preview

Marvel Whitewashing Effect

Better Essays

A decade ago, the first of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – Iron Man – was released. Since then, Marvel has produced several films and TV series. Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Spider-Man are some examples. If anyone has been up-to-date with Marvel Cinematic Universe, then it’s not so difficult for him or her to figure out that all protagonists and most supporting roles have been of Western ethnicity, or played by white actors/actresses. Until recently, it was essentially considered that the superheroes had to be “white”. That does not only apply to Marvel, but also to its rival, DC. In fact, this statement is not only limited to superhero films. According to the study, from Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the Media, Diversity, …show more content…

Why does the trend of white-washing not disappear in Hollywood despite the controversy and public outrage it causes? To simply answer the question, it is the appeal to the white audience. The U.S., for instance, has grown to become a nation of diverse ethnic backgrounds. According to KFF.org, 12%, 16%, and 6% of U.S. population are of black, Hispanic, and Asian ethnicity, respectively. In total, approximately 40% of U.S. population is of a non-white background. Yet, the white population remains to occupy the majority, more than 60%, of U.S. population. Hence it is without the doubt that Hollywood remains to target their movies on a white audience. In addition, many actors and actresses of Hollywood are of Western ethnicity. Among those are renowned actors or actresses like Tom Cruise, Tilda Swinton, Matt Damon, and Scarlett Johansson. These actors/actresses have fame and popularity. For producers of the movies, it may be more than obvious to use popular actors/actresses to “sell” their movies. Especially in this capitalistic society, and the centre of the entertainment industry, making movies that “sell” is more paramount than making movies of art. Behind all of this, however, has inevitably been some racial ties between the white actors/actresses and the white

Get Access