Animation’s Whitewashing Problem: ‘Rick and Morty,’ ‘BoJack Horseman,’ Producers On How to fix it

[FFNB]

Ultimately, the way I see it is that Laura Bailey gets to add one more role to her genuinely impressive 400+ role resume, while a talented performer of color is still trying to get their foot in the door. Laura Bailey has studios writing roles specifically with her in mind, while a talented performer of color is lucky if their agent can get them a commercial.

Laura is a fortunate individual, and she's a very talented voice actress. I don't think she should be playing a person of color when their are performers of color who would no doubt be just as great for the role if they actually had access to even being let through the door. Everyone starts somewhere, but it's not exaggeration or hyperbole to say that non-minority performers still get access to more opportunities to shine than performers of color. So when one of the very few roles for a person of color to perform is still given to a non-minority, it fucking stings, and we take it a little personally.

We're so often told to make our opportunities when we can, yet even when a creator of color creates a character of color for a person of color to perform...it still goes to a non-person of color, I mean, I just throw my hands up in the air. Like, what more can we do? Wait until we somehow manage to ascend the corporate latter to the point where hiring deciscions have to pass through us? I shouldn't have to point out how unreasonable that is, right? I feel like I do.

 

[WrenchNinja]

It's not even the first time Laura has voiced a person of colour. There was also Binary Domain where she did a bad Chinese accent for Faye, the leading lady. And she was the voice of Chun Li in Street Fighter IV and V.

 

[Alimnassor]

That's sad. Why does she need to? What makes her qualified to play a poc? This is wrong and needs to change. She should give her roles over to struggling pocs but, instead she hordes them. It frustrates me.

 

[Typhon]

Since people are talking about video games, here's maybe another example. This is David Gasman.

He voiced all of these characters in Heavy Rain.





He also voiced this guy in Indigo Prophecy.


Of course, all of these games are handled and written by David Cage, so it's to be expected, I suppose.

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You are aware that before Beyond two Souls Quantic Dream relied exclusively on French actors right?. If you think the talent pool for PoC in the US is small...

 

[DerpHause]

That's sad. Why does she need to? What makes her qualified to play a poc? This is wrong and needs to change. She should give her roles over to struggling pocs but, instead she hordes them. It frustrates me.

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I mean, the answer to most of your questions is obvious. She is a professional voice actress, and as such accepting roles is what she does for a living, which expands her contacts and resume, which gets her more jobs.