Ethno-regional bias in Children's Films.
Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2017 8:29 pm
Ethno-regional prejudices have been used consistently to shorthand characters in Hollywood films. This is an epistemic category of sorts, which does not necessarily have anything to do with race, but more of the idea of ethnicity and the cultural connotations of race. This does not come with the presumption of a fixed view of identity, therefore. Quite the contrary, actually. Regional differences are a continuation of tribal instincts. Whether used by the right or left, it is the same behavior regardless. I think that this is a prime example of neoliberal culture in action. I think that Hollywood's neoliberalism is like a snake, slipping between right and left. In order to demonstrate it I would use several examples from a rather known Children's film. I chose the Lion King as a case. The way I analyzed these things as prejudices are how I think the target audience would perceive it (being part of the audience when I was Child, too). However, this is a forum so obviously the point is to discuss, challenge ;)
There is ethno-regional bias in the casting of characters in The Lion King, for example. The character’s accents frequently fulfill regional and ethnic stereotypes, and are used in order to quickly inform us about the character’s roles in the movie. This is especially true in the case of Rafiki, who is voiced by Robert Guillaume. His African sounding voice is not the actor’s regular accent but it is put on to make him sound more indigenous and like a shaman. While he is not a villain, his character still fulfills a rather common Hollywood stereotype of the medicine man or wise shaman. What is biased about this depiction is the use of a fake African accent as an indicator of his role in the film, and how it allows the viewer to make assumptions quickly about the character. This is true regardless of whether or not the characters are morally good or bad, as they are still painted with a stereotype in either case.
Pumba and Timon’s are the comedic leads in the movie. They have stereotypical New York or New Jersey accents. Their accents appear to mark them out as comedic characters, who shouldn’t be taken seriously. The villains are also minorities, the coyotes which have Cheech Marin and Whoopi Goldberg in the lead roles. Their roles are villains, having invaded the land, making them seem hostile and alien. Zazu, played by Rowan Atkinson has a very distinct lower class British accent. This contrasts Scar’s upper class British accent. The lower class accent is endearing and somewhat goofy and innocent, while the upper class accent is interpreted as hostile. In all of the characters with different accents than the standard American English accent, their accents seem to set them apart in some way or another from the protagonist lions which includes Simba, Mufasa, and Nala. Whether it is in a good or bad way, it is evident that characters are distinguished by their voices, including their accents. To an extent, a characters’ role is determined by the actors and how they say their lines, including what they say. However many characters in the film with the exception of the lions do not have that many lines of dialogue.
One might try to separate the character’s behaviors and actions entirely from their voice actor’s accent. Why then, would Robert Guillaume intentionally put on an accent which was not his own, then? The accent was intentionally put on in order to suit his character’s role. Besides observing the characters’ roles in the film, there is also the fact that the actors come with ethno-regional accents of their own. Most of the cast uses their own authentic accent. Rowan Atkinson and Whoopi Goldberg are well known, and I would argue that their humor also carries their cultural background and mannerisms. These things will be included in their “acting portfolio”, meaning that their acting background cannot be completely separate from race or their ethno-cultural background. However the point of this argument is the subjective meaning received from cultural expression.
My objectors point out that this a children’s film, and that character’s need to be introduced in a simple way so that kids may understand. This may be perceived a problem, because the oversimplification of the characters comes through generalizing about their accents, which are the voice actor’s true accents in most instances. This is the meaning of bias, which is simply an unfair or perhaps “unwarranted” oversimplification. Bias may oversimplify people so that they seem like less of a person. To a certain extent, my objectors may be right when they claim that the viewer may not perceive this bias, or make the connections during the film. However, I am claiming that the film has ethno-regional bias intentionally in its casting and character roles, not a moral argument against the movie. People might downplay the importance of these relationships between character roles and accents, but nostalgia and “childhood innocence” does not nullify evidence.
