Scarlett Johansson's Ghost In The Shell Lands In Casting Controversy

Scarlett Johansson's latest sci-fi film Ghost In The Shell attracts huge controversy over race and ethnicity.

By Monojit Mandal

Scarlett Johansson's latest live-action adaptation of Japanese animated piece titled Ghost in the Shell, lands in a huge controversy over race and ethnicity, due to its all-white casting.

Media Action Network for Asian Americans, in short (MANAA) has come out lashing at the lead casting of the film and termed it as another instance of "Hollywood Whitewashing" as the characters involved in the film was of Asian Origin.

Scarlett Johansson

Talking about the criticism, actress Scarlett Johansson said, "I think this character is living a unique experience, in that she is a human brain in an entirely machinate body."

"She's essentially identity-less. ... I would never attempt to play a person of a different race, obviously. Hopefully, any question that comes up of my casting will ... be answered by audiences when they see the film." Scarlett Johansson stated further.

However, Robert Chan the MANAA President didn't look much convinced by the statement issued by Johansson and said that it is quite unfortunate that even Japanese characters are being played by American actors and actresses.

"Apparently, in Hollywood, Japanese people can't play Japanese people anymore," said Robert Chan.

"There's no reason why either Motoku or Hideo could not have been portrayed by Japanese or Asian actors instead of Scarlett Johansson and Michael Pitt. We don't even get to see what they looked like in their original human identities - a further whitewash." Chan explained.

Read more about: scarlett johansson

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