Zack Snyder stirred up some controversy when he cast a Brit, Henry Cavill, as Superman in the upcoming Man of Steel. To make up for it, he filled the core supporting cast with true All-Americans: Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Kevin Costner as Pa Kent, Diane Lane as Martha Kent. Same goes for Laurence Fishburne, who was just cast as Daily Planet Editor-in-Chief Perry White. The catch: Fishburne is black. That’s not especially meaningful, but as Hero Complex notes, Fishburne is the first black actor to play White in “any of the many film, television or cartoon versions of Superman’s adventures.” (Commenters, I need your help: Has White ever been drawn black in any of the comics?)
You may recall the racial debate that surrounded Donald Glover’s quasi-campaign to play Spider-Man, or similar discussion prompted by our claim that Will Smith would make a good Captain America. I doubt the casting of a relatively minor character will raise as much of a fuss, but you never know — some fans refused to accept Idris Elba as a Norse god in Thor. I don’t believe there is anything especially “white” about Perry White, but I do know this: Fishburne and his baritone voice will fill the Daily Planet newsroom to the ceiling with gravitas. Man of Steel is scheduled for release on June 14, 2013.
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No, Perry has never been black.
But, I think the more important point is that Fishburne seems like a strange choice. Perry White is equal parts angry and buffoon, and that doesn’t seem like an appropriate role for Fishburne.
Exactly Ryan. This cast is just all kinds of strange and nobody seems to really fit their parts or work together as a group. It’s a completely random grab bag of fading stars. But they have name recognition and I guess that is all Snyder cares about.
JESUS PLEASE GOD NOOO!!!!!! PLEASE WHY THE HE LL???? WHY?
We’ve already had a black Lois Lane. (And for the record.. she was great in the role) Why not a Perry White?
http://masteradept.tumblr.com/post/5117033356/applebrownbetty-a-black-lois-lane-aside-from
Very good casting choice. I can definitely see and hear Laurence Fishburne as Perry White.
I am sure Snyder and the filmmakers wanted to go against the cliche of the newspaper editor as the perpetually exasperated control-freak: Langella and Singer did the same thing with their interpretation. Fishburne is an Oscar-nominated actor who brings class and distinction to nearly all of his roles, and would effortless assert authority in the role. This is another strong and interesting casting choice, and shows the filmmakers’ willingness to round out the film with respected and recognisable performers.
Why would they do this? What are they trying to prove with this casting? I’m not racist, but this is just unnecessary and really screws with the mythology. Perry White is caucasian. Always has been, always should be. It’s not like Spike Lee is going to start shouting from the rooftops condemning this movie if there isn’t a black actor in it. This is a huge fail.
Clinical tests have shown that 99.99% of people who start off saying “I’m not racist” follow the phrase with something racist.
Perry White is a fictional character.
Does it bother you at all that numerous real-life figures who aren’t white are played by white actors on a regular basis? I have the feeling that you’re going to justify whitewashing.
Perry White is a character not at all defined by his race or ethnicity. He could be of any race and still embody the same persona and same position and inhabit the same space within the Spider-Man world.
good reply but you kinda soiled yourself saying perry white is part of spider-man’s world. that would be j jonah jameson.
Could you please name some of these “numerous real-life figures who aren’t white are played by white actors on a regular basis” you are refferring too?
Mav — old Hollywood did it all the time, but if you’re looking for recent, that movie about the MIT kids that won a bunch of money off of casinos was a bunch of white kids playing characters that were Asian in real-life.
Whenever someone says “I’m not racist” usually means they are racist. This is great casting. The only superheroes who can never be black because they would never be accepted are Batman and Superman
NL,
How exactly will this mess with the mythology? LOL! There have been how many TV shows, cartoons, comics, and films? How many times has DC retconned the Superman universe–including the upcoming retcon taking place THIS September!
Superman’s mythology has changed several times. You obviously don’t know much about the history of Superman. In Superman’s first incarnation, he couldn’t fly. Etc. Etc.
The fact is that the Superman universe and its cast of characters have changed repeatedly. The fact that you actually bring up Spike Lee is really the icing on your cake of poopy silliness.