In conclusion, an actor’s acting portfolio cannot be completely separate from race or their ethno-cultural background. The character’s accents frequently fulfill regional and ethnic stereotypes, and are used in order to quickly inform us about the character’s roles in the movie. Stereotypes undoubtedly exist in most movies which Hollywood has made. In this case, we have shown how stereotypes pertain to ethno-regional accents and bias or assumptions about people. It may shed light on the moral compass of the film to look at what characters and their accents are good or evil, but bias can be thought of as generalizing people based on their accents.
Anybody have any thoughts on Ethno-regional bias?
There is ethno-regional bias in the casting of characters in The Lion King, for example. The character’s accents frequently fulfill regional and ethnic stereotypes, and are used in order to quickly inform us about the character’s roles in the movie. This is especially true in the case of Rafiki, who is voiced by Robert Guillaume. His African sounding voice is not the actor’s regular accent but it is put on to make him sound more indigenous and like a shaman. While he is not a villain, his character still fulfills a rather common Hollywood stereotype of the medicine man or wise shaman. What is biased about this depiction is the use of a fake African accent as an indicator of his role in the film, and how it allows the viewer to make assumptions quickly about the character. This is true regardless of whether or not the characters are morally good or bad, as they are still painted with a stereotype in either case.
Pumba and Timon’s are the comedic leads in the movie. They have stereotypical New York or New Jersey accents. Their accents appear to mark them out as comedic characters, who shouldn’t be taken seriously. The villains are also minorities, the coyotes which have Cheech Marin and Whoopi Goldberg in the lead roles. Their roles are villains, having invaded the land, making them seem hostile and alien. Zazu, played by Rowan Atkinson has a very distinct lower class British accent. This contrasts Scar’s upper class British accent. The lower class accent is endearing and somewhat goofy and innocent, while the upper class accent is interpreted as hostile. In all of the characters with different accents than the standard American English accent, their accents seem to set them apart in some way or another from the protagonist lions which includes Simba, Mufasa, and Nala. Whether it is in a good or bad way, it is evident that characters are distinguished by their voices, including their accents. To an extent, a characters’ role is determined by the actors and how they say their lines, including what they say. However many characters in the film with the exception of the lions do not have that many lines of dialogue.
One might try to separate the character’s behaviors and actions entirely from their voice actor’s accent. Why then, would Robert Guillaume intentionally put on an accent which was not his own, then? The accent was intentionally put on in order to suit his character’s role. Besides observing the characters’ roles in the film, there is also the fact that the actors come with ethno-regional accents of their own. Most of the cast uses their own authentic accent. Rowan Atkinson and Whoopi Goldberg are well known, and I would argue that their humor also carries their cultural background and mannerisms. These things will be included in their “acting portfolio”, meaning that their acting background cannot be completely separate from race or their ethno-cultural background. However the point of this argument is the subjective meaning received from cultural expression.
My objectors point out that this a children’s film, and that character’s need to be introduced in a simple way so that kids may understand. This may be perceived a problem, because the oversimplification of the characters comes through generalizing about their accents, which are the voice actor’s true accents in most instances. This is the meaning of bias, which is simply an unfair or perhaps “unwarranted” oversimplification. Bias may oversimplify people so that they seem like less of a person. To a certain extent, my objectors may be right when they claim that the viewer may not perceive this bias, or make the connections during the film. However, I am claiming that the film has ethno-regional bias intentionally in its casting and character roles, not a moral argument against the movie. People might downplay the importance of these relationships between character roles and accents, but nostalgia and “childhood innocence” does not nullify evidence.
In conclusion, an actor’s acting portfolio cannot be completely separate from race or their ethno-cultural background. The character’s accents frequently fulfill regional and ethnic stereotypes, and are used in order to quickly inform us about the character’s roles in the movie. Stereotypes undoubtedly exist in most movies which Hollywood has made. In this case, we have shown how stereotypes pertain to ethno-regional accents and bias or assumptions about people. It may shed light on the moral compass of the film to look at what characters and their accents are good or evil, but bias can be thought of as generalizing people based on their accents.
Anybody have any thoughts on Ethno-regional bias?