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Planet 51 movie - a question...
MonarchMom

1116 posts

Posted by MonarchMom on Oct 23, 2009 at 07:54 PM

     

Watching the trailer for Planet 51 I couldn't help but wonder, why is the character voiced by Dwayne Johnson white? And not just generically white - but blue-eyed blond-haired no question about it white.

The character is an astronaut, visiting a foreign planet. Why does he need to be depicted as a different ethnic background than the actor (half Samoan, half Canadian of black African descent.) 

The movie does look like fun, but this really stood out for me. I think he is a talented, acomplished athlete and good comedic actor who also happens to be a spectacular looking guy. Why mess with perfection?

Maybe it is just my own impatience after years and years of white male leads in almost every children's movie...  I know we are finally starting to see more than the usual token side-kick female or ethnic friend.  But this just seems like an unneccessary step backward.

 

Replies
3
Fergie

1677 posts

by 

 on Oct 23, 2009 at 08:35 PM

  

  

Good point.   I have seen where animated characters will have some characteristics of the voice-over person.   I've seen the trailer, but don't know (now) if I realized it was Dwayne Johnson.   Love The Rock. 

  

positronicmommy

11826 posts

by 

 on Oct 23, 2009 at 09:11 PM

  

  

 Didn't even realize he was the voice! Perhaps he was hired to replace someone else and the animation was already done. Don't know though because I wasn't there! LOL!



 Wendy

Discussion Leader

  

positronicman

28 posts

by 

 on Oct 24, 2009 at 07:08 AM

  

  

From what I know about the movie, its about an astronaut who isnt very bright that lands on a planet that seems like 50's america but inhabited by aliens who then treat him like an invader.

I think that putting <insert ethinc type here> in the movie would just prompt a response like "oh now <insert ethnic type> is supposed to be stupid and persecuted by the 50's people". Since there was enough intolerance in the real 50's it probably wouldn't be so funny.



 Mike

-If I am ahead of the curve does that mean I'm straight?

  

 

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