the last airbender: paramount's letter to manaa

An update on the live-action Last Airbender movie and the controversy over its mostly white principal cast. MANAA, the Media Action Network for Asian Americans, was among the many groups and individuals protesting these racist casting decisions, and sent a letter to the movie's producers. Here's the letter they received from Paramount last month in response:

Dear Mr. Aoki,

Thank you for your letter and interest in our film.

As devoted fans of the original series, our goal is to create a film that will not only live up to the expectations of the television series' fan base, but also expand it to a world-wide audience in ways that only a full-length motion picture can offer.

From the outset of the creative process, the Producers and the Director have envisioned embodying the Airbender universe with a large and ethnically diverse cast that represents many different heritages and cultures from all corners of the globe.

The Director's vision for this film is one of world, influenced and inspired by the Asian undertones of the series, and that is both diverse and inclusive in the make up of the four nations represented in the film's cinematic world.

Early casting includes an Indian actor, born in Mumbai and raised in the UK and the US; a Persian actor born in Tehran and raised in the UK, Switzerland and the US; a Maori actor born and raised in New Zealand; a Korean-American actor, born and raised in Chicago; an American actress of Italian, French and Mexican heritage; among several others of varied nationalities from around the world.

The four nations represented in the film reflect not one community, but the world's citizens. These societies will be cast from a diversity of all races and cultures. In particular, the Earth Kingdom will be cast with Asian, East Asian and Africans.

With this global perspective in mind, we believe we can best honor the true themes, ethos and fantastical nature of the Airbender stories and best capture the spirit and scale of the series to appeal to its worldwide fans.

Our challenge and commitment to our film audience is to harness all the elements that have made the series the incredible phenomenon it is.

We look forward to introducing you to THE LAST AIRBENDER next summer.

Sincerely,

The Producers

Rather ridiculous. It's pretty funny that their idea of a "diverse and inclusive" world is a bunch of pretty white folks as heroes surrounded by a bunch of supporting people of color. All this, of course, inspired by the "Asian undertones" of the original animated series. Here's the response from MANAA: MANAA's Response to Letter from Paramount on The Last Airbender.

Funny. Today on Twitter, The Last Airbender producer Frank Marshall posted that "The casting is complete and we did not discriminate against anyone. I am done talking about it." Really? I do recall that casting calls indicated a preference for Caucasian actors, but when it came to background extras, the casting director stated they were specifically looking for "authentic Asians." I eagerly anticipate how stupid this movie is going to look on the big screen.