Some of the actresses of Romani descent suggested for Wanda Maximoff, who is canonically half Romani in the comics, following the MCU’s whitewashed portrayal of her.
Romani representation is vitally important
and Marvel has a responsibility to represent Scarlet Witch, whose heritage is an integral part of her character, respectfully and accurately.
The Doctor Strange controversy — combined with thepush to cast an Asian American actor as the title character Danny Rand aka Iron Fist — has been buzzing for the last couple months. With the release of the first official trailer for Doctor Strange, Marvel’s next would-be blockbuster movie after Captain America: Civil War, the controversy has reached an all time high. So much so that a Marvel spokesperson gave this statement to Mashable regarding the casting of Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One in Doctor Strange:
“Marvel has a very strong record of diversity in its casting of films and regularly departs from stereotypes and source material to bring its MCU to life. The Ancient One is a title that is not exclusively held by any one character, but rather a moniker passed down through time, and in this particular film the embodiment is Celtic. We are very proud to have the enormously talented Tilda Swinton portray this unique and complex character alongside our richly diverse cast.”
Is this statement true though? Has Marvel Studios really pushed diversity in their movies? Have they increased the visibility of marginalized peoples in their film franchise or television properties? Has Marvel Studios subverted stereotypes? Enough to supposedly excuse recent controversies surrounding Doctor Strange and Iron Fist?
FAKE BOOK COVERS FOR BOOKS REFERENCED IN TIN SOLDIERS:
1. Miller, John. Birth of an Icon: Captain America and the Restoration of the Hero. New York: Routledge, 2001. Print. 2. Anderson, Lynn E. Captain America: Behind the Mask. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. Print. 3. Mbatha, Michelle. The Anatomy of a Sidekick. Bucky Barnes and the Propaganda Machine. New York: Routledge, 2011. Print. 4. Everett, Lloyd. The Star-Spangled Man: Captain America in Comic Books, War Photography and Propaganda. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2009. Print. 5. Singh, Kajal. Taking up the S.H.I.E.L.D. Peggy Carter and the Post-War Era. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2010. Print. 6. Reid, Maya. The Popular Life of Captain America. Steve Rogers in Popular Culture and Fandom Practice. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. Print.
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