British actor quits Hollywood film over ‘whitewashing’
THE producers of a Hollywood comic book adaptation have agreed to recast it after the white British star dropped out and asked to be replaced by an Asian actor.
Ed Skrein signed up to play Major Ben Daimio in Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen, unaware that the character in the original was Japanese-american.
Hellboy fans said it was the latest example of Hollywood “whitewashing” and Skrein responded by quitting the role, saying it should go to an ethnic minority actor.
Larry Gordon and Lloyd Levin, the producers, said they fully supported Skrein’s “unselfish decision” and declared: “It was not our intent to be insensitive to issues of authenticity and ethnicity and we will look to recast the part with an actor more consistent with the character in the source material.”
Skrein was also praised by Mike Mignola, the creator of Hellboy, who wrote on Twitter: “Thank you … very nicely done.”
Hollywood has been hit by several allegations of “whitewashing” in recent years. Tilda Swinton was cast as “The Ancient One” in Doctor Strange and Scarlett Johansson took the starring role in Ghost in the Shell – both traditionally Asian characters.
Skrein, 34, who is from north London and also appeared in Game of Thrones and Deadpool, said he had been unaware of the character’s origins when he took the role.
“There has been intense conversation and understandable upset since that announcement, and I must do what I feel is right,” he said.
Skrein, who described his own family as “mixed heritage”, added: “It is our responsibility to make moral decisions in difficult times and to give voice to inclusivity. It is my hope that one day these will become less necessary.”