Here is a problem with your argument: White’s ethnicity has little-to-nothing to do with who he is and what he stands for. It does not matter whether the character is white, black, Asian, Middle Eastern or Antarctican. What is more significant is whether the actor is able to bring the qualities needed to create a memorable and authorative figure in Superman’s life and career: dignity, presence, intelligence and drive. Fishburne has those qualities in spades.
at this point i think who is being cast is way less important than questioning the quality of the script- synder being hired is also less important than the script-
Look at Captain America… Joe Johnston couldn’t direct his way out of a dead dog but he had a pretty decent script to work with, so the movie turned out ok.
I don’t care who they cast honestly. I’m not that interested in this Superman movie to begin with. But I do think you asked an important question. “What are they trying to prove with this casting?” It’s like they deliberately did something controversial to create more buzz around the movie.
I’m sure Fish will do fine. But I know I have heard people make fun of the black Kingpin fairly recently. Why even open up that can of worms?
“I’m not racist, but…”
Oh boy. Here’s the windup…
“Perry White is caucasian. Always has been, always should be.”
…aaaaaand there it is. In case you’re unaware (and I’m willing to believe that you are), this is a racist thing to say. “Always should be”. Why? It doesn’t affect the character in any way. Why is Perry White’s caucasian depiction so sacred?
Wow, did not see that coming. Really awesome casting! He will bring something special to the role no doubt!
zack wants a modern and contemporary superman movie newsflash a black man can be in power these days unlike when superman was created
step in right direction and right off the bat separates it from past sueprman movies
Well I’m not a racist, but I think Fishbourne is a fantastic actor and another one of those left field, insanely inspired yet somehow perfect casting choices for this film. When Crowe as Jor El, Costner as Pa, Diane Lane as Ma, Shannon as Zod and now Fishbourne as Perry White where all anounced, I smacked myself in the head and said to myself “Why did I never think of that?”
If he plays the role like he was in Predators, with imaginary friends and all around loopy, the movie is an instant 10!
michael clarke duncan played kingpin and it worked for my so why not fushbourne as white i think he will bring the gravitas that the character has in the comics but is always shown as a joke in movies. he is a very firm yet fatherly like figure for the characters of superman especially jimmy olsen
I love it. You can never go wrong with a little Morpheus.
“Zack Snyder stirred up some controversy……” yeah im pretty sure you are to by even claiming this as being controversial. I dont see this as being an issue, sorry! If it was Superman then maybe, all though apparently its upset a lot of you yanks his being played by a Brit, do not worry brits can ACT
But yeah, i can see Lawrence Fishburne being a good Perry White…get over it trolls!
Besides there will be bigger problems with this film than it’s casting choices, for one the director and all the stop start, slow mo speed up slow mo speed up camera crap, it will most likely have pop music played over 80% of it to.
There is one true Supes film, Richard Donners Superman is where its at! Superman as a character is not relevant in todays cinema. His a camp, all american, goodie two shoes with no faults, boring!!!! It worked for a film made in the 70′s but not now.
DARK KNIGHT RISES ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!
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Whats next…Superman in a kilt…
The good news is that Snyder may be replaced. The bad news is that means the train wreck continues, just with a better director.
Seems like such a stupid Hollywood idea….oh Perry White….lets make him black. We gonna do it different baby!
I have a dream… A dream about a Black White.
LOL
Good choice. I like it.
!!hey, marvel made heimdall black, let’s do the same to perry white and se if the “controversy” sells more tickets!! … and then, let’s make it “dark and gritty”, cause, you know, that’s what nolan would do…”
sorry, but this just looks like another gimmick to get attention and hype for the movie. wanted to work with fishburne? great, he’s a good actor, wanted a black boss in the daily planet? perfect..
have you ever heard of Franklin Stern, the chief, publisher and owner of the daily planet, that also happens to be black in the comics, mr. Snyder? check it out, he evens looks like fishburne. that way you dont need to change the original characters just to look “modern”.
