Scarlett Johansson has been quite popular among cultural progressives in recent years. Given that she is a dedicated feminist who has also spoken up against racism, this is not hard to understand. But somehow, her latest role in the movie 'Ghost in the Shell' has caused her some controversy, among the same cultural progressives.
Here's the story, in summary: 'Ghost in the Shell' is essentially an adaptation of a Japanese story. In the original, Scarlett's character was Japanese. Therefore, some people now think that Scarlett Johansson has essentially stolen a lead role, otherwise to be played by a Japanese actress. And this would discredit her anti-racist and intersectional feminist efforts.
But this is a very limited view, in my opinion. 'Ghost in the Shell' is an adaptation, and it is not obliged to follow the Japanese original in everything. It is also specifically an adaptation made for American and other Western audiences, therefore the casting of a white American lead may have been intentional. They may not have been wanting to cast a Japanese actress in any case. If Scarlett didn't take the job, they would just have offered it to someone else white and American.
And all this might not even be a bad thing, after all. Those criticising Johansson's latest move have rightly pointed out that there have been very few Asian lead roles in Hollywood. But this has probably been due more to the fact that Asian culture has not been mainstream in America rather than due to racism per se. After all, there have been more black lead roles than Asian lead roles, because even black culture is more mainstream America. Movies like 'Ghost in the Shell' will gradually introduce Asian culture to American audiences. Casting already popular actresses like Scarlett Johansson will increase the movie's appeal, and bring in more audiences. In the long run, this will lead to more opportunities for Asian lead roles. We just need to be a bit more patient.
TaraElla Website
