in hell :-) | |
But I am sure there have been plenty of other roles where this has happened, and the only time I think this is right is when it is a part that is an ethnicity other than Caucasian. It makes no sense for them to make all of the minor roles or some of the major roles played by middle eastern people, but then make the central protagonist white. There is nothing wrong with this in a way, but Why do such a thing when you can get an equally (sometimes even better) talented eastern character that fits the bill perfectly, like you have said in the ancestry part. On the flip side though, would you see something wrong with casting a black man or middle eastern man to play the role of a differing ethnicity, say Roman or spanish? And this hasn't exactly been done before, but I remember a similar thread to this, I think it was about James Bond. | |
When we think back to the games I didn't see anyone complain that the Prince wasn't made of 'Persian pixels'. I may be wrong but the chap that did the motion capture for the moves in the game was American too. I do see what you're saying, that it could be more accurate, but by the same token the game is a product of western culture so perhaps casting Jake Gyllenhaall was, in fact, a faithful move. It's a movie based on a game at the end of the day rather than a historical re-enactment of actual events. Even if it was, there have been some decent enough films or performances starring actors playing characters of a different geological or ethnic origin. Granted, there have been terrible ones too, but that's the movies for you. | |
I'm conflicted. On one hand, I feel that, since the prince was written as Persian (British accent notwithstanding)in the game, he should be Persian in the movie. On the other hand, denying Gyllenhaal the role just because he's white is just as racist. | |
I find it hilarious. | |
Jesus I completely forgot about him, he could have played this part well! I was almost thinking Sendhil Ramamurthy too (Mohinder Suresh from Heroes) but I don't think so now. | |
Are you seriously referring to a white man playing a Persian man in the PoP film is even remotely racist. Jake Gyllenhaal is a good actor. If they are trying to be greedy then thats that or perhaps they want a good actor playing the role. Since they can't solely market it towards video game enthusiasts to make a profit, which is why movies, or even the beloved games we play are made, they need to attract other people. Would I rather someone else play it? perhaps, but its not cause im racists. Also, comparing the "black face" which purposely depicted African Americans as stupid during a time of racism and hatred is different then trying to ether make money or get a famous actor to play someone. | |
Yah, but that guy is of Indian descent. His parents are from India. But that is closer.
Why is it funny? I would imagine some just don't give a crap, but then I would imagine some do. | |
I agree with the natives part, I think it is okay when they make a valid reason for it (adopted into the family, like in Last of the Mohicans) but I still think it is a cop out. But all in all, this is definitely bullshit, and I don't like it one bit. | |
I think there was some decent Persian-looking actor in "Mummy", but he's probably 100 years old now. | |
A long time ago (month or two) Eggo (I think) made a thread about this. Its got some worthwhile discussion in it, sorry I'm too lazy to post a link. | |
After reading the OP, I thought "well name me a Persian actor". Then Kal Penn was suggested and I thought "well damn, he could probably pull it off!" Then again, good old Kal is most easily recognized from Van Wilder and Harold & Kumar, which have nothing to do with the storybook tone of PoP; while I'm all for reverse typecasting, this would be particularly difficult. Gyllenhaal, on the other hand, has some experience with these sort of roles and usually can bring empathy to his parts (Day After Tomorrow, Zodiac, and *shudder* Brokeback Mountain), so I understand the choice, even if it seems weird. | |
It's all about marketing. The US public are still on edge and releasing a film, even one that's supposedly about a persian, with an Arab in the main role, won't go down well with the public. They need someone who only offends minorities and as few of them as possible, so they're able to maximise their take. | |
The flaw in the OP's reasoning comes from the fact that ancient Persians were in fact white. | |
Did someone seriously just suggest Kumar? Has anyone seen District B13? How about the guy who played Leito? He looks much like the prince and has the skills. Assuming he could speak English... Parkour scene from B13: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GpOroM0g80 | |
Considering Gyllenhaal will probably be under full make-up to make him appear Arabic, a black or Arabic person doing the same in a white role, while as I said, may be a little less authentic, they should not be denied because of the colour of their skin if they really are the best person for the part. | |
