She is a Superhero in ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D but Asian-American Chloe Bennet is not spared from the emerging whitewashing of Asians in Hollywood films. According to the 25-year-old actress, she was forced to change her last name in order to fit in and land a role in her auditions. Using Instagram to defend her decision, she said: "Changing my last name doesn't change the fact that my BLOOD is half Chinese." She also added that she is raised with Asian and American culture and can speak Mandarin as a result.

While she did not have to defend her decision, she pointed out that she's just like everyone who needs to get a job to pay the rent.

Adding Hollywood is racist and will not cast her with the last name that made them uncomfortable, Bennet vows to help those struggling with the same predicament. Chloe Bennet is born Chloe Wang before deciding to change her last name to Bennet, her father's first name.

Impact of changing Chloe's last name

In her interview with The Daily Beast in 2016, Chloe said she was booked on her first audition after changing her last name. The actress lauded Caucasian actor Ed Skrein for stepping down from a role on "Hellboy," after realizing it was meant for an Asian character. "Thank you @edskrein for standing up against Hollywood's continuous insensitivity and flippant behavior towards the Asian American community," she wrote.

"Hellboy" producers Larry Gordon and Lloyd Levin has since acknowledged Skrein decision to turn down the role and vows to replace him with a more suitable character. In their defense, the producers said they did not mean to be ethnically insensitive. Skrein immediately stepped down after "intense conversation and understandably upset." His primary reason is to have the best fitting actor to take the "Hellboy" role.

History of whitewashing in Hollywood

Chloe Bennet is not the first Hollywood actress to experience Hollywood racism. Earlier this year, Scarlett Johansson was criticised for playing the starring role in "Ghost in the Shell." Nat Wolfe, who landed the lead role in the Japanese manga film "Death Note" received similar criticism.

The criticism on whitewashing put the burden of discretion on the actors. Emma Stone, who landed the role a Hawaiian native with an Asian heritage in "Aloha" did not escape the prying eyes of the people. Tilda Swinton also became the target of similar criticism after accepting the role of The Ancient Doctor in "Doctor Strange."