Not sure how to feel about this one. It was reported that Rooney Mara is in talks to play Princess Tiger Lily in a remake of Peter Pan to be directed by Joe Wright. Uproar ensued as the majority of folks online are wondering, why is she playing Tiger Lily when there are plenty of Native actresses they could have approached. Supposedly the director of this Peter Pan remake is envisioning a multi-racial world, so the casting directors looked to actresses from all backgrounds including Adele Exarchopoulos and Lupita Nyong’o. However eyebrows have been raised since most of the actors already chosen for starring roles are white.
Via Indie Wire
So what do you think? Should the director have approached Native actresses for the role, or is this a win for Native Americans since the original film was full of racist and sexist stereotypes.
Read more on the story in this opinion piece from Matthew Hammett Knott with IndieWire.
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Marisa says:
Ok, I am a native american and think its ridiculous that people are really freaking out about the actress not being native american. guess what? you shouldn’t get a part just because of your ethnicity. Which I feel should go both ways. Native american Actors and Actresses shouldn’t not get a part just because they’re native, but they also shouldn’t get a part just because they are. It’s not necessarily racist. She could just be a good actress.
Johnnie Jae says:
If a white actress was cast to play a black woman and doing so meant that she would have to wear blackface would that be okay with you? A white actresses playing a native american is not okay because it’s the same concept, dressing in redface. The problem with not casting a native in a native role is that it relieves them of the responsibility of trying to portray in a manner that is not stereotypical or hypersexual. The role of tigerlily is damaging and just one of the worst portrayals of native women and at least when they have cast natives to play her, while there were still issues they did do a much better job at trying to create a more authentic and less offending version of tigerlily.
Janine Spirit Warrior says:
I believe Tiger Lily should be played by a Native American actress, not someone who knows nothing of how are people were, how we did things how we communicated or carry our selves.
Wolf Halton says:
They should choose a native actress. Even if it is just a voice-part, it would add authenticity to the production.
Meg says:
There are SO many Native actors that never get recognition. This is a role that should go to a NATIVE. I’m personally sick of seeing every other race play a Native in movies. There are some excellent and beautiful Native women who would do a Great job!