“The Little Mermaid” is now in theaters. The reviews have been very mixed. I missed the press screening due to being at Cannes, but I am not losing any sleep over it.
Although the film is doing well at the U.S. box-office, it’s actually bombing hard in China. The backlash over a black actress playing the titular character seems to be the reason why.
The Chinese state-run Global Times newspaper has condemned Disney for its “lazy and irresponsible” live-action remake, calling the decision to cast black actress Halle Bailey as a decision driven by “political correctness” that alienates Chinese viewers.
The Global Times then went on to condemn Disney for its “forced inclusion of minorities.”
The controversy surrounding Disney’s forced inclusion of minorities in classic films is not about racism, but its lazy and irresponsible storytelling strategy. If the company truly wants to represent marginalized groups, why not create original stories that reflect their experiences instead of turning classic tales into ‘sacrificial lambs’ for political correctness?
The newspaper then condemned Disney for turning fairy tales into “arenas for racial conflict” and depriving them of “romance and fantasy.”
“Although some Chinese netizens think Bailey is beautiful and sweet, they generally hold the opinion that the casting choice is a disruption of the character who originally appeared as a white princess with red hair in the Disney cartoon.”
Film writer Luis Fernando reported that “The Little Mermaid” only made $4,000 in pre-sale tickets for shows between May 25 and 28 throughout all of China.
This isn’t an isolated incident when it comes to Chinese backlash on black characters. If you remember, Chinese promotional posters for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” minimized the image of John Boyega, the black actor who played Finn in the 2015 movie.