Doctor Strange

DallasEast

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Yeoh isn't from Tibet, is she? I mean if the idea is people want someone closer to the source, then they'd have to dig up an old guy from Tibet that can act. Or is "Asian" close enough?

I'm not trying to pick a fight, just saying the old wise mystical Asian guy is kind of a stereotype that's been done to death already, no?
No, yes, and I don't know.

The Ancient One fictional character's background is established. Anyone reviewing Swinton's and Yeoh's respective backgrounds (on Biography.com for instance) might agree that Yeoh is closer ethnically to the character than Swinton. However, no one, including myself, could argue that the island nations of the actresses' birth, Great Britain and Malaysia, exist within or borders the Tibetian region. It's safe to say neither Yeoh nor Swinton are Tibetian.

Some might suggest that the Asian martial arts and Asian mysticism have often been intertwined in films. Additionally, some may observe the vast majority of martial arts movies produced in the world have Asian origins and Asian casts. Yeoh has played non-martial arts roles during her career but she has done enough of them to be commonly associated as an actress having an extensive impressive background in the genre. Swinton's acting resume does not take a backseat to Yeoh's but her background in such movies lags far behind Yeoh's. Casting, like drafting in pro football, isn't an exact science. Swinton was picked for the role. She may do an outstanding job. Yeoh may or may not have succeeded playing the role but she would not have been a miscast in my opinion based on her professional qualifications and physical attributes.

Stereotyping is tricking. I'll stay within the canon of comic books and Marvel Comics in particular. On one hand, a fictional old Asian character being played by a non-Asian actress is "okay." On the other hand, a fictional African-American character called The Falcon played by an African American actor is "okay." Similarly, a fictional Caucasian American character named Doctor Strange being played a Caucasian English actor is "okay." At times it might be said stereotyped roles are blown up altogether, remain true to form, or twisted ever so slightly. That's Hollywood in a nutshell.

I wonder how many actors and actresses hail from Tibet? There must be some in the world somewhere. I wouldn't have any issue with any capable actor or actress from Tibet playing the role. True, a talented Tibetian actor or actress playing a fictional Tibetian character might be considered stereotypical. Movie makers have the final say concerning casting, so the likelihood of that happening would be poor.
 

Denim Chicken

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I like him as Castle about as much as I do my ulcer, lol. Couldn't stand Ray Stevenson either but did tolerate Thomas Jane's portrayal. Thank goodness for Jon Bernthal. He did a wonderful job as Castle on Netflix's DareDevil. I hope his example can serve as a template for the character in the future.

Man DareDevil is great. That should serve as an example for all comic book adaptions IMO.
 

DallasEast

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Man DareDevil is great. That should serve as an example for all comic book adaptions IMO.
Agreed. I liked what Netflix did with Jessica Jones too. Luke Cage should be another feather in its cap when it debuts in September.
 

cml750

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I will withhold judgement until I see it. Marvel has been light years better than the hot mess DC has put out!!!
 

PJTHEDOORS

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I will withhold judgement until I see it. Marvel has been light years better than the hot mess DC has put out!!!

Snyder has ruined any chance DC could have had with Man of Steel and now the terrible Batman-Superman. Now he will ruin the Justice League movie pretty sure.
 

cml750

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Snyder has ruined any chance DC could have had with Man of Steel and now the terrible Batman-Superman. Now he will ruin the Justice League movie pretty sure.

I would like to see them recruit Joss Whedon to help with DC. I think he could help right the ship.
 

mattjames2010

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Perhaps the role is male. Perhaps the role is female. Nonetheless, Swinton is female.

I do not have an objection of the role's sexual orientation.
How closely an accomplished actor or actress matches the attributes of a particular role does score brownie points for me.

It really doesn't seem that way.
 

Leadbelly

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Perhaps in the MCU there are not people who live for centuries. Instead, they're approaching it as in something loosely akin to Buddhism's transferred or reborn consciousness. This was also seen in shows like The Last Airbender and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The original Ancient One might die in the MCU and that Ancient One's consciousness is reborn in a mortal person anywhere in the world. This builds over each successive generation and can be born in any gender or race or nationality. The current inhabitant has the consciousness and knowledge of someone(s) having collectively lived for hundreds of years, but is not hundreds of years old in a physical sense. In this particular incarnation, the Ancient One inhabits a British white woman.

(**The depth of my knowledge about Buddhism is watching the film, Little Buddha.)

This might also connect with what we've seen in Daredevil with regards to Black Sky.

Trailer looked good. I was afraid this would be two hours of people making hand gestures, but I like this kind of Inception/Matrix approach. I don't know about a guy in a cape walking around New York though :) .
 
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