- Last Week Tonight discusses Hollywood whitewashing in the context of the upcoming Academy Awards
- Critics argue that Hollywood does not provide enough good roles for black actors
- Examples of whitewashing include Jake Gyllenhaal playing the Prince of Persia and Emma Stone playing a half-Asian character in Aloha
- Hollywood has a history of white actors playing non-white characters, from John Wayne as Genghis Khan to Natalie Wood as Maria in West Side Story
- Even when non-white actors do get major roles, they are often criticized or face backlash
- The justification for whitewashing often comes down to financial reasons and star power
- Movies about minorities often still prioritize white characters
- The Academy Awards' lack of diversity raises the question of why Hollywood whitewashing is still happening.

With the academy awards coming up, Last Week Tonight asks: Hollywood whitewashing...how is this still a thing?

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Last week Tonight asks, how is this still a thing?

In just 1 week, we'll celebrate the Academy Awards.

As for the second year running, The nominees are whiter than a yeti in a snowstorm, fighting Tilda Swinton.

And yet some are arguing it's not entirely the Academy's fault.

Some observers say Hollywood just doesn't provide enough good roles for black actors.

1 of the reasons for this might be that even when there are roles for non-white actors, they sometimes still get played by white people.

In Prince of Persia, based on a video game set in ancient Iran, Jake Gyllenhaal plays the title character.

That's right, Jake Gyllenhaal, A white American with a Swedish last name was cast to play the Prince of Persia from, you know, Persia.

Just last year, Emma Stone played the half-Asian Alison Ng in Aloha.

Apparently, Aloha means hello, goodbye, and you've got to be fucking kidding me.

And when Hollywood needed actors to play Egyptians in Exodus, Gods and Kings, it knew just what to do.

That was a guy from Australia and a guy from Britain, pretending to be 2 guys from Egypt, a country in Africa.

And if you like that, don't miss Gods of Egypt opening Friday, starring a Scottish guy.

That's the whitest Egyptian since these 4.

White actors have taken roles designed for every ethnicity throughout Hollywood history.

From John Wayne as Genghis Khan in The Conqueror

Your treacherous head is not safe on your shoulders.

To the non-Puerto Rican Natalie Wood as Maria in West Side Story

To the multiple instances of white actors playing Asian characters from Marlon Brando

Suck me by name, interpreter by profession.

You cannot go on or keep reading my bills!

It's a performance the New York Times in 1961 actually praised as broadly exotic.

Yes, there's no shortage of roles for white actors playing non-white characters.

The historical figure you're playing wasn't white?

The contemporary figure you're playing wasn't white?

The cartoon the movie was based on was entirely about non-white people?

Your characters are named Esteban and Clara Trueva in the Isabel Allende novel the movie is based on?

Right this way, Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep.

And even when a non-white person does score a major role, when they make the porn parody, guess what happens?

And when filmmakers get called out on whitewashing, the justification is less to do with black and white, and more to do with green.

Director Ridley Scott told Variety magazine he can't mount a $140 million film and say that my lead actor is Muhammad so-and-so from such-and-such.

Yeah, you needed the white hot star power of whoever the fuck this guy is.

would be less egregious if any time an actor of color took on a traditionally white role, half the country didn't go ape shit.

The appearance of a black storm trooper in the first trailer for Star Wars, The Force Awakens, is causing a lot of chatter on social media, even some racist comments.

Several people were apparently upset that the actress playing the character is African-American.

The author of those Bond novels saying Elva is too, quote, -"street."

-"Yes, if you're black, Even if you're an actor who sometimes dresses like French Waldo.

People will still say you're too straight.

And this isn't even getting into how movies about minorities will still put white people in the foreground.

How are we supposed to believe Tom Cruise is the last samurai?

Oscars are so white because the roles aren't there, just remember the Academy gave Oscars for characters named Olan, Billy Quan, and Luis Molina, to actors named Louise, Linda, and William.

All of which is enough to make you ask, Hollywood whitewashing, How is this still a thing?


Speaker 0: Last week Tonight asks, how is this still a thing? This week, Hollywood whitewashing. How is this still a thing? In just 1 week, we'll celebrate the Academy Awards. They promise to be controversial.

