Ghost in the Shell meme maker backfires as fans mock Scarlett Johansson’s whitewashing
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Paramount Pictures’ online campaign for Ghost in the Shell has gone viral for the wrong reasons. The film has been criticized by many for its whitewashing with the casting of Scarlett Johansson as The Major.
Paramount set up the website IAmMajor.me which allows users to upload photos of themselves along with a caption. However, the campaign looks to have backfired as fans used the meme generator to voice their anger at not casting a Japanese actor as The Major. Check them out below:
#IAmMajor When will people learn. NEVER ? DO ? MEME ? ADVERTISING!! pic.twitter.com/9NQXa1x4O6
— The Artist Formerly Known as Sogo Ishii (@Cinemacreep) March 14, 2017
#IAmMajor I am white feminism in a
nut-shell ? pic.twitter.com/SDFyPSYct1— Shabeelnaagood (@4iizumi) March 14, 2017
https://twitter.com/shellheads/status/840997516275527680
I am annoyed with white people in Native stories. #IamMajor pic.twitter.com/MFfX8jVVCv
— Thaddeus Howze is 'The Answer-Man' (@ebonstorm) March 13, 2017
The Ghost in the Shell Website https://t.co/eqy8CpndC6 has a meme maker of sorts where anyone could "become Major" so I had some fun…. pic.twitter.com/EadKs04H9a
— Valerie Complex (@ValerieComplex) March 11, 2017
@ValerieComplex #IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/QSETZMjCGm
— NaiFu (@NaiFuToo) March 13, 2017
Johansson recently spoke to Marie Claire about the controversy surrounding her casting in the role:
“Diversity is important in Hollywood, and I would never want to feel like I was playing a character that was offensive.” she said.
Ghost in the Shell is based on the Japanese manga of the same name and hits screens on March 31.
ASian actors don’t have screen presence, and to the average movie goer, look remotely the same. It’s the brutal truth but will be considered offensive. No one will watch a movie with a bunch of Chinese women outside of China, facial expressions are not relateable.