Casting actors in beloved roles can be a tall order for creators in Hollywood, and sometimes their choices can attract the ire of passionate fans. With expectations phenomenally high and the franchise fans far too eager to voice their displeasure with such decisions, it is a daunting task to select the right person for a character. The internet has become a cesspool for the outraged and disgruntled, and while some projects may deserve the criticism, others simply do not.
The world was buzzing about singer/actress Halle Bailey’s casting in Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid, unfairly garnering racist backlash simply because she is a Black performer taking on the role of the formerly white Ariel. Though he is now immortalized for his scene-stealing portrayal in the Oscar-winning superhero film The Dark Knight, fans were initially baffled by the casting of Heath Ledger as the notorious villain the Joker. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest and dumbest online overreactions to casting decisions.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
9 Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase (Percy Jackson)
Disney
Fans of the popular Rick Riordan fantasy novels were thrilled when news broke that the series would be given the reboot treatment after many felt the first adaptation, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, failed to capture the magic of the books. In 2020, it was announced that Disney was currently producing a live-action television series that would remain more faithful to the subject matter and include Riordan in the creative process. However, when 12-year-old actress Leah Jeffries was cast as Annabeth Chase, one of Percy’s close friends, some on the internet were outraged that a Black actress would be playing the role since she was written as white in the series.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
The ridiculous blowback caused the original Percy Jackson film stars to voice their support for Jeffries, with Riordan himself condemning the backlash: “If you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me. You have no one else to blame. Whatever else you take from this post, we should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong.”
8 Ghostbusters Reboot
Sony Pictures Releasing
For Paul Feig’s gender-swapped 2016 Ghostbusters reboot, the acclaimed comedy director enlisted some of the funniest ladies in Hollywood to take on the roles of the spirit-exterminating gang. Making the decision to envision the beloved ’80s classic with a female ensemble caused quite the stir, immediately garnering a polarizing response from audiences and overwhelming internet backlash, with many complaining the casting felt like a “gimmick.” Despite featuring dynamic stars like Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, and Kate McKinnon, the remake failed to resonate with moviegoers and was a box-office bomb even though critics were more receptive.
The Ghostbusters backlash can be attributed to an array of reasons including a lack of desire for a reboot of the original, a perceived lack of humor in the screenplay and overall misogynistic criticism to a female-driven flick. When discussing the controversy surrounding the comedy, Fieg once expressed, “It was a great regret in my life that the movie didn’t do better, ‘cause I really loved it. It’s not a perfect movie. None of my movies are perfect. I liked what we were doing with it. It was only supposed to be there to entertain people.”
7 Daniel Craig as James Bond
Sony Pictures Releasing
Though he has since won over audiences with his commanding portrayal of the iconic James Bond character, Daniel Craig’s casting for 2006’s Casino Royale led to an outcry by fans who felt the actor did not match the tall, dark and debonair description attached to the Bond image. Throughout the whole filming process, deplorable internet smeer campaigns were aimed at Craig, with websites like “danielcraigisnotbond.com” being created and many threatening to boycott the film in protest.
Both Craig and Casino Royale came out on top against the resistance, as the actor’s reinvention of Bond and the reboot garnered widespread critical acclaim and earned over $600 million at the box office. Craig would go on reprise the role of the legendary British MI6 agent four more times, concluding his tenure with 2021’s Oscar-winning blockbuster hit No Time to Die.
6 Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who)
BBC
The celebrated BBC sci-fi television series Doctor Who famously follows the titular Time Lord Doctor as they travel and explore the universe, helping those in need as they face formidable foes. The long-running and enduring program is known for the Doctor’s many incarnations and portrayals, with the character being able to regenerate in order to keep the cast fresh and exciting.
Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa made history when he was cast as the Fifteenth Doctor after David Tennant’s return, making him the first Black actor to take on the cherished role. While the vast majority of fans were thrilled at the decision, a select few were upset by casting a Black, gay actor as the Doctor, with complaints that the show is trying to be too “woke.”
5 Heath Ledger as the Joker
Warner Bros.
Heavily regarded as one of cinema’s greatest performances and as the unparalleled portrayal of the iconic Batman villain, Heath Ledger’s phenomenal outing as the anarchist mastermind the Joker completely transfixed both moviegoers and critics. Though the part has now become synonymous with the late and great actor, his casting initially caused outrage due to Ledger’s heart-throb public persona, with many feeling director Christopher Nolan made a monumental mistake.
The Australian performer described his interpretation of the Joker as a “psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy” and both terrified and captivated audiences in his Oscar-winning portrayal, proving naysayers wrong. The Dark Knightwent on to earn over $1 billion at the box office, earning widespread praise for its gritty tone and brilliant performances; the film installment is considered one of the best movies ever made and is the now the cornerstone for modern superhero flicks.
4 Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman
3 Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who)
Another Doctor Who casting decision that caused an absurd amount of uproar was when actress Jodie Whittaker was selected as the 13th incarnation of the iconic Doctor; while many praised the show for the progressive decision to finally cast a female lead, others were less-than-pleased.
Some felt the role should be played solely by a man, as the Doctor had only been previously since the program’s premiere in 1963. Whittaker passionately urged fans not to fear the gender change, stating, “Doctor Who represents everything that’s exciting about change. The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one.”
2 Halle Bailey (The Little Mermaid)
Walt Disney Studios
When singer and actress Halle Bailey was cast as Ariel in the highly-anticipated live-action adaptation of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, the young performer was subjected to bizarre and racist backlash from the internet. Those opposing Bailey’s casting argued that the film should remain faithful to the image of Ariel (who was white in the animated film) and her story as well as claiming that a black mermaid does not comply with historical accuracy (a laughable notion in itself since mermaids are fictional beings).
The film’s lyricist and producer Lin-Manuel Miranda denounced the backlash, calling out the racist trolls and saying, “I’m not interested in giving them any oxygen because I know the lives that are going to be changed. Halle is perfect for the part. She is going to blow them away. If that’s the thing that makes you mad, then stay mad. But examine your choices.”
1 The Cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
For Prime Video’s wondrous fantasy television series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, an international and diverse cast was hired to help bring the J.R.R. Tolkien series to life and was subsequently the target of review bombing by those who were unhappy with the direction of the adaptation. Critical fans took to the internet tactic to voice their disdain, posting “numerous negative reviews for [the series] due to its perceived cultural or political issues rather than its actual quality.” Non-white actors were cast in the roles of Dwarves and Elves for the first time ever, attracting the venom of some who did not like the decision.
Executive producer Lindsey Weber addressed the preposterous backlash, saying, “Tolkien is for everyone. His stories are about his fictional races doing their best work when they leave the isolation of their own cultures and come together.” Despite attempts to undermine the program, The Rings of Power went on to find immense success and has been watched by nearly 100 million viewers as of late-September.
