Why Red Face is Wrong – The Lone Ranger’s Oscar Nomination
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I doubt that I need to explain to most people why red face, the practice of casting non-Native American actors to play Native American roles, is a deeply problematic one. At least I thought that was the case until the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominated Disney’s disastrous Lone Ranger reboot for an Oscar nomination in the category in ‘Hair and Makeup’, a nod which seems to defend criticisms of Johnny Depp’s contentious casting. In this latest podcast episode we will drill down into the meaning behind this gesture and ask why the Academy insists upon defending an almost indefensible casting choice. It’s been said that The Lone Ranger was the type of disaster we will be talking about for decades – this latest incident not only makes that likely; it demands a long, on going discussion on how race is seen and used by Hollywood. Play the podcast in this window by click in the Play button in the media player at the bottom of this post.
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