In a new interview, Doctor Strange star Tilda Swinton recalls learning about the whitewashing backlash surrounding her casting as the Ancient One. The 2016 film written and directed by Scott Derrickson served as the introduction of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Stephen Strange to the MCU. The origin story chronicled Strange’s time as a neurosurgeon to the debilitating injury that forces him to turn to the mystic arts to regain the use of his hands. Cumberbatch’s Dr. Strange has gone on to appear in multiple MCU installments and will finally be getting a sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, next year.
Doctor Strange was commercially and critically successful after its release in 2016, but it was marred by a major controversy at the time. Tilda Swinton, an actress of Scottish descent, was cast in the role of the Ancient One, a character who is a Tibetan man in the comics. At the time, Derrickson and Marvel head Kevin Feige defended the decision, saying it was intended to avoid racist stereotypes found in the comics. Despite public outcry, Swinton reprised the role in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Last month, the topic re-emerged when Feige changed tone and expressed regret at casting a white woman in a role that could've gone to an Asian actor.
Now, in an interview with Variety, Swinton reacted to hearing Feige’s comments for the very first time. The Ancient One actress says she is “very, very grateful” Feige made those comments because it renewed the discourse on the subject. Swinton also reflected on learning about the whitewashing backlash for the first time:
I remember at the time having a question mark in my own mind, and being attendant to the public response to the idea that a Scottish woman will be playing this character, and being aware that there was no resistance at all — there was widespread welcome — which shifted at a certain point, for very good reasons with which I had an enormous amount of sympathy.
In 2016, this controversy was compounded by Swinton reaching out to comedian Margaret Cho for her opinion on the whitewashing controversy. Cho, who had never spoken to Swinton before, was offended by the request as she felt like Swinton wanted her "take on why all the Asian people were so mad,” which made her feel like a "house Asian." Reflecting on this ordeal today, Swinton admits she may have “confused matters” but has “zero regrets” overall.
Even though Doctor Strange will permanently be tarnished by its whitewashing, it seems like Marvel is ready to put this controversy behind them, especially Feige and Swinton both expressing regret, coupled with Phase 4 moving entirely in the direction of diversity. This fall will see the release of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which stars a predominantly Asian cast, and Eternals which boasts Marvel’s most diverse superhero lineup yet. The Doctor Strange sequel will then continue this trend by introducing America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), a Latinx LGBTQ hero.
Source: Variety
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