5 Films That Should Have Had a Better Cast

There are numerous elements that contribute to the success of a film. Casting the right actor for the part is undoubtedly one of the most important factors in making a film a commercial success. To some degree, the lead actor in a film can make or break its box office performance.

That being said, an actor’s ability to perform a script is one thing; being a true representation of a given character is quite another. In today’s cinema, representation is one of the most important aspects of a blockbuster.

Here are five films that should have been more inclusive and diverse.

Gandhi (1982)

This biopic is hands down one of the best films in the ’80s. It was credited with 11 nominations at the Oscars and won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. For the latter, Ben Kingsley gave one of the best performances of his career and certainly earned the Academy Award.

Despite the film garnering several industry accolades, it is necessary to point out that Kingsley wasn’t really the perfect fit to play Mahatma Gandhi. Although the Brit has Indian blood, his skin tone doesn’t fit the job. In fact, he had to wear a dark brownface and body makeup, which is a big no in today’s moral standards.

Ghost in the Shell (2017)

Ghost in the Shell is a classic Japanese anime film that was released in 1995. And when it was announced that the anime was getting a Hollywood live-action adaptation, everyone was filled with anticipation.

However, the film drew a certain degree of backlash when it was announced that Scarlett Johansson landed the lead role of Motoko Kusanagi. As the name implies, Kusanagi is meant to be a Japanese character. As a result, the production was accused of racism and whitewashing. But, to the credit of the original anime director, Mamoru Oshii, he defended Johanssen and the studio, stating that there is no basis for such claims.

The Danish Girl (2015)

There is no question that the trans community is severely underrepresented in Hollywood. So when Eddie Redmayne, a straight, cisgender man, played Lili Elbe, a trans woman, in The Danish Girl, the production received some backlash.

The film’s story revolves around two painters, Elbe and Gerda Wegener. As we know, the former is the first-ever recorded recipient of sex reassignment surgery. Without taking away from Redmayne’s magnificent performance in the film, the production could’ve cast an actual trans woman for the role.

Aloha (2015)

Aloha romantic comedy was released in May of 2015. It has drawn a great degree of attention with its star-studded cast that includes Bradley Cooper, Rachel McAdams, Alec Baldwin, John Krasinksi, and Emma Stone.

That being said, it also received some backlash and was accused of whitewashing because of Stone’s character. As we know, the three-time Oscar-winning actress is white, but Allison Ng, her character, was meant to be Hawaiian-Chinese.

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Dallas Buyers Club is one of the best films of the recent decade. Moreover, we saw Matthew McConaughey give the best performance of his career. In the same light, the movie also starred Jared Leto as the trans woman Rayon.

Leto garnered massive praise for his performance. In fact, he was even credited with an Academy Award for best-supporting actor. Nonetheless, some had issues with him playing the role of a trans woman, being a cisgender man himself.

Films can be seen as a clear reflection of a society’s culture. So it is vital to address the lack of representation and inclusivity in Hollywood. Things such as whitewashing are a real problem. And movies should give equal opportunity for minority groups to shine on the big screen.