You mean Oded Fehr? God, that's brilliant! For those of you that are drawling a blank right now, Oded Fehr played the Arabian warrior in the two Mummy movies (and yes there are two) as well as Carlos Oliveira in the second and third Resident Evil movies. Technically he's Israeli and not Persian, but I'd watch a Prince of Persia movie with him as the Prince. | |
For George W. Bush I would cast the most idiotic, foolish moron I could possibly find, then hit him repeatedly in the skull till he had a concussion, THEN start filming. But I think you misunderstood what I said. I personally thought the Prince has always looked more white than anything (even in the original game, he's very much white looking with all enemies and the princess looking more Persian) and THAT'S why I seen no problem with this. | |
I'll give you that many roles should be cast by someone who is of the same ethnic background as the role - I'd have serious objections to a white person playing Che Guevara or Gandhi - but for Prince of Persia, I'd be surprised if anyone anywhere in the creative process is thinking about historical accuracy, and if anyone watching cares about ethnic sensitivity. Something like this is so disposable I think it'll have a hard time offending anyone. And have you played any of the Prince of Persia games? They have vaguely British voices in the original trilogy and the new ones speak like they're from modern America - at least Assassin's Creed explained the lack of realistic speech by adjustments to the Animus. I for one applaud Jake Gyllenhal for being willing to tack this film onto his resume, and hope it frees up better film roles for Middle Eastern actors to take on. | |
Wasnt the guy who played King Leonidas(sp) in 300 not greek, and the guy who played Xerxes black instead of persian? Its a movie, it will suck, and it will be erased from our minds within the decade. Edit: What about White Chicks, im pretty sure those 2 were black guys! RACISM! | |
Amen - rule of thumb is if it's a video game movie not made by Uwe Boll, which are such monuments of fail they can never be washed away, it will be a very unnecessary release that will disappear from the theaters in a month and be forgotten once it hits DVD. | |
Have any of you seen him with full make up on....he is as close to the prince as possible they did make a his skin just slightly darker (Just like he had a fake tan or something) im waiting for some islamic extremist or any other race extremist to claim that it is betraying their culture | |
I understood that you meant he looks white but he is an Arab. He is the Prince of a nation of Arabs. They did not colour him the way that people may associate with an Arab but then again colours were limited. They could not give him a face with the typical generic Hollywood Arab look because of the graphical limitation either but I think that almost anybody who read the title of the game would have picked up that he wasn't white. | |
I always though this guy would have fit the bill - John Abraham: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Abraham_(actor) | |
You don't need to speak English. Psh. But still, Gllyenhaal isn't... the prince. He's too broad-chested. The prince (originally) was distinctively lean and lithe. | |
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Jake Gyllenhaal is playing the Prince of Persia in the movie as some of you well know. While I admit he is a great actor and has a face that is money in the bank for studios I find it very troubling. Jerry Bruckheimer Films somehow decided that casting a white man in the place of a Persian man would be all right. Some people may shrug away the idea of this and ask what the problem is. As a white man some might assume that I find no issue with it. But I do. I wonder how people of the Persian/ Middle Eastern persuasions feel about this.
I know it is just a movie based on some video game that will most likely suck. But take this into account. A few decades ago it was common for White people to play as Asians. During the time it was common to negatively stereotype Asians in the manner. While I don't think it will happen with the POP:Sand of Time movie, I do find it troubling that Hollywood still find it ok to cast White people in the place of of other races. The old practice of White people in the place of Native Americans also applies. It was just offensive to me.
Why is this offensive to me? It seems to belittle the idea that some one of Persian decent would be appealing as the lead role in a movie of this sort. The character IS the Prince of Persia after all. Maybe the studio just felt they needed to bank on a familiar face. It is greed based then. But maybe they felt that in today's America having an actual person of Middle Eastern decent playing a character of Middle Eastern decent would be offensive to people who are racist against people from that area. They are trying to make a safer bet to make the movie safe for people to watch with out getting offended. That to me would be just wrong as it is submitting to the people with racist beliefs. They should ignore this kind of bullshit and cast characters from the races that they are.