Only just dawned on me that Superman, Batman and Spiderman are now all played by Brits, and we’re the villains in The Dark Knight Rises and Amazing Spiderman too. Rule Brittania Bitches!, as Captain Britain probably never used to say.
Thats because rightfully so the characters should be played by what feels right for that part at that moment in time just like the fishbourne choice for superman and not because of a country of origin or race etc.
Who cares they are going to reboot it again imediatley right after like with batman when the dark knight rises comes out hhhhhhhhhahhahaha.
you guys are ridiculous, how is hollywood being edgy?? its laurence fishburn. how is he edgy? hes a great casting choice and its nice that they arent casting the same as every other movies. who cares if hes black, its perry white for god sakes. and its good casting at that.
First and formost I have no problem with this casting and I think fishbourne is great I just have a question in regard to how come the characters known normally as caucasian type keep changing such as nick fury, heimdall, King pin, the new spider man and now perry white etc and people generally accept it but we don’t see a asian or caucasian blade or black panther and luge cage etc.
You either haven’t been on this planet for long or have select memory.
You know how many nonwhite characters have been played by whites?
Just to name a few:
Goku (Dragon Ball Evolution)
Don Diego De La Vega/Zorro (Never been played by a Latino actor, Banderas does not count as he is not Latino and De La Vega was played by Anthony Hopkins in the movie)
Avatar: The Last Airbender (All the characters are Asian in the original show)
Starship Troopers (The lead of that story was originally of Filipino decent. Made into a blonde and blued white guy in the movie)
Speed Racer (In the original anime all of the characters were Asian)
Also, notice that all of these character race changes are conveniently only supporting characters or bad guys (e.g. Nick Fury, Kingpin, Heimdall, Perry White). You rarely, if ever, see the main character actually go from white to nonwhite yet Hollywood has no problem changing nonwhite characters to white characters as I have just shown.
Don’t get abrasive since I said I liked the fishbourne choice and I have liked the others I stated in the past I was just stating how come we dont see an asian or caucasian blade, shaft, luke cage or black panther. Your avatar and drazon ball examples are flawed though as those movies we made by a western studio primarily for a western audience and dragon ball was directed by an asian who chose Justin (goku) as the lead. Would you argue over Harry Putter being played by an indian because it was made in india yet it was plainly coping harry potter and at one point was getting sued because of it.
And also speed racer and avatar even in the original cartoons are drawn with a western look as it is well known that asian artists base alot of thier chracters to look like westerners in their anime and video games etc.
No. My examples are not “flawed” because America =/= White.
That’s the problem with your mentality. You think “America” equals “White” when this is a country that not only is not made up of its original people (Europeans are not Americans, Native Americans are) but the fact that is that those American productions are not exclusively marketed to America. All big Hollywood productions are marketed and released worldwide.
Another problem with your mentality is that you imply that whites cannot watch movies whose leads are nonwhite. Not only is that a racist implication (that whites are incapable of watching movies that does not star whites) but it is an incorrect assumption as box office results have proved otherwise (i.e. the current box office champ, and has been for years, is Will Smith).
Finally, just because it was an Asian who directed Dragon Ball Evolution does not mean he had any control or say on the casting. Hong Kong superstar Stephen Chow was listed as a producer on it but has gone on record stating that Fox did not listen to any of his advice or words. He was a producer in name only.
It is also convenient that in your reply your ignored the section where I mention that character changes from white to nonwhite are mostly just supporting characters or villains and not main characters.
Stop trying to turn this into a race war and accuse me of white america vs black america I never said that aat all. You obviously cannot have a rational conversation without attacking people and have a go at them.
You say “It is also convenient that in your reply your ignored the section” but yet i notice how you did not answer how the original artwork of avatar and speed racer were drawn to look like a wesrern design and also you did not reply to the harry putter situation so that makes you a hipocrit.
And also I won’t call the new spider man a secondary character would you as I stated in my original statement.
CG, the examples that you use of black characters that you won’t see played by white guys is flawed because for those characters, race is an important part of who they are and how they grew up. Makind Black Panther, the President of Wakanda in Africa into a white guy would be ridiculous. Making a character whose main trait is a newspaper editor black instead of white means nothing. This is a nothing decision because race is not important to the character.