As for the second year running, The nominees are whiter than a yeti in a snowstorm, fighting Tilda Swinton. And yet some are arguing it's not entirely the Academy's fault.

Speaker 1: Some observers say Hollywood just doesn't provide enough good roles for black actors.

Speaker 0: 1 of the reasons for this might be that even when there are roles for non-white actors, they sometimes still get played by white people.

Speaker 2: In Prince of Persia, based on a video game set in ancient Iran, Jake Gyllenhaal plays the title character.

Speaker 0: That's right, Jake Gyllenhaal, A white American with a Swedish last name was cast to play the Prince of Persia from, you know, Persia. And he's far from alone. Just last year, Emma Stone played the half-Asian Alison Ng in Aloha. Ho-oh-la-la. Apparently, Aloha means hello, goodbye, and you've got to be fucking kidding me.

And when Hollywood needed actors to play Egyptians in Exodus, Gods and Kings, it knew just what to do. Moses.

Speaker 1: Ramesses. You grew up together close as brothers.

Speaker 0: That was a guy from Australia and a guy from Britain, pretending to be 2 guys from Egypt, a country in Africa. And if you like that, don't miss Gods of Egypt opening Friday, starring a Scottish guy.

Speaker 1: I shall be your 1 true God.

Speaker 0: Wow. That's the whitest Egyptian since these 4.

Speaker 1: Godlike Egyptian.

Speaker 0: All of this is nothing new. White actors have taken roles designed for every ethnicity throughout Hollywood history. From John Wayne as Genghis Khan in The Conqueror

Speaker 1: Your treacherous head is not safe on your shoulders.

Speaker 0: To the non-Puerto Rican Natalie Wood as Maria in West Side Story

Speaker 1: Buenas noches.

Speaker 0: To the multiple instances of white actors playing Asian characters from Marlon Brando

Speaker 1: Suck me by name, interpreter by profession.

Speaker 0: To of course, this.

Speaker 1: You cannot go on or keep reading my bills!

Speaker 0: It's a performance the New York Times in 1961 actually praised as broadly exotic. Seriously. Yes, there's no shortage of roles for white actors playing non-white characters. The historical figure you're playing wasn't white? Not a problem.

The contemporary figure you're playing wasn't white? Not a problem. The cartoon the movie was based on was entirely about non-white people? Not a problem. Your characters are named Esteban and Clara Trueva in the Isabel Allende novel the movie is based on?

Right this way, Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep. And even when a non-white person does score a major role, when they make the porn parody, guess what happens?

Speaker 1: Don't worry, I got this 1. No, Glenn. Pull your dick away.

Speaker 0: And when filmmakers get called out on whitewashing, the justification is less to do with black and white, and more to do with green.

Speaker 3: Director Ridley Scott told Variety magazine he can't mount a $140 million film and say that my lead actor is Muhammad so-and-so from such-and-such.

Speaker 0: Yeah, you needed the white hot star power of whoever the fuck this guy is.

Speaker 1: And maybe all of this

Speaker 0: would be less egregious if any time an actor of color took on a traditionally white role, half the country didn't go ape shit.

Speaker 4: The appearance of a black storm trooper in the first trailer for Star Wars, The Force Awakens, is causing a lot of chatter on social media, even some racist comments.

Speaker 3: Several people were apparently upset that the actress playing the character is African-American. He'd be the first black Bond. The author of those Bond novels saying Elva is too, quote, -"street."

Speaker 0: -"Yes, if you're black, Even if you're an actor who sometimes dresses like French Waldo. People will still say you're too straight. And this isn't even getting into how movies about minorities will still put white people in the foreground. How are we supposed to believe Tom Cruise is the last samurai? This guy is the last samurai?

This guy? This guy is the last samurai?

Speaker 1: This guy. This guy is the last samurai. This guy. This guy is the last samurai.

Speaker 0: This guy. This guy is the last samurai. Fuck you. So when

Speaker 1: you hear people say the

Speaker 0: Oscars are so white because the roles aren't there, just remember the Academy gave Oscars for characters named Olan, Billy Quan, and Luis Molina, to actors named Louise, Linda, and William. All of which is enough to make you ask, Hollywood whitewashing, How is this still a thing?

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Whitewashing: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)