Film enthusiasts were abuzz in the last 10 days after English actor Ed Skrein announced via Twitter that he was cast in the new "Hellboy" reboot as Ben Daimio, a character originally written as a Japanese-American. The general public, armed with social media and the Internet, were quick to go up in arms about the casting choice, claiming it was Hollywood once again whitewashing a character of color.
A week later, Skrein published a lengthy note on Twitter, announcing that he stepped down from the role so that it "can be cast appropriately." The 24-year old "Game of Thrones" and "Deadpool" actor earned praise for his brave decision, and the producers behind the "Hellboy" reboot were quick to admit their misstep in the casting choice.
Skrein was praised by the general public and his co-actors in the industry, with his friend Nicholas Hoult calling him "honorable" for what he did. Now, another star is speaking out about her personal experience of Hollywood racism, and that's "Agents of SHIELD" actress Chloe Bennet, Vulture reported.
Chloe Bennet calls out 'racist' Hollywood
This isn't the first time the general casting community of Hollywood has come under fire for their choices. Many believe that "Ghost in the Shell" largely tanked at the box office primarily because of the whitewashing issues surrounding it. The film featured Scarlet Johansson in the leading role of Major, a Japanese character. Tilda Swinton of "Doctor Strange" was also the receiving end of backlash when she played the role of The Ancient One in the 2016 Marvel film.
Speaking of Marvel, "Agents of SHIELD" actress Chloe Bennet recently engaged with a commenter online about her heritage. According to PEOPLE, the actress praised Ed Skrein on Instagram for his decision to leave the "Hellboy" reboot when a commenter stated that Bennet had changed her Chinese last name of Wang to Bennet. The 25-year old clapped back with a full explanation.
Half-Chinese actress explained her name change
Chloe Bennet, who plays Daisy "Skye" Johnson/Quake on "Agents of SHIELD," responded to a commenter who stated that she changed her Chinese last name to a more American-sounding name to book more roles. Bennet replied that her name change "doesn’t change the fact that my BLOOD is half Chinese, that I lived in China, speak Mandarin, or that I was culturally raised both American and Chinese." She explained, "It means I had to pay my rent, and Hollywood is racist and wouldn’t cast me with a last name that made them uncomfortable." Bennet is another strong voice that's contributing to the awareness of how rampant racism is in Hollywood, and hopes to make a difference for her bi-racial peers.