Race war?? The only person that can be best accused between us as not being able to “have a rational conversation without attacking people and have a go at them” is you. Where do you get this “race war” from?
Your comments are incorrect and your stance is misinformed.
You ask why don’t nonwhite characters get turned white. I just showed you that it happens all the time and far more than white characters being turned nonwhite.
I also showed you that when it is white to nonwhite it’s rarely the main character but when it’s nonwhite to white it has been the main character many times.
How you turn that into a “race war” is something only you can answer for as that kind of a deduction is what would be described as irrational.
And yet you dont answer about the new spider man or the harry putter situation once again. I think that plainly answers the question.
I actually have replied to your incorrect claim that “the original artwork of avatar and speed racer were drawn to look like a wesrern design” but because that reply has two outside links to it currently that reply is “awaiting moderation.” Hopefully it will pass soon and be posted so you can see it.
Also, I did reply to the whole “harry putter situation”. That’s what the section about “All big Hollywood productions are marketed and released worldwide” was responding to.
As far as the Spidy thing goes, note that the new Spidy is NOT Peter Parker. It is a totally new and different character whose name I think is “Mike Morales.” So it is not changing a white character to a nonwhite character.
Another thing, Mike Morales is not in the main Marvel line. He’s only in the alternate “Ultimate” universe.
If the indian harry putter situation is “All big Hollywood productions are marketed and released worldwide” why can’t avatar and speed racer since the original medium showed characters that are not a direct asian appearance at all and just you have to do is look at one of the cartoons to see. King Pin etc are not secondary characters as thats like saying the joker in batman is a background character. I have said time and time again how I enjoyed the actors that have played these parts I just wonder why no body seems to care and its taken for granted when a characters origin is changed just to try and reach a new demographic.
You need to learn to read better.
I have already just told you that your statement, “the original artwork of avatar and speed racer were drawn to look like a wesrern design” is incorrect.
I have also told you that the comment I made that address that is “awaiting moderation” because there are two outside links.
Therefore, you cannot argue that the art is “direct asian appearance” where you “just you have to do is look at one of the cartoons to see” because I have already argued against it. Unfortunately the details of it are still “awaiting moderation”.
As far as Kingpin goes, it seems you have missed the part where I clearly mentioned earlier, “Also, notice that all of these character race changes are conveniently only supporting characters or bad guys.”
Kingpin falls under “bad guy”.
Your words about “why no body seems to care and its taken for granted when a characters origin is changed just to try and reach a new demographic” is moot when I have been laying out time and time again here that nonwhite characters have been changed to white characters all the time and yet you don’t even seem to notice or be bothered by it. However, if a white character is changed to a nonwhite character you are bothered by it.
The new spider man mike morales is plainly a marketing ploy by marvel to reach a new demographic. He is spiderman he is not part of the green lantern corps and passed his ring on to someone new. He was bitten by a radioactive spider. You should not have to change a characters origins and their universe just so a portion or your audience will relate to that character. It should come in its personatily and actions were you can see the humanity so everyone for all races can repect and like that character.
They didn’t change anything about Spider-Man’s origin. In the Ultimate universe, Peter Parker dies. Therefore, Mike Morales becomes the new Spider-Man.
That is not changing a white character to a nonwhite character because it is not the same character.
Exactly they killed him off to make why for the new. Why kill him and change it at all? How many radiactive spiders are there going around biting high schoolers?
Killing off a character and bringing in someone to replace him isn’t at all the same as changing a white character to a nonwhite character. If you can’t understand that I don’t know what else can be done for you. It speaks volumes how bothered you are about this and yet everything I mentioned before of all of the nonwhite characters that are actually changed to white doesn’t bother you. In fact, it didn’t even cross your mind.
Also, I don’t know what Morales’ origin is but from what I heard it isn’t the same as Parker’s.
What the hell are you talking about??? Whites playing non-whites happens ALL THE TIME. For pete’s sake, there was a white dude playing Jesus in a movie that went so far as to have all the dialogue in latin and aramaic. It happens so often there’s a word for it: “white-washing”.
