Home › Forums › Once Upon a Time › Season Four › General S4 discussion (no spoilers) › The whitewashing of Lily
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April 29, 2015 at 4:53 pm #303158PriceofMagicParticipant
But better a group of ethnically and racially diverse actors playing supporting roles than none at all. The lack of representation just stands out, especially when a younger Latina actress is replaced by a non-Latina.
But that’s what people are complaining about, that the ethnically and racially diverse (in other words: Non-white) actors are only in supporting roles then disappear off screen. Lana is Latina and is one of the main characters on the show but it would appear Lana is “too white” to count as a POC.
Yes!
But, adding PoC, LGBT characters or whatever to the show, also has to make sense within the story as well (as a whole or half-arc).
I don’t think the show should box tick. I don’t think a whole or half arc should be based around “Hey audience, this character is gay/black/Asian/non-white/transgender!” It should be worked into a larger narrative. Mulan is bi/gay but that is not her main storyline.
Henry is the only one I could see where his orientation is his main storyline because he’s not really involved in other storylines because the adults tend to keep him out of it. A personal storyline like coming out would suit him because it’s not reliant on other characters so much.
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Keeper of FelixApril 29, 2015 at 5:05 pm #303160TheWatcherParticipantLana is Latina and is one of the main characters on the show but it would appear Lana is “too white” to count as a POC
No one ever said that.
"I could have the giant duck as my steed!" --Daniel Radcliffe
Keeper Of Tamara's Taser , Jafar's Staff, Kitsis’s Glasses , Ariel’s Tail, Dopey's Hat , Peter Pan’s Shadow, Outfit, & Pied Cloak,Red Queen's Castle, White Rabbit's Power To World Hop, Zelena's BroomStick, & ALL MAGICApril 29, 2015 at 5:08 pm #303162PriceofMagicParticipantLana is Latina and is one of the main characters on the show but it would appear Lana is “too white” to count as a POC
No one ever said that.
I’m not saying anyone said it but the question remains: What makes someone a POC or not? How do you define a POC?
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Keeper of FelixApril 29, 2015 at 5:14 pm #303165SlurpeezParticipantBut that’s what people are complaining about, that the ethnically and racially diverse (in other words: Non-white) actors are only in supporting roles then disappear off screen. Lana is Latina and is one of the main characters on the show but it would appear Lana is “too white” to count as a POC.
Lana Parrilla is only one actress out of a main cast of 8; that isn’t going to change unless some of the main cast leave and are replaced by more ethnically diverse actors. To my knowledge, no one claimed Lana is “too white” to count as Latina. She herself identifies as such (so it’s a non-issue).
I’m not saying anyone said it but the question remains: What makes someone a POC or not? How do you define a POC?
I actually really dislike this term. How is it any less offensive than another similar sounding outdated term? It seems better and more correct to say ethnically diverse. While the complaint that ethnically diverse actors only appear in supporting roles only to disappear again into the mist, their appearance at least goes a ways to help round out the diversity. If there were no people from diverse backgrounds in supporting roles, it’d make the show’s track-record even worse. But that is what I’m saying: the role of of Adult Lily going to Agnes Bruckner, instead of a Latina, means one less ethnically diverse actress appearing in the show. It means one more woman of Eastern and Western European heritage getting the slot instead of a talented actress of Hispanic descent, which makes no sense, because the original casting of Young Lily was played by the talented Nicole Muñoz. Whether intended or not, that decision just shows a lack of sensitivity or awareness of these culturally relevant issues.
"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy
April 29, 2015 at 5:22 pm #303166obisgirlParticipantI don’t think the show should box tick. I don’t think a whole or half arc should be based around “Hey audience, this character is gay/black/Asian/non-white/transgender!” It should be worked into a larger narrative. Mulan is bi/gay but that is not her main storyline.
That’s what I mean. But it also needs to make sense within the story as well.
