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Matt Damon’s The Great Wall Sparks Whitewashing Row

It looks like upcoming Matt Damon vehicle ‘The Great Wall’ has sparked yet more ‘whitewashing’ controversy.

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The Chinese-produced, English language film from director Zhang Yimou (‘Hero,’ ‘House of Flying Daggers’) premiered its trailer this week, revealing that Damon stars as a warrior facing off against monsters at the historic Great Wall of China.

This has not gone down well with many commentators, who question the need for a white American lead actor in a film set in China and based around Chinese mythology.

Constance Wu, Taiwanese-American actress known for TV series ‘Fresh Off The Boat,’ has been among the most prominent detractors of Damon’s casting in ‘The Great Wall.’

Posting her thoughts on Twitter, Wu remarked, “We have to stop perpetuating the racist myth that only a white man can save the world. Our heroes don’t look like Matt Damon. They look like Malala. Ghandi. Mandela.”

While insisting she did not want to point a finger of blame at Damon, Zhang Yimou or the film’s financiers, Wu stressed her words were “about pointing out the repeatedly implied racist notion that white people are superior to POC [people of colour] and that POC need salvation from our own color via white strength.

“When you consistently make movies like this, you are saying that… Whether you intend to or not.“

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"Think only a huge movie star can sell a movie? That has never been a total guarantee. Why not try to be better?

"How cool would it be if you were the movie that took the ‘risk’ to make a POC as your hero, and you sold the s**t out of it?! The whole community would be celebrating!! If nothing else, you’d get some mad respect (which is way more valuable than money) So make that choice.”

Blogger Angry Asian Man joined the chorus of disapproval, blasting the film as “ the latest movie in the grand cinematic tradition of the Special White Person.

“…you can set a story anywhere in the world, in any era of history, and Hollywood will still somehow find a way for the movie to star a white guy. You can count on it.”

Again, it should be noted ‘The Great Wall’ is primarily a Chinese production, with a largely native cast including Andy Lau, Tian Jing and Eddie Peng, although western actors Willem Defoe and Pedro Pascal also co-star.

‘The Great Wall’ hits UK cinemas on 24 February 2017.

Picture Credit: Legendary East, WENN

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