I think you should go back and read those statemnts again, instead of jumping in at the end of a debate as the statements are not saying it does not happen with characters. The person was asking a simple question but has been verbally attacked without recourse. These people may not understand what your saying CG but their are people out there that do so don’t worry.
That’s pretty sad CG. Posting as another name in order to pretend you have other people agreeing with you?
Really sad.
It’s especially obvious when it is clear to anyone with functional eyes and brain that I was not attacking you in any way. It’s just that you are not mature enough to admit you were wrong and learn from this.
Is his colour really an issue? He’s a fantastic actor who want’s a tough role. Move on. I can watch him in anything.
All I’m saying is Ultimate Nick Fury…
If Marvel can take a character, change their ethnicity, and make them better (not bc of the ethnicity but bc of all the total package) then I’m willing to accept this.
Not that you can compare Perry White and Ultimate Nick Fury…
Just watched Watchmen: Director’s Cut last night. Gotta say, it’s a brilliant movie. I get more out of it every time I see it. It’s hands down the most ambitious and thoughtful ‘superhero’ movie I’ve ever seen. Really excited to see what Snyder and Nolan pull off!
Don’t think Snyder will be making this movie to tell you the truth. He just made a big announcement about what film he is going to start on two years from now. No reason to jump that gun, unless he really will be starting on that sooner.
Don’t think Snyder will be making this movie to tell you the truth. He just made a big announcement about what film he is going to start on two years from now. No reason to jump that gun, unless he really will be starting on that sooner!
to be fair, a lot of the credit should go to moore and gibbons, since snyder essentially made a shot-for-shot translation of the book into film. i think superman and the project after superman will be better indications of snyder’s talent as a director.
You are belittling the work that a director does on a movie. A director is responsible for the actual filming of a movie. All the shots, how they look, how it all comes together is the director’s work.
If anything, Watchmen showed that Synder can deliver on the directing side. The upcoming Superman though has David Goyer writing the script and that is not a good sign. Goyer is one of the worst writers working in Hollywood.
http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-albany-ga/laurence-fishburne-is-perry-white-man-of-steel
Wow, I’m comment 45 I take it? This is great news and why oh why, hasn’t Larry Fishburne ever been cast as Sherlock Holmes? He would’ve been terrific.
Fantastic Casting, Laurence is an amazing actor.
As long as the character of Perry White is on the screen (personality wise – Perry was very shrewd and ambitious and loved Elvis) then job done. Skin color shouldn’t even matter in this day and age, it is the 21st Century. And I believe that Laurence has the presence and air of authority that an Editor should have.
This film is looking more interesting with each casting choice.
Another washed up actor joins the cast. yay?
Superman is a has been anyway…
Footnote: I didn’t hear cries of protests when Michael Clarke Duncan was cast as Kingpin for Daredevil. And yet, he delivered in that role, better than Ben could as DD.
in the movie 21 the characters were all white but in fact the real folks were all Asian. We never heard a thing about that. But there was one token Asian guy in the movie. That sucked.
But here’s the real dope. All the iconic super hero characters were created by Jewish men. Fact me if you don’t believe it. Also, Hollywood is a predominately liberal and Jewish town. They will do what ever the f*** they want. I do agree that Perry should have stayed white though, but it wasn’t our call. And I’m a black dude.
This is and never was a racist arguement or conversation. It is a money problem. As a black man i can say that both Hollywood and comics repeatedly decide to steal characters that have already been established as white, and replace them as black, and in turn bring in extra revenue by expanding their audience. The problem is that they anger people who are set in their ways no matter what the race is. If black superheroes are needed, then either use the ones that have already been established or create new ones instead of P-Diddying famous things and riding on the coat tails of success. It is sad to think that an old character must die by promoting a replacement. The younger generation who dont know the history will know Nick Fury, Kingpin, Perry White, and now even Spiderman as black people, which removes the original characteristics from existence. Is it fair to the black population that success of their characters is only due to the fame of their white foundation or should we be able to say this guy was black and famous for that?