April 29, 2015 at 5:26 pm #303168PriceofMagicParticipantLana Parrilla is only one actress out of a main cast of 8; that isn’t going to change unless some of the main cast leave and are replaced by more ethnically diverse actors. To my knowledge, no one claimed Lana is “too white” to count as Latina. She herself identifies as such (so it’s a non-issue). While the complaint that ethnically diverse actors only appear in supporting roles only to disappear again into the mist, their appearance at least goes a ways to help round out the diversity. If there were PoC in supporting roles, it’d make the show’s track-record even worse. But that is what I’m saying: the role of going of Adult Lily going to Agnes Bruckner, instead of a Latina, means one less PoC appearing in the show. It means one more woman of Eastern and Western European heritage getting the slot instead of a talented actress of Hispanic descent.
I’m not saying that anyone claimed Lana is “too white”. My point is that the general gist is that Latina Lily was replaced by white Lily thus the show has no POC. But Lana is latina therefore shouldn’t she count as a POC and she’s in a main role? We can all agree that Once should be more diverse than it currently is, but it’s not non-diverse.
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Keeper of FelixApril 29, 2015 at 5:30 pm #303170SlurpeezParticipantI don’t think the show should box tick. I don’t think a whole or half arc should be based around “Hey audience, this character is gay/black/Asian/non-white/transgender!” It should be worked into a larger narrative. Mulan is bi/gay but that is not her main storyline.
That’s what I mean. But it also needs to make sense within the story as well.
Mulan’s ethnicity, gender and sexual identity are very important to her character and her story.
"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy
April 29, 2015 at 5:33 pm #303172PriceofMagicParticipantYou edited your post whilst I was responding to your original so I’ll also respond to your edit.
I actually really dislike this term. How is it any less offensive than another similar sounding outdated term? It seems better and more correct to say ethnically diverse. While the complaint that ethnically diverse actors only appear in supporting roles only to disappear again into the mist, their appearance at least goes a ways to help round out the diversity. If there were no people from diverse backgrounds in supporting roles, it’d make the show’s track-record even worse. But that is what I’m saying: the role of of Adult Lily going to Agnes Bruckner, instead of a Latina, means one less ethnically diverse actress appearing in the show. It means one more woman of Eastern and Western European heritage getting the slot instead of a talented actress of Hispanic descent, which makes no sense, because the original casting of Young Lily was played by the talented Nicole Muñoz. Whether intended or not, that decision just shows a lack of sensitivity or awareness of these culturally relevant issues.
This actually makes more sense and I can see your point more clearly.
I posed this question the other day but is it possible that when the casting department cast Agnes, the description they were given was for Mal’s long lost daughter rather than Lily so they looked for someone who looked like Mal’s actress. Then when they realise it was supposed to be the same person, they did there best to make Agnes look like young Lily?
The casting department have made mistakes before based on the info they were give. For example, Cinderella’s baby.
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Keeper of FelixApril 29, 2015 at 5:40 pm #303174SlurpeezParticipantThen when they realise it was supposed to be the same person, they did there best to make Agnes look like young Lily?
That doesn’t make sense to me. Casting decisions for guest-star roles can be changed before filming actually starts. It happens all the time (e.g. recasting of Robin Hood). It might’ve meant disappointing Agnes Bruckner after originally getting the role, but actors deal with rejection all the time. It wasn’t too late to cast someone else of Latina heritage before filming began, because the casting call went out before filming ever began.
"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy
April 29, 2015 at 5:46 pm #303176PriceofMagicParticipantThat doesn’t make sense to me. Casting decisions for guest-star roles can be changed before filming actually starts. It happens all the time (e.g. recasting of Robin Hood). It might’ve meant disappointing Agnes Bruckner after originally getting the role, but actors deal with rejection all the time. It wasn’t too late to cast someone else of Latina heritage before filming began, because the casting call went out before filming ever began.
Recasting Robin Hood was down to a scheduling conflict. Tom couldn’t commit for the time they needed him to commit so the part was recast. That’s a little different than saying to someone “You’ve got the job” then a few weeks later turning around and saying “Actually we’ve changed our minds because you’re not latina”. That’s discrimination so their hands were tied.
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