Is Wes Anderson Guilty of White Washing?
Wes Anderson guilty of white washing? Whoopi Goldberg thinks so!
In a recent interview on The View, Host Whoopi Goldberg proceeded to question Actor Jason Schwartzman about Wes Anderson‘s lack of racial diversity in his films. During that questioning she proceeded to speak to him in a stereotypical “valley girl” accent as she handed him her resume to give to Wes Anderson to appear in one of his films. Jason Schwartzman seemed to avoid the issue as he intensely looked at her resume and proceeded to tell her what an inspiration she has been to him. Take a look at the interview below.
This is a very touchy subject but when it comes to Wes Anderson films, Whoopi Goldberg is actually citing the obvious. Of all of Wes Anderson’s films, there have only been a few non-white actors in a starring role. The most prominent is probably African-American Actor Danny Glover in “The Royal Tenenbaums” while “The Darjeeling Limited” had better known Indian actors in it such as Irrfan Khan. Aside from those two films, Wes Anderson’s cast has been primarily composed of white actors.
This raises a question of whether Wes Anderson’s films necessitate a predominantly white cast or if it is a deliberate disregard for cultural diversity. I can see Whoopi’s point and she definitely has a basis to cite a lack of diversity, but Wes Anderson’s films typically do adhere to a subclass of people known as “hipsters,” who are predominantly white. “Hipsters” tend to assert their differences from societal trends…much like the plot of many Wes Anderson films. This does not counter the fact that Whoopi Goldberg addressed, but it does make one wonder if these films dictate a need for actors who fit into the “hipster” culture. Much like other films that lack white cast members, could Wes Anderson films be trying to capture the essence of “hipster” culture?
Whether Wes Anderson is trying to capture “hipster” culture or not, Whoopi Goldberg’s point cannot be denied. Wes Anderson films do lack racial diversity. The bigger point that should be addressed is whether or not his films dictate a lack of diversity or not. You